Paragon Architects say South African multinational chemicals group Sasol’s new corporate office at 2 Katherine Street, Sandton, has been designed to resemble the company’s logo – depicting coalescing molecules.
The ten-storey office building, which would span almost 70,000 m2, would consolidate the company’s current office space across 17 buildings in Johannesburg, into a single location, serving as offices for up 7 000 people. Inside, the building would host restaurants, canteens, art galleries, coffee shops and an iconic Sasol One Stop Shop.
Paragon said that the building, scheduled for completion in 2016, comprised a central sphere denoting stability, while six rotating spheres representing the ‘business units’ suggested a force greater than the sum of its parts – strength through synergy.
A central core of work activities would tie the building together, while various areas would be linked by a series of bridges. The major challenge was the site on which the building stands – a curving edge of Katherine Street.
The result will be an external façade of reflective performance glass, which will have a highlight transmission level, increasing visibility out of the building, while maintaining a high comfort level. The development hoped to achieve a five-star Green Building Council of South Africa Green Star rating in the design and as built categories.
By: Megan Van Wyngaardt
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/new-sasol-building-to-embody-logo-architects-2015-01-14/rep_id:3182
