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Nasrec Precinct Upgrade
Nasrec gets R120 million upgrade for 2010
By: Bathandwa Mbola
More than R120 million has been set aside to upgrade the Nasrec precinct south of Johannesburg's city centre to support the hosting of the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Nasrec, one of the city's oldest and largest exhibition centres, will see thousands of broadcasters from around the world based there for six weeks during June/July 2010.
Officially announced on Monday, 21 April 2008, the upgrading of the precinct is scheduled to start in May, which will see the area transformed into a world class centre over the next two years.
"The IBC will be the pulse and the nerve centre for all TV operations during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Though a sophisticated network it will be linking the venues in South Africa to the rest of the football fraternity all over the globe.
“This way it will also create a legacy, far beyond the event in terms of telecommunication infrastructure for the country,” said FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter in a video message to guests attending the function.
Johannesburg was among the country's three cities that bid for the right to be the nerve centre for all TV and radio operations during the tournament. Cape Town and Durban were the other two bidding cities.
Speaking during the event, Johannesburg Executive Mayor Amos Masondo said the money will be used mainly to rent and upgrade the required halls and facilities from the Expo Centre.
“In addition the city will provide various services relating to electricity installation, security and monitoring, waste removal, health and transport.”
The city approved the Nasrec precinct as a development node to bridge the apartheid spatial planning gap between the south and the north of Johannesburg in 2001.
“This has resulted in among others, the private sector partnering with the city in investing R1 billion (118 million USD) in the Nasrec precinct for the development of 500 residential units and a four star hotel,” Mayor Masondo said.
During the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, the IBC was set up in Munich where Germany hosted 13,400 accredited TV commentators, camera crew members and technical staff.
The centre broadcast images and reports of the world cup to more than 120 television and radio stations in 190 countries to over 26 billion people across the world.
Similarly, the IBC to be established in Nasrec will host thousands of broadcasters from around the world for the six week duration of the world cup.
The cumulative television audience for the 2010 event in South Africa is estimated to reach 30 billion.
Communications Deputy Minister Roy Padayachee said the IBC would have the most up-to-date digital broadcast telecommunications systems available to provide for an estimated 3000 broadcast journalists during the event.
“Once completed, the satellite teleport and telecommunications infrastructure will be able to support transmission capacity of forty gigabytes per second.
“This FIFA World Cup will also be the first one broadcast in high-definition television. A dedicated network will link the ten venues and the rest of the world to the images from the 2010 FIFA World Cup,” the deputy minister said.
The IBC would become a key legacy project for business and sporting-related businesses in a safe hi-tech node which would eventually include residential, shopping and entertainment developments.
Project Team
| Project Manager | PD Naidoo & Associates |
Architect |
Boogertman Urban Edge and Partners |
Engineers |
GOBA Consulting |
Quantity Surveyors |
Davis Langdon |
Main Contractors |
Stefanutti & Bressan Earthworks |
Cape Town Station
Introduction and background
Cape Town Station is the busiest rail station in the metropolitan rail network and regarded as the heart of Cape Town. It is also seen as an interchange for a number of other modes of transport including minibus taxis, long distance bus services, metered taxis and commuter buses. The station was in urgent need of redevelopment in order o accommodate the changing transportation requirements, reclaim its role as a significant public space in Cape Town and contribute to the 2010 World Cup effort.
Rail infrastructure in the country has been under-invested in for the last 30 years. Negative effects due to the underinvestment has affected the city to a grave deal, residents of Cape Town have been witness to poor maintenance within the station and sadly a noted demoralisation of staff has been seen due to the lack of a proper working environment.
Even though the taxi industry had no support from government and the bus and train industry did, commuters were forced to make use of dangerous taxi services due to the previous political situation South Africa faced and as a result of urban migration – this resulted in a decline in the market share of the rail industry.
