20 Rosebank is the next site to be unlocked in the mixed-use Oxford Parks precinct, on the edge of the Rosebank CBD in Johannesburg. The 6 006m² building is located on a wedge-shaped site on the western edge of the precinct. Set in a gateway position, it was designed for a JSE-listed company. The design required complex architectural planning to unlock the commercial value for developer Intaprop, but the resulting scheme has created a striking gateway to the popular precinct.

dhk Architects Associate Henry Boardman explains that the design needed an intricate solution. “The shape of the site presented a significant design challenge, which was a barrier to unlocking its value for previous developers,” says Boardman.

The dhk design team conceived a unique response to this challenge by creating a five-storey spiral basement to achieve 240 parking bays in a five-storey basement below ground. The basement corkscrews around the core which helped to unlock additional gross letting area on the upper floors. “It was a rewarding process for us to solve the site’s complexity and to balance that with unlocking the commercial value for the building above,” says Boardman.

Director for Intaprop Carollyn Mitchell shares these sentiments, noting that “the corkscrew ramp within the basement is the most technically interesting part of the building. Unlocking the value means we can create a landmark building that announces the gateway to the broader precinct.”

Construction is currently underway with the project scheduled for completion in June 2027.

While the internal geometry is complex, the above-ground expression is simple but striking in its application. Strong geometric lines and subtle building elements interact between each other, with terraces and 'floating' walkways and a staircase that connects all parts of the triangle. The materials add to the building's aesthetic statement. Elements such as stone cladding, exposed slabs and patterning create additional interest on the façade. Fin blades of bronze aluminium on the façade diffuse light into the building. The matt black bronze creates a warmth that ties into the client's brand requirements.

The configuration of the commercial office space has been strategically designed to be adaptable and versatile. Similar to the rest of the buildings within the Oxford Parks precinct, there is an emphasis on active ground floors that engage directly with the street, creating permeability and supporting pedestrian life. A patio with a coffee shop has been introduced on the ground floor at the sharp end of the triangle. An L-shaped space, which could potentially be used for exhibitions, looks out to Jellicoe Avenue and Oxford Road. The atrium guides circulation and connects to different parts of the office. On the northern corner, the building features a generous terrace on the top floor which looks out to Oxford Parks.

20 Rosebank is designed to minimise energy use and enhance thermal comfort with the objective of achieving a Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) 4-star rating as a minimum. The building is one of several buildings designed by dhk for Intaprop at Oxford Parks. Oxford Parks emerged from the Dunkeld Design Manual, which dhk developed to achieve Intaprop’s vision to harness the strengths of Rosebank’s walkable urban realm and to connect the precinct with the greater Rosebank area. Key characteristics of the masterplan are human-scale architecture with striking façades and active street frontages. Other dhk projects include Radisson RED Rosebank, 203 Oxford and 6 Parks Boulevard.

Originally published in Architect and Builder.

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