South Africa’s Premier Office Estate

“This wonderful project was conceived in 1995 with a simplicity that has endured timelessly: “white in green overlooking blue” – a fundamentally ‘white’ architecture (that encourages a range of architectural expressions without being stylistic nor themed); a ‘green’ environment (that is so redolent of KwaZulu Natal’s coastal bounty); and a magnificent ‘blue’ ocean that rolls in to meet this splendid coastline.

The narrow brick roads are suppressed into this verdant landscape that owes so much to Johan Louw’s grasp of landscape and meaning; it also yields what is certainly one of Durban’s most iconic features – the magnificent fever tree boulevard that marks the ridgeline defined by Umhlanga Rocks Drive.

This was designed to be, and remains, a premier address both nationally and internationally and the strict subservience of parking (where not less than 75% of parking bays are within basements or densely planted pergolas) means that it remains a place within a park as opposed to a ‘parking lot’ that sadly characterises so many of the office parks worldwide.

Apart from its own success, it has proved to be the launchpad of the remarkable growth of ‘The Ridge’ vision driven by Tongaat Hulett Developments and demonstrates the value of fully integrated Office Estate management.”

 Erky Wood

GAPP Architects & Urban Designers