Solutions to the problem
Now that the country has turned over a new leaf and is enjoying political freedom equivalent to other first world countries, government realised that it is of paramount importance to upgrade the services of the station as well as change current perceptions of rail travel within the city. Moekena Makeka of Makeka Design Lab is the lead architect on the project and brings with him a unique perception of design. Makeka is fondly known as ‘The People’s Architect’ as he believes that design is a basic human right not a luxury. Says Makeka: “If you want people to make use of the train, then stations need to look good and trains must be clean. If you are trying to improve your service, then you need to invest in the architecture whereas previously, people had the belief of fixing the trains only and not particularly the station. Because it was such an engineering-dominated sector, the notion of investing in the architecture and the public space was considered a taboo.”
Cape Town Station was in dire need of attention, there were lots of problems with regards to aesthetic appeal and even how the informal market was managed. Architects had found the station in desperate need of a redesign and thus faced a few challenges in getting the station to compete on an international level.
“The overarching emphasis is putting aesthetics and the passenger experience at the forefront. This does not mean that the service will be radically different, people will still travel via the train but the motivating force behind the refurbishment is saying that spaces should be visually clean, advertising spaces should be less cluttered, there should be information and health points, security should be visible, quality and visibility of the shops both inside and outside the station should respond to attracting a broader band of society so that the station isn’t seen as a low-class model choice but is seen as a place where the more wealthy people can participate. It’s also about changing negative edges, the general idea is that there should be cafes, bars, and a basic hum of activity radiating through the station, one should truly enjoy the ‘station experience,” says Makeka.
New developments
New shopfronts have been installed and pavings have been changed on Strand Street. Architects have been informative in letting the city know where pedestrian crossings should go.
Commuters should look forward to new street lights, and new urban furniture. There’s the inclusion of a sculptural piece which Makeka refers to as ‘The Wrap’ – a steel structure which connects the station deck onto the street and onto The Grand Parade.
The informal trading area has undergone a complete design turn around – trader units have been redesigned, Makeka believes these will be the best in the country that will set the standard in terms of design, durability and innovative materials. “Sustainability is important so one would need to implement innovative materials in the building,” says Makeka.
Makeka has ensured that there is a favourable platform to showcase brand names – he suggested that quality advertising mediums be installed within the station in the form of LCD and plasma screens – research was conducted in the form of pedestrian study models with developers being confident that advertising within the station will be reached by its target audience.
Previously, the station was not compliant from an evacuation perspective. It has now been converted into a public square – with it comes energy into that particular spot within the city as Makeka feels that there should be performances, singing at night, fashion shows and mini jazz festivals – the idea is that the station becomes an event venue not just a train station.
Proudly South African, the station has not been modelled by being compared to other leading train stations around the globe, though truly South African in terms of the design approach, it should not be seen as naïve.One & Only Hotel
An exquisite residential development in Cape Town’s Victoria & Alfred (V &A) Waterfront has taken its rightful place among other upmarket developments in the area positioning it to become one of the country’s most luxurious destinations affording it the appropriate title—One & Only.
Continuing their legacy of making an affluent international brand, Sol Kerzner, CEO and Chairman of Kerzner International, the parent company of One & Only Resorts, has made Cape Town the latest recipient of these luxurious hotel resorts that are also located in Mexico, Bahamas, Mauritius, Maldives and Dubai.
“Cape Town’s One and Only is destined to become a significant landmark in South Africa and our plans promise to make it one of the country’s leading luxury resort destination,” states Kerzner. “I am personally delighted to be opening a spectacular resort in my home country and where I first became involved in the hotel industry.”
Design
Cape Town based architects Dennis Fabian & Berman as well as Ruben Reddy have ensured the stylish resort will integrate with the Waterfront District while the interiors have been designed by Adam D. Tihany, a renowned luxury hotel and restaurant designer.
According to Mark Claypole of Dennis Fabian & Berman, the hotel concept is that of an ‘urban resort’ consisting of 91 rooms and suites in the Marina Rise building on the urban edge and 2 islands within the Marina encompassing a further 40 suites, a spectacular landscaped swimming pool and spa complex.
The uniquely landscaped Spa Island separates the Villa Island with it’s pool and private restaurant from the Marina Rise. The main hotel (referred to as Marina Rise) houses the Presidential and Table Mountain suites (both in excess of 250 m2.) and is crowned at the 2 uppermost floors with 3 magnificent duplex Penthouses.
