Lynnwood Bridge
A new and promising mixed use development is taking shape in the East of Pretoria. The new 70 500m2 development, developed by Atterbury Properties, consists of office space, retail, hotel and theatre. Its seamless accessibility is one of Lynnwood Bridge’s greatest assets.
Presently, phase 1 of a planned three phase development consist of the construction of an office component comprising of three buildings equalling 33 000m2 and a hotel of 10 000m² which is City Lodge’s new concept hotel, set to be the focal point of the development.
Phase 2 consists of a retail component of 10 000m2 and includes speciality retail outlets. Market demand will determine when phase 3, an additional 15 000m2 of office space, will be developed.
The construction of a new offramp from the N1 highway to Lynnwood Road has created new unfettered access for commuters travelling through this area. This new access to the arterial route was the catalyst for the development of the Lynnwood Bridge Precinct.
Pretoria-East which has been void of such a development will provide P-grade office space, a 4-star hotel and a nightlife destination. This absence has forced residents to travel to regional shopping centres, into metropolitan Tshwane (Pretoria) or to just do without. Yet, once Lynnwood Bridge is completed in April 2011, this will be a thing of the past.
Mixing and Matching
The three office buildings are stand-alone blocks on ground-level, yet are connected via an underground 3-level super-basement with a 1400 vehicle parking capacity. Studio 3 Architects International designed the buildings for P-grade Head offices of blue-chip companies, of which two have been allocated to Adams & Adams Attorneys and Aurecon (formerly Africon). The site is ideal for such corporate entities as its exposure and visibility will be unmatched in the area.
For Aurecon’s 18000m2 building, the engineering firm was intrinsically involved in the development of their building. They provided a varied function serving as the civil, electrical, mechanical and structural engineers; as well as being the fire safety and green building consultants.
City Lodge’s hotel deviates from their traditional Swiss-inspired design with pitched roofs and low-rise orientation to something non-thematic and contemporary. Considered a new ‘DNA’ building model, the 208-room hotel is now a high-rise development, exuding a more robust and definitive presence. It is the first hotel in Tshwane to the east of the N1 and its position on a circular stand makes it very visible from all angles—a necessity for a new flagship development.
The composition of the retail tenancy is very specialised including outlets such as an upmarket food outlet, cycle shop, golfing store and speciality restaurants; surrounding a peacefully landscaped piazza that manages to tie in all the outlets and serve as a social point for patrons, explains Dirk Henzen of Studio 3 Architects International.
“We really tried to create something special with the retail component, we wanted a place where people would come together.” Though Lynnwood Bridge’s retail options are refined, the adjacent and existing Glenfair convenience shopping centre’s common and practical shops seamlessly complement the imminent development’s niche retail offerings. Atterbury Properties, recognising the benefit of having such a shopping centre, purchased Glenfair with plans to upgrade it and then link the two centres with a Landmark pedestrian bridge.
A special component of the retail section is the inclusion of a 425-capacity production theatre. This theatre was incorporated into the scheme to elevate the calibre of nightlife that would patronise the centre’s retail and entertainment facilities. In addition to full-on productions, from stage shows to classical concerts, the theatre will double as a conference centre for business usage as well as multifunctional purposes including school choir performances, during normal business hours. A full time recording studio will be housed there as well.
Design
Due to the high density nature of buildings within Lynnwood Bridge, strategic landscaping has been introduced to soften the visual impact of the development, creating a pleasant experience for tenants and visitors to the precinct,” says Dirk Henzen.
Lighting the development during the night was another aspect that the consultants felt was paramount considering the desire to have it become an after hours destination. A lighting specialist was brought in to design the development’s internal street lighting and building lighting, which once ‘wired’ will aesthetically illuminate the site.
Basic green architectural principles have been applied relating to the buildings’ orientation; type of glass being used; shading of western and eastern facades; light pollution; and energy efficient service components i.e. electrical and mechanical.
Ideal Location
Lynnwood Bridge is envisaged to become the gateway to all suburbs along Lynnwood Road including Silverlakes, Tijgervallei, Willows, Wapadrand, Lynnwood and Equestria. With it having the most conveniently positioned shopping centre providing a variety of restaurants, entertainment and conference facilities, Lynnwood Bridge presents the ideal location for meeting, due largely in part, to its excellent new access from the N1 highway and surrounding areas. Residents, tenants and visitors alike are likely to view the development as a tremendous asset to their environment.
Project Team
Developer: Atterbury Property
Project Manager: Po Arnan
Architects: Studio 3 Architects International
Quantity Surveyors: Storm Sciocatti Quantity Surveyors
Mechanical Engineers: Q Mech Consulting Engineers
Electrical Engineers: Taemane Consulting (Pty) Ltd
Electrical Contractor: D.C. Electrical Africa
Civil & Structural Engineer: Dekker & Gelderblom
Fire Consultant: Specialist Fire Technology / TWCE
Acoustic Engineer: ACUSOLV-Acoustic Specialist
Theatre Specialist: Odessy Records
Health & Safety: Cairnmead Industrial
Main Contractor: WBHO
Aurecon Building (Phase 1)
Civil & Structural Engineers
Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
Fire Safety
Green Building Consultants: Aurecon
