The brief for Canal Plaza was to design a commercially viable office building on a green field site, located at the northern end of Heron Close, Century City, a vibrant urban centre just outside Cape Town. The development is the latest of several we have previously delivered in the area. Designed for Abland Property Developers, it is a 10,816m² commercial office development. The five-storey structure comprises offices and retail units, with basement and podium car parking.

The development overlooks the serene Intaka Island, an award-winning 16-hectare wetland and bird sanctuary that hosts 177 species of indigenous fynbos plants and 120 bird species. The position adjacent to the wetland reserve of Intaka Island makes the location an attractive one for commercial tenants.

In response to this context and brief, we designed a building with a clean, confident and contemporary style of architecture that contrasts with the surrounding buildings. The site sits within a low- to mid-rise commercial node, in which most buildings reference more traditional, historical architectural themes. It is edged to the north and west by a public footpath that traces a canal edge. Century Boulevard forms the eastern edge of the site. The location provides a high degree of visibility and access to public transport. The southern boundary abuts commercial properties, where a servitude provides pedestrian links to Century Boulevard on the canal edge.

The accommodation in the five-storey structure is arranged in an H-shaped plan with a central core. The wings of the “H” splay to the south to reflect the geometry of the site and to receive visitors from Heron Close. The western wing is partially elevated from the ground to form an understorey for visitor parking and to allow for visual and pedestrian permeability. Here, a small retail component has been integrated to service office workers and pedestrians passing on the north-south route along the canal edge.

The planning and servicing of the commercial office space has been strategically designed to be adaptable and versatile. This means its floorplates can accommodate several tenants of various sizes. This flexibility will support the development’s long-term economic sustainability, as the space can respond to the dynamic workplace needs of future tenants. Accessible external terraces have been provided on the west and eastern edges of the site. Provision has been made on the roof for access to amenities and photovoltaic panels.

The building is designed to minimise energy use and enhance thermal comfort with the goal of achieving a Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) 4-star rating as a minimum. It is a welcome addition to the Century City precinct, which has in recent years been transformed into a sophisticated hub, attracting a cross-section of local and international investors, global corporates, residents and visitors. It’s one of several buildings we’ve designed in Century City. Visit the others at Sable Park, Bridge Park, Axis, Sable Corner and Canal Walk.