At the prestigious 2025 Cape Institute of Architecture (CIfA) Awards for Architecture, The Rubik, delivered by dhk Architects for Abland Property Developers, received a Commendation. In their written assessment, the judges praised the project for demonstrating “a confident and technically sophisticated approach to urban high-rise design.” Read the full jury commentary below.‍

The decision to approach The Rubik as a new insertion into the Cape Town CBD, rather than an extension of what came before, has allowed the building to establish itself as a distinctive marker on the city’s skyline. At nearly 90 metres in height, its form is broken into rotated glass volumes which stack above one another, producing a dynamic geometry that shifts as one moves through the streets below. From certain vantage points, the transitions between the retail podium, office floors and residential levels are deliberately obscured, so that the tower reads as a continuous crystalline object, rather than a segmented programme.

The use of glass cladding is both precise and inventive. Chamfered edges replace the typical straight lines of neighbouring towers, introducing a subtle play of refraction and reflection that responds differently depending on the time of day and angle of approach.

This articulation enriches both the external form and the internal experience, where the angled edges expand views outwards and soften the spatial perception of the interiors. The stacked boxes in turn give the building its recognisable silhouette, setting it apart while still engaging the orthogonal fabric of the CBD.

Experientially, the tower offers an unexpectedly comfortable interior environment. On upper levels, expansive glazing admits light and uninterrupted views towards Table Mountain, the ocean and the city grid, yet climatic control is carefully managed. Despite its west-facing orientation, the building maintains a sense of equilibrium, with shading and environmental systems working in tandem to counteract heat gain and preserve occupant comfort. The Rubik demonstrates a confident and technically sophisticated approach to urban high-rise design: a building that asserts itself as both an elegant living environment and a new icon on Cape Town’s skyline.

Find more project details here.

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