Page 8 - Landscape SA 103

PROJECT

Project Team
Landscape brief and design
• Client: V & A Waterfront philosophy
• Architects: Studio MAS
• Landscape Architects: Planning Partners Planning Partners was appointed as the
• Engineering Team: Arup landscape architects for two portions
• Landscape Contractor: Contours Landscapes of the project – the overall Portswood
precinct consisting of a public green open
space and four historic villas, and The
CEO of the GBCSA, says that The Ridge Ridge office building housing Deloitte. The
represents the V & A’s commitment to world site is bordered by Portswood Road in the
class sustainability leadership, at the same north, Dock Road in the south, Breakwater
time showcasing local built environment Lodge in the east and Merchant House in
professional talent that is capable of the west.
delivering innovative, sustainable design.
Antoinette James of Planning Partners
Georgina Smit, head of technical at the says the brief was to design an indigenous
GBCSA, says a six star rating is unusual in garden with ‘secret garden feel’ to
South Africa and that since 2010, only nine complement the heritage villas and the
other developments have achieved this new Ridge office building situated in
accolade. the public realm. She selected a mix of
tree species as opposed to only a few, in
Use of ecobricks order to allow for diversity and a more
informal look. The client requested the
Recycled beverage bottles have been inclusion of vegetable gardens adjacent
used as ‘ecobricks’ on the site. Made to the villas as a food security initiative The Ridge, a 6 star Green Star rated
from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and these are managed by the V & A building with pedestrian access and
plastic bottles, these include two litre Waterfront. Vegetables grown are donated pergola in the foreground.
Coke bottles, used as void formers in the to organisations such as Ladles of Love
concrete slabs of central toilet areas on and Homestead.
each floor of the building. link from Portswood Road through the
The project’s landscape design philosophy development to Dock Road.
The bottles are filled to constant density was to create an indigenous, waterwise,
with waste plastics, including chip packets, flowering garden to be enjoyed by the Soft and hard landscaping aspects
candy wrappings, shopping bags and public and employees working in the
waste generated on site. The ecobricks nearby offices. The project consists of two An avenue of old, diseased Cupressus
were donated by community volunteers parts, namely the public realm surrounding trees was removed between the new
and scholars from Cape Town’s suburbs the heritage villas and the Green Star rated office building and Breakwater Lodge,
and quality control was undertaken on site Ridge office building. The landscaping and indigenous Syzygium guineense
by the main contractor. is required to act as the binding element and Washingtonia robusta transplants
between the existing Merchant House were introduced to replace the biomass
Void forming materials are incorporated (V & A head office building), Breakwater lost. The latter were also planted along
into concrete slabs because they are of a Lodge, the new Ridge building and the the façade of the Breakwater Lodge to
much lower weight than concrete and under historic villas along Portswood Road. The mitigate the height of the building and
normal loads, do not undermine the structural gardens allow passive recreation areas for soften the façade between the lodge and
strength of the slab. They are sometimes people working in the new precinct, at the The Ridge building.This opened up the
made of expanded polystyrene (EPS). same time providing a public pedestrian area and allowed more light between the
two buildings.

A mix of tree species was used – Olea
europaea subsp. africana, Dais cotinifolia,
Sideroxylon inerme, Nuxia floribunda and
Celtis africana, together with flowering
shrubs and groundcovers for a softer,
‘gardenesque’ appearance to the public
realm and The Ridge bed areas. For the
edible gardens, lemon trees were planted,
and granadilla creepers have been used
along the pergola of the pedestrian
walkway.
Bespoke pots were placed on the two
southern façade balconies of The Ridge,
lined up with stainless steel climber
ladders spanning two floors. Rhoicissus
digitata was selected as the creeper to
create green belts spanning the two floors.
The pots were also planted up with low
Planting assists the tree canopy to soften the visual aspect at the Dock Road entrance

6 Landscape SA • Issue 103 2021