Old Mutual Building Biggest Skyscraper in CT!

what we have are tall buildings in planning, not skyscrapers. This is certainly not on the scale of skyscrapers abroad and that is not the intention.

the rail lines from cape town station to woodstock might go underground freeing up 20 odd blocks for development. there is also the proposal to demolish the foreshore highways and introduce a tunnel below.
 
capetownguy said:
what we have are tall buildings in planning, not skyscrapers. This is certainly not on the scale of skyscrapers abroad and that is not the intention.

the rail lines from cape town station to woodstock might go underground freeing up 20 odd blocks for development. there is also the proposal to demolish the foreshore highways and introduce a tunnel below.
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Those bridges that are incomplete, are they going to knock them down and go underground then instead of finally completing them?
 
completing them at a great cost does not warrant the small benefit. freeing up the harbour/foreshore area for development will be able to finance the cost of going underground.

those highways have disconnected the city from its harbour for too long.
 
capetownguy said:
completing them at a great cost does not warrant the small benefit. freeing up the harbour/foreshore area for development will be able to finance the cost of going underground.

those highways have disconnected the city from its harbour for too long.
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Surely going underground is also vastly expensive? Otherwise why has it not been considered before?
 
Moederloos said:
The Gautrain is the WRONG sort of infrastructure - buses would have been better.
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I've read an article on railways being the future for city's (not sure if this applies to JHB exactly etc.), but anyway buses just increase the congestions on the roads. That's exactly what they're trying to stop with public transport development. Unless they build bus lanes along all their routes it's quite pointless. And if you're going to do that then why not just build a railway system? Just interested why you think so.

Moederloos said:
And who ever said CT needed huge high rises? Want a big building? Go build it in Bellville - why do you need to build it in an area where views are so pretty?
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Because it's the CBD, that's what happens. There are plenty of other tall buildings in the city, you can't oppose them all. You also can't expect great views through a city center forever. Development has to happen. People living in oranjezicht etc. will still have good views after this development anyway.
 
TMoose said:
I love how South Africans are negative about absolutely everything.

"Oh this country is so ****, we don't have any infrastructure". Along comes government and builds Gautrain. "Oh this country is so ****, they're wasting all our money on stupid infrastructure".

"This country is so ****, we don't even have any proper skyscrapers. Why can't CT look more like Sydney or something. I'm moving to Australia!". Along comes Old Mutual and builds a new skyscraper. "This country is so ****, they're building abominations that block the sea view everywhere".

Grow up. It's called development and we need it.
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Must say, +1. When I read this title I thought it was a positive story. Yet almost every reply has to be negative.
 
Ekhaatvensters said:
Must say, +1. When I read this title I thought it was a positive story. Yet almost every reply has to be negative.
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Indeed, it clearly means development and growth, both of which are great signs.

The foreshore has already been transformed for the better in a few short years. I think it's great news.
 
HenryJ said:
Surely going underground is also vastly expensive? Otherwise why has it not been considered before?
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well its just portions of it going underground.

the station from the city to woodstock won't go underground if the free space opened up does not cover the cost of the going underground.

3-5.png

http://www.dhk.co.za/dhk12/p7ssm_img_12Stat/fullsize/station5_fs.jpg
http://www.dhk.co.za/dhk12/p7ssm_img_12Stat/fullsize/station6_fs.jpg
http://www.dhk.co.za/dhk12/p7ssm_img_12Stat/fullsize/station_fs.jpg

Project Description

dhk Urban Concepts is a member of the professional team working on the development of a medium and long term vision for Cape Town station. The brief was to consider two timeframes: intervention prior to the 2010 world cup, and then the re-imagining of what Cape Town station could be by 2030.

The processes engaged in include a public engagement process, concept development, feasibility studies (both of a financial and of a spatial nature), lobbying of government and other authorities and then of developing architectural and urban solutions.

2010 projects are aimed at highly necessary interventions in the current station to ensure efficient operations, safety, and improvements in the aesthetic of the station precinct. Engagement with neighboring properties, developments and interest groups has formed a large part of this phase. The project is addressing the station rail operations, long distance and metropolitan bus services, taxis, formal retail opportunities, markets and informal trading, and integration with the larger city fabric.

This first phase of the 2010 projects is currently under construction.

The 2030 vision involves the complete re-imagining of what the station should be and could be. The project is being driven by an urban design vision of a continuous, integrated city extended over the station site and the long “tail” of rail lines entering the central city, with a new submerged station and new main terminal addressing the Grand Parade.

The design team has been appointed to continue with a second phase feasibility study and urban design framework to enable the client to assess the costs associated with, and value generated by the proposals.
 
Well its one of those plans that will either get started 2011/2012 or never.
 
capetownguy said:
Well its one of those plans that will either get started 2011/2012 or never.
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The drawings look nice and all but this reminds me of countless plans I've seen for the station...everyone agrees the area is an eyesore- more so in recent years- but nothing has been done by Intersite to arrest the situation.

Another thing city planners should be looking at, and they probably are is mitigating the wind tunnel effect around the civic centre building- its the last place on earth you want to be walking when the south easter is howling...can't they plan't trees or construct buildings that act as some sort of shield against the wind?
 
Well thanks to 2010 the station will receive a half a billon rand upgrade.
 
What bothers me about the new building is all that glass... they do try to make it nonreflective, but it's not fun driving near the arabella sheraton and nearby buildings when the sun' at just the wrong angle.

Regarding tall buildings and underground roads on the foreshore - I hope they've remembered, and taken into account, that it's all reclaimed land. Surely that must influence engineering decisions?
 
CathJ said:
What bothers me about the new building is all that glass... they do try to make it nonreflective, but it's not fun driving near the arabella sheraton and nearby buildings when the sun' at just the wrong angle.

Regarding tall buildings and underground roads on the foreshore - I hope they've remembered, and taken into account, that it's all reclaimed land. Surely that must influence engineering decisions?
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glass underground tunnels with water around it. like an aquarium! kidding.
 
capetownguy said:
what we have are tall buildings in planning, not skyscrapers. This is certainly not on the scale of skyscrapers abroad and that is not the intention.

the rail lines from cape town station to woodstock might go underground freeing up 20 odd blocks for development. there is also the proposal to demolish the foreshore highways and introduce a tunnel below.
Click to expand...

Nice posts capetownguy.
tx for the info:)

I see they're building loads of parking for the new buildings as well, which is a good thing.
 
alf101 said:
Nice posts capetownguy.
tx for the info:)

I see they're building loads of parking for the new buildings as well, which is a good thing.
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Parking is being restricted on new buildings since the inner city bus system will be operational by March 2010.

Parking at Portside will be converted into more office and hotel space once the city public transport improvements are in place.
 
Just found an old article

The death of Cape Town?
JOCELYN NEWMARCH - Jan 22 2007 00:00

One of Cape Town’s largest and best-known companies has decided to up sticks and move to Johannesburg, in the surest sign yet that the Cape metropole has become little more than the visdorp its detractors make it out to be.
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link

lol @ "...little more than a visdorp" :D
 
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