Green Park
What may be the most interesting aspect of Green Park is the declaration from the developers and designers that it is the first ‘real’ or comprehensive green development in the country.
Currently in phase one of three, once the scheme is totally completed in 2015, it will occupy an entire city block on all four sides and may well be the most pedestrian-friendly development in the area.
The mixed-use development will comprise of six blocks surrounding an urban pedestrian square. The buildings will be a combination of office space, a 5-Star hotel and 250 luxury apartments spread out in the remaining four buildings. The enclosed courtyard square will be a hub of social activity for residents and visitors as they enjoy landscaped areas featuring cafés, restaurants, and boutique retail options.
Lately the phenomenon of going ‘green’ with developments has seemly afflicted every segment of the global construction industry. Yet, in South Africa with the country’s new Green rating tool, no other development quite reflects the epitome of the green principles, (e.g. energy efficiency, transportation, spatial planning, water reticulation, emissions, waste management, sustainable building materials) like Lushaka Investments’ mixed use scheme—Green Park.
The first phase, scheduled for completion by the end of 2010, includes the 20-storey high-rise office block. This will be followed up in the next phase comprising two residential blocks, the hotel and a 4200m2 popular fitness gym completing in 2013. The final phase will consist of two additional residential blocks, more luxurious and spacious than the previous residential blocks, which will culminate mid-2015.
Green with Envy
The recently established Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) sets benchmarks for developments seeking a rating for environmental conscientiousness in design. In the absence of the GBCSA, many developments were either utilising the established Australian rating system or were simply self-labelled as ‘green’.
Many of these developments merely invested in materials and technologies conducive to environmental sustainably, such as the orientation of the building(s); use of double glazing; appropriate facades, water reticulation systems; and variable air-conditioning systems. While Green Park has also implemented such materials and devices, the development has stretched the concept of green much further. “Its not just on the basic structure of the building and materials we are using, rather it is the on-going management and maintenance cost and environmental impact of the building which we are focusing on,” says Sergio Aquino of Lushaka Investments.
The crux of Green Park’s design is lowering carbon footprint through minimising use of private vehicles, while creating an environment conducive to pedestrian mobility. So how is this achieved? Well, the biggest problem with most modern cities, is they are built for the extensive use of cars. Older cities were built with the pedestrian in mind, Green Park is resurrecting this concept.
Being able to ‘live-work-entertain’ all from within the development was a major design consideration. In a city where roads are only used as functional entities to get people from point A to B, instead of being an actual destination, Green Park’s ability of claiming the pavements, creating opportunities and spaces where people can conduct business or enjoy leisure activities while outdoors is one of the greatest attributes to pedestrians.
Location is another major benefit of this scheme, as it is poised along major arterial roads and within public transportation nodes of Gautrain and BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) allowing direct access from Green Park. This form of public transport alone anticipates the transportation of about 1800 people per day. With its holistic approach to environmental conscientiousness in building, Green Park represents a crucible of a new, more refined green movement within the country.
Making an Iconic Statement
“A lot of buildings in Sandton at the moment resemble an overgrown classical monument. Green Park is a modern designed building appropriate to its climate and environment. It has been designed to be iconic in a modern, contemporary sense, something that Sandton has been lacking for a while,” says Vaughn Horsman of A3 Architects.
Being the main structure of the first phase as well as the tallest block within the Green Park scheme, the consultants invested heavily into how the office block would be built. An interesting element of the high-rise development is the protruding floor slabs every two floors. The architects were able to ingeniously design what was structurally an engineering necessity based on the building material used.
“We banded every second floor together, structurally this reveals the way brickwork is used. Current technology does not allow the building of a 20-storey building out of brickwork, structurally the brick cannot handle the weight. So, to counter this issue, we have split it into 10 two-storey brick-clad buildings,” says Horsman.
Though the density of the scheme and the fast track nature of the phase one programme meant the project team designed against very tight deadlines, Horsman reports that the development is progressing well. Upon completion, the office tower will make an indelible mark upon the city’s skyline, just as the entire Green Park development will mark the beginning of a new approach to green developments in Sandton
Project Team
DEVELOPER: LUSHAKA INVESTMENTS
ARCHITECT: A3 ARCHITECTS (PTY) LTD
PROJECT MANAGER / CONTRACTOR / QUANTITY SURVEYOR: LUSHAKA CONSTRUCTION
CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: SODERLUND AND SCHUTTLE INC. (PTY) LTD
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS: CPE CONSULTING ENGINEERS
TRANSPORT PLANNING: ARUP
TOWN PLANNER: ATTWELL MALHERBE ASSOCIATES
FIRE CONSULTANT: INTERNATIONAL FIRE ENGINEERING SA (PTY) LTD