Located at the entrance level is the exciting Vista Lounge and Bar, the all-day dining maze by Gordon Ramsay and Nobu restaurants. The main access gallery with it’s retail area leads to the Banquet Room and Business Centre. A state of the art Fitness Centre and Kids Club are amongst the many facilities in the Marina Rise that are available to hotel guests.
THE MARINA RISE
The Marina Rise is positioned to complete the string of highly sought after apartment buildings that surround the marina. Its focus is the splendour of Table Mountain. Most of the public spaces and guest rooms are designed to face this world heritage landmark – the icon of Cape Town.
The building design therefore results in a single loaded corridor at each level giving access to the guest rooms. The plan shape of the tower exaggerates the gentle semi crescent curve of the existing marina thereby exposing the Porte Cochere as it peels away to enhance the visitor’s sense of arrival.
As is befitting of the stated brief of One&Only Cape Town to respect its context and therefore the scale of the building is similar to the surrounding residential apartment blocks, with an additional floor to provide the master setting for the 3 magnificent penthouses.
The Marina Rise is architecturally articulated around the edges particularly at its roofline in order to provide visual interest of a pleasant scale. Architecturally it incorporates classical elements in a contemporary style giving the building a unique image within the context of the V&A Waterfront Residential Marina.
The lower levels of the Marina Rise are clad in stone and detailed with gentle arches and double columns. These more classical elements present the signature style and the unique first impressions upon arrival. A series of stepped flat roofs create the roof line articulation.
The Marina Rise facades are broken into 3 main segments responding to the crescent plan shape.Each segment is anchored with a vertical corner tower element which gives definition to the corners and anchors the building.
All rooms are provided with wide window/door panels that lead out onto balconies, to capture and maximize the drama of the spectacular mountain views.
Classically interpreted techniques such as grouping glazed elements together over 2 or 3 floors in conjunction with double/triple storey columns are employed to add another dimension and improve the legibility of especially the entrance façade.
The central planning features the raised grand arrival space and lounging areas overlooking the Vista Lounge and Bar, which has a magnificent 3 storey high clear glass panel in order to augment the view towards the mountain. This is flanked by 2 restaurants Nobu on the one side and maze by Gordon Ramsay on the other leading to the banqueting and business centre each of these spaces with their own unique interior styling.
The grand scale of the guest rooms and suites feature interiors that are sophisticated with an understated elegance and African touches. Palettes of natural colours interspersed with warm touches of wood create a contemporary yet warm feel.
Crowning the Marina Rise are the 3 penthouses, each double storey. They are probably the only properties in the world where 2 world heritage sites can be viewed simultaneously – Table Mountain to the south and Robben Island to the north. The visual link between Table Bay and Table Mountain is achieved through edge-to-edge glass doors that open completely allowing the interior and exterior to merge into one.
The Marina Rise building is linked with a series of bridges to two separate isolated exclusive islands, where luxury reigns supreme.
FANTASY ISLAND
The spa island consists of a complex of Villa-scaled buildings grouped around courtyards and water features . This is an oasis of tranquillity literally in an ocean setting. Dense vegetation creates a plush and private experience where one can be pampered to one’s hearts’ content.
Contained within the spa are the exclusive hair and beauty salons, luxurious treatment rooms, relax areas, yoga pavilion and change rooms with steam showers, sauna rooms and vitality pools to complete an invigorating wet experience.
On the furthest island a series of 11 double storey villas contains 40 guest suites which line the waters edge and surround the magnificent pool area and restaurant. The heavily landscaped villa island has an urban residential feel with an old world charm.
Under the direction of Kerzner International with it’s intense attention to detail a collaboration of more than 30 consultant firms many of which are from other parts of the globe have produced an urban resort hotel in Cape Town which truly deserves the title of One&Only
Project Team
| Developers | Kerzner International |
Interior Designer Bedrooms & Public Areas |
Tihany Design |
Project Manager |
SIP Project Managers (Pty) Ltd |
Architect |
Dennis Fabian & Berman |
Structural & Civil Engineer |
LC Consulting |
Quantity Surveyor |
McIntosh Latilla Carrier & Laing |
Electrical & Electronics Engineer |
Solution Station Consulting Engineers |
HVAC Engineer |
Basil Nair & Associates cc |