paragon architects wraps 30 jellicoe in louver screens in johannesburg

paragon architects wraps 30 jellicoe in louver screens in johannesburg
all images courtesy of paragon architects

to house a number of diverse tenants, paragon architects have completed the office building ’30 jellicoe’ in the rosebank district of johannesburg, south africa. the structure is elevated on a landscape platform, with parking integrated below. this raised plinth is surrounded by trees and other vegetation, with wide staircases linking the street level to facility’s entrances. atop, the building is enclosed primarily by glass curtain walls. in order to reduce thermal gains, numerous shading tactics were employed, including vertically oriented louvers on the east and west façades, and horizontal screens on the north.

vertically oriented louvers on the east and west façades

horizontal screens extend from the roof