dhk, the award-winning architectural firm behind icons like The District and Mandela Rhodes Place, is the creative brain behind the newest AAA-grade office space to grace the Cape Town skyline. Called The Boulevard, this 36,000m² unique office park development is set on the periphery on the CBD, with the 20,000m² site fronting Eastern Boulevard and Searle Street in Woodstock.
"This location has superb access for traffic from the M3, as well as boasting superior views for office workers," says Derick Henstra, executive chairman of dhk.
Even though the development will offer 36,000m² of space, it will not be a single monolithic block. "We have broken up the space into seven individual buildings that range in size from an intimate 3,200m² to a larger 8,500m². One building is flexible enough to accommodate users of up to 16,000m² if required," explains Henstra.
Recognising that parking is at a premium in the city, dhk have included 1,900 parking bays in The Boulevard. Each of the seven buildings is constructed on a podium, under which three super basement levels will provide four parking bays per 100m², one of the highest parking ratios in Cape Town. In addition to ample parking, the architects have included restaurants and coffee shops in the plans so that office workers can enjoy lunch hour or host clients without having to travel. Two controlled-access points will ensure that The Boulevard is a secure environment.
"Construction has already begun on this R750-million office park and the first building is scheduled to come on stream in March 2009," confirms Henstra. "We envisage that, on completion, The Boulevard will become a major landmark at the gateway to Cape Town - and a sought-after working address."