Overview

In 2019, APS were commissioned to design a high-end office development for Mashonaland Holdings.

Challenge: the client already owned the site and was approached by a prospective tennant, to build a head office facility that would comfortably accommodate their future needs. Our first task was to conduct a masterplanning and feasibility exercise to determine the maximum carrying capacity of the site, with respect to the local development plan.

Our client and their prospective tenants, required significantly more space than the LDP (maximum building height) allowed for so we engaged the local authority with a preliminary outline planning discussion, to see if we could get written dispensation for an extra floor. We were successful on the clients behalf, thanks to the solid argument put forward with regards to ongoing densification of the CBD and its urban periphery, as well as the Beneficial relationship that we had built up with the authorities at Cleveland House.

Solution: we were granted outline planning permission to construct a building with an undercroft basement and three floors above. 

The northern and eastern facades are shaded primarily through the external screen of brick brise-soleil louvres offset from each facade, and secondarily through trees and planting in the central courtyard space. The western elevations are fenestrated with less glass as well as a deep reveals to avoid heat gain from the harsh afternoon sun, whereas eastern morning sun is allowed to penetrate the building especially in winter to provide warmth therein.

In addition to the atrium, the buildings provide solar shade to each other when the sun is at its lowest and harshest, to create an outside amenity with comfortable heating and sunlighting levels during the day. The atrium landscape is to be designed to add aesthetic value to the building setting whilst being easy to maintain.