Newtown Junction is an 85 000m² mixed-use development in the west of Johannesburg’s central business district (CBD). Our clients, Atterbury Property Development Company, envisioned Newtown Junction to be an important commercial catalyst for the Newtown area, a precinct long established as the cultural heart of the city. They wanted the development to provide new retail and office space and reinvigorate the existing arts and entertainment venues, representing a substantial investment in inner city regeneration.
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The site is bounded by significant buildings including the Market Theatre and Museum Africa, Mary Fitzgerald Square, the M1 freeway overpass and Nelson Mandela Bridge. It contains several historic structures such as the Potato Shed, Edwardian railway sidings and smaller heritage buildings such as the Majestic complex, an Edwardian toilet block, and the popular Kippies Jazz Club.
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A significant approach was to retain the heritage elements of the site. In particular, the historic Potato Sheds were dismantled, fully restored and reinstated on site in their original position. The Edwardian railway bridge was also restored and re-established as a link between the existing Market Theatre and the adjacent new buildings.
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It was important to ensure the new buildings could respond clearly to the surrounding historic buildings both in materiality and detailing, reflecting the industrial context of steel and brickwork in a distinctly urban environment. These materials are offset with contemporary glazing, clean lines and bold proportions which locate the new buildings confidently within their surroundings. New interventions to historic portions of the site are unapologetically contemporary, in contrast to the delicate Edwardian steelwork and detailing. This bold approach in design maintained the diverse spirit of Newtown.
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Wieland Gleich - Photographer