Construction World December 2020

CAPITEC BANK Capitec Bank, one of the largest and most progressive banks in Africa, has unveiled its innovative new headquarters, iKhaya, meaning ‘home’ in Xhosa. Designed by multidisciplinary studio, dhk Architects, the three-storey curvilinear building is defined by its dynamic interior architecture, which embodies the company’s progressive outlook and embraces the concept of agile working. Striking and otherworldly, dhk’s holistic architectural approach considers both the exterior and interior to optimise corporate expenditure, internal flow and sustainability – demonstrating that commercial offices can be innovative and cost-effective while driving operational efficiencies.

C apitec’s success and growth over time meant that the FRPSDQ\ FDPH WR RFFXS\ QXPHURXV RͦFHV 7KHVH RͦFHV were geographically dispersed, resulting in departments becoming increasingly isolated from one another with the need to move EHWZHHQ EXLOGLQJV WR PHHW IDFH WR IDFH &RQVHTXHQWO\ &DSLWHF RSWHG WR FRQVROLGDWH LWV VWDII DQG IDFLOLWLHV LQWR RQH RSHUDWLRQDOO\ HͦFLHQW KHDGTXDUWHUV /RFDWHG LQ WKH VFHQLF &DSH :LQHODQGV LQ 6RXWK $IULFD a key driver of the design concept involved capturing panoramic YLVWDV DQG GUDZLQJ WKH ODQGVFDSH ZLWKLQ The building form optimises the shape and size of the site ZKLOH UHIHUHQFLQJ WKH EUDQG̵V GLVWLQFWLYH FXUYHG ORJR 7KH WKUHH storey superstructure wraps around itself, which creates a unique ‘doughnut’ shape and forms a central triple-volume atrium – an LQWHUQDO ̴VRFLDO VSLQH̵ DW WKH KHDUW RI WKH EXLOGLQJ &RQWULEXWLQJ WR the contemporary appearance, white aluminium panels clad the building’s sinuous form which is further accentuated with continuous ULEERQV RI IHQHVWUDWLRQ Reinforcing Capitec’s brand identity, the company logo is HPERVVHG LQWR WKH FHLOLQJ DERYH UHFHSWLRQ 2YHUKHDG FOHUHVWRU\ windows and large roof lights ensure plentiful natural light and IXUWKHU IDFLOLWDWH WKH FRQQHFWLRQ WR WKH RXWVLGH ZRUOG 0HDQZKLOH WRXFKHV RI WLPEHU KDYH EHHQ DGGHG WKURXJKRXW WKH RͦFH WR LQWURGXFH D IHHOLQJ RI ZDUPWK Internally, the design resonates with the company’s progressive outlook – ensuring guests and staff unequivocally feel the spirit RI WKH EUDQG WKURXJKRXW WKH EXLOGLQJ 2QFH DW UHFHSWLRQ YLVLWRUV are greeted by a generous triple-volume space that immediately showcases the sophistication and simplicity of the interior DUFKLWHFWXUH :LGH RSHQ SODQ ͥRRUSODWHV ORRS DURXQG WKH SHULSKHU\

of the atrium which are connected by a series of dramatic bridges DQG VWDLUFDVHV 7KLV ZDV DQ LQWHQWLRQDO GHVLJQ HOHPHQW ZKLFK inter-connects the various departments, creating opportunities for FKDQFH FROODERUDWLYH HQFRXQWHUV DQG SHUVRQDO LQWHUDFWLRQV 7KH QHZ headquarters fosters a company culture of creativity, innovation and collaboration with a large emphasis placed on optimising internal ͥRZ DQG GHSDUWPHQWDO LQWHUDFWLRQ 7KH ͤUVW DQG VHFRQG ͥRRUV FRQWDLQLQJ WKH RͦFH̵V RSHQ SODQ ZRUN DUHDV DUH ODUJHO\ YRLG RI KLHUDUFKDO VWUXFWXUH DQG FORVHG RII FXELFOHV (PEUDFLQJ WKH FRQFHSW RI DJLOH ZRUNLQJ D UDLVHG DFFHVV ͥRRU WKURXJKRXW WKH EXLOGLQJ IDFLOLWDWHV PDLQWHQDQFH DQG IXWXUH XSJUDGHV WR VHUYLFHV 2Q HDFK level, a total of four ‘cores’, containing centralized amenities such as kitchenettes, meeting rooms, breakout areas, lockers, bathrooms DQG ͤUH HVFDSHV VHUYH WR DXJPHQW WKH ͥRRUSODWHV LQWR GHSDUWPHQWDO ]RQHV Throughout the building’s ‘social spine’ there are a variety of EUHDNDZD\ DUHDV IURP D ODUJH JURXQG ͥRRU ORXQJH DW UHFHSWLRQ IRU guests to await meetings and co-workers to engage, to pause areas RQ EULGJHV DQG DQ LQWHUQDO ODQGVFDSHG FRXUW\DUG IRU VWDII WR UHVW These spaces fuel creativity and innovation by allowing employees WR VOLS DZD\ IURP WKHLU UHVLGHQW GHVNV WR HQMR\ D PRPHQW RI VROLWXGH FRQGXFW D SULYDWH PHHWLQJ RU EUDLQVWRUP LGHDV LQ VPDOO JURXSV 1RW RQO\ GR WKHVH EUHDNRXW DUHDV LQFUHDVH MRE VDWLVIDFWLRQ EXW WKH\ ERRVW VWDII SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG HͦFLHQF\ )XUWKHUPRUH WKHUH LV a full-service kitchen and canteen area with ample seating, a small satellite café, and a grand multifunctional stadium staircase/seating DUHD IRU FRPSDQ\ SUHVHQWDWLRQV DQG WDONV 2WKHU XVHIXO IDFLOLWLHV LQFOXGH D UHFRUGLQJ VWXGLR &DSLWHF %DQN EUDQFK DQG DQ $70 ODE IDFLOLW\ ,Q WHUPV RI FRQVWUXFWLRQ LQQRYDWLRQ WKH DUFKLWHFWXUDO

engineering and construction teams collaborated XVLQJ %,0 GHVLJQ WHFKQRORJLHV XWLOLVLQJ FORXG EDVHG FROODERUDWLRQ SODWIRUPV 7KLV HQDEOHG WKH WHDPV WR HQJDJH LQ LPPHUVLYH ' YLVXDO H[SHULHQFHV LQFOXGLQJ virtual walkthroughs of the building at various VWDJHV $GGLWLRQDOO\ LW SURYLGHG WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ for all to partake in the

design process including not only the design teams but people moving into WKH EXLOGLQJ $FFRUGLQJ to dhk partner, Peter Stokes, “Using a cloud- hosted collaboration SODWIRUP OLNH %,0 DQG having a combined team so heavily invested in XVLQJ %,0 WRROV HQDEOHG collaborative delivery such as I have not experienced before in any DUFKLWHFWXUDO SUDFWLFH ̹ ƒ

PROJECT INFORMATION

• Company entering: dhk Architects • Client: Capitec Properties • Start date: $XJXVW • End date: )HEUXDU\ • Main Contractor: WBHO • Architect: dhk Architects • Principal Agent: dhk Architects • Project Manager: 6,3 3URMHFW 0DQDJHUV

• Quantity Surveyor: De Leeuw • Consulting Engineer: $(&20

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