Construction World October 2020

PROPERTY

FORWARD PLANNING in cities’ design The Cape Town city skyline is about to change. The long-awaited Harbour Arch development has finally been given the green light, with construction set to commence early in September on the newest, slickest, mixed-use precinct to hit the tip of Africa.

J ust as the V&A Waterfront transformed an under-utilised area of Cape Town Harbour, this glittering new development aims WR PDNHRYHU WKH ̴1RZKHUH /DQG̵ DURXQG WKH XQͤQLVKHG HOHYDWHG highway on the foreshore. “It’s an eyesore that has become an unfortunate landmark. A sobering reminder of what a lack of vision can mean for an urban space. Fortunately, the construction of the Amdec Group’s Harbour Arch development at the gateway to the CBD means that this part of the foreshore will no longer be viewed as a wasteland of missed opportunity,” says James Wilson, CEO of Amdec Group. Harbour Arch will breathe life into an uninspiring site and bring a sense of community to the city. Pushing the boundaries of design and architecture, the innovative high-rise development aims to become a landmark and attraction in its own right, putting us on the map alongside similar developments in other big cities like New York, London, Sydney and Dubai. Inspired by New York, made in Cape Town Harbour Arch takes its inspiration from the benchmark of Hudson

V&A, the east city precinct and eventually Woodstock. A landscaped and well-lit urban green space will offer gathering places, markets, bike tracks, climbing walls, and skateboarding and splash parks, creating a secure, appealing and child-friendly neighbourhood for a diverse range of communities. According to Wilson, the urban village will be “a vibrant, 24-hour precinct that offers Capetonians the opportunity to safely live, work and play in an iconic landmark setting”. A focus on sustainability into the future Again, emulating the tech-forward Hudson Yards, sustainability is an important part of Amdec’s vision, as it is at the Group’s other developments, The Yacht Club and Melrose Arch. The innovative solutions include recycling and energy saving technologies such as using natural light and low-energy lighting, harnessing wind power from the southeaster and implementing water-wise systems, with Harbour Arch is conveniently positioned at a convergence in PDMRU DFFHVV URDGV LQFOXGLQJ WKH 1 DQG 1 7KH ͥH[LELOLW\ RI WKH development also allows the municipality to revisit its vision for the foreshore by potentially relocating the freeway either below ground or on grade. This will extend the city’s footprint and reconnect the shoreline to the inner city, with the potential in time to link all the way through to Woodstock. Adding value all round Contributing to the sustained economic growth of the city is important to the Amdec Group. The Harbour Arch project brings R15-bn in private investment into the Cape Town CBD, with a further R100-m expected to be spent on much-needed infrastructure upgrades for the city. The construction phase alone will create 20 000 jobs, with many more on completion, especially in the retail, tourism and hospitality sectors. There is also an opportunity to LQFOXGH DIIRUGDEOH KRXVLQJ XQLWV RQ VLWH ZKLOH SURͤWV IURP the development will help to fund a much larger affordable housing project in Ottery too, EHQHͤWWLQJ VHYHUDO OHYHOV RI VRFLHW\ An investment to be proud of The world-class level of quality and innovation future plans for a desalination plant. Balancing the city divide

and the current trend towards mixed-use developments makes buying property in Harbour Arch an extremely attractive SURSRVLWLRQ IRU VDYY\ LQYHVWRUV 7KH ͤUVW WRZHU is already 95% sold out and the second tower will be launching shortly. Building during the downturn in the economy has proved to be a smart move and, as the economy begins to turn around, the project will be ready for more investors and purchasers. Encapsulating the principles of urban living in a safe, convenient and desirable environment, and reconnecting the city and its communities, Harbour Arch is a neighbourhood for the future and undoubtedly good for Cape Town. ƒ

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