Construction World December 2021

ARCHITECTS

JEWEL CITY T hi s mass ive urban redevelopment project on the outski rts of the Maboneng Precinct in Joburg’s eastern CBD breathes new l i fe into the previously wal led-of f former centre of the diamond and precious metals trade industr y in Johannesburg, South Af rica. The complex cons i sts of s ix ci ty blocks of industrial bui ldings , some dat ing back to the 1930s . The ent i re area was closed of f to the publ ic in the mid-90s and has remained an i solated and forgotten node for decades . Jewel Ci ty includes the reinvent ion of thi s pre- exi st ing industrial complex as an open, vibrant mixed- use precinct that introduces a more sustainable dimens ion (social ly and economical ly) and new divers i ty to early inner-ci ty rejuvenat ion projects . The archi tectural brief involved repurpos ing the exi st ing industrial bui ldings , which included the convers ion of Block 1, The Diamond, into apartments , Block 2, The Ruby, into a commercial bui lding and Block 4, The Amber, has been converted into a retai l block . Block 5, The Sapphi re, has been upgraded and remains the main commercial bui lding in the precinct . Block 3, a commercial bui lding, received minor refurbi shments and wi l l form part of a second phase along wi th the redevelopment of The Amber. Block 6, The Onyx , previously an empty ci ty block used as a parking lot , now houses a 13-storey res ident ial bui lding that stands as the Flagship bui lding of the Jewel Ci ty precinct . The Onyx features a large publ ic square and urban park that i s flanked wi th trees and retai l space as wel l as a safe chi ldren’s play area that spi l ls out on to the square, animated by fountains and publ ic art . The exi st ing bui ldings were not substant ial ly al tered external ly, al though thei r façades were refurbi shed and adorned wi th local artwork throughout the precinct . The construct ion innovat ion for the refurb bui ldings took i ts inspi rat ion f rom the local context of the area and surrounds . The new res ident ial bui lding has also drawn inspi rat ion for the local context which has been translated in to a s imple concrete f rame wi th infi l l brickwork and a Shed- l ike façade that comments on the industrial sheds in the surrounding areas . The aim for thi s approach was for the precinct to blend in to the context archi tectural ly though i ts material i ty

and stand out through i ts spat ial experience. The new res ident ial uni ts include a wide range of apartment types , f rom micro-studios to fami ly-s i ze two-bedroom flats , encouraging not just economic divers i ty, but also social divers i ty. Jewel Ci ty compri ses of apartments , commercial spaces , various retai l spaces , of fices , a school , a medical faci l i ty and a five a s ide soccer club among other. Other inter vent ions are woven into the archi tectural fabric, which introduces a layer of heri tage through artworks , s ignage, and interpret ive panels . The involvement of local art i sts and art i sans has been a priori ty, symbol ical ly introducing the idea of the ci ty’s new era of prosperi ty being anchored in i ts people rather than rel iance on mineral weal th, whi le substant iat ing that theor y wi th an economic inject ion into the local art economy. GASS Archi tecture Studios has placed major emphas i s on the precinct ’s publ ic realm. Whi le they have made pragmat ic provi s ion for vehicle access at key points around the peripheries of the precinct , the precinct i s largely pedestriani sed along i ts central axi s . The precinct includes a largely pedestriani sed Fox Street as i ts main axi s through the precinct . Along thi s axi s , a series of tree forests and gardens wi th seat ing and play areas further enhances the publ ic experience. Toward the east of the precinct , a large publ ic square i s merged wi th Fox street that includes a large lawn, flanked wi th seat ing areas and trees as wel l as an interact ive fountain for chi ldren to play in. The theor y behind publ ic space at Jewel Ci ty i s that publ ic space that i s safe and f riendly where chi ldren can play, i s a safe space for al l . The qual i ty of the publ ic space and the broader archi tectural character of the precinct i s des igned not only to catalyse and support a greater divers i ty of people wi thin the precinct , but also to invi te and encourage further investment into the CBD. The peripheral areas and s idewalks along the busy Commi ss ioner and Main Streets have also been repai red and upgraded, and addi t ional l ight ing has been introduced to create a cleaner, safer space around the precinct . The precinct has a CCTV moni toring system that i s integrated wi th each bui lding and that relays back to the main precinct securi ty control room in Block 1 (The Diamond) . The precinct also has 24 hr

64 20 th Best Project Awards 2021