Africa's highest building may be coming to Centurion. Dubbed "Centurion Symbio-City" by its conceptualizers, the ever innovative @126, the development would in fact consist of one residential and two office towers. At 110 storeys and 447m it would be the 14th highest tower in the world, and surely (given the highveld's 1000m plus elevation) the highest above mean sea level.
According to the Mayor of Tswane, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, "The development is a
reflection of the range of economic opportunities, cultural experiences, safety
and a quality physical environment that Tshwane offers."
We are not sure what to make of the very ambitious design other than to say it will leave that other strange highveld structure, the Voortrekker Monument in the shade. Either way the press generated from the scheme may encourage potential clients and the architectural fraternity to take a look at some of @126's other offerings, most notably the innovative, mould-breaking "rethink" service. We would love to hear more about that...
image courtesy and copyright of @126 Architects
A friend from the most excellent Uthando South Africa sent me some pics of the Rhino burnt at Afrika Burn 2012. The project was conceived in cardboard model form, filmed on a mobile phone, sketched up, modeled in Revit and then sent for CNC wood routing. All before being taken up to the Tankwa Karoo for exhibition and, well, burning. The rhino consists of body parts whose separated forms only come together when seen through the crosshairs. A potent symbol for some of South Africa's problems, eloquently described in a cross-over between sculpture, drama and architecture. Conceived by Andre Carl and made possible by Anton de Kock and K/M2K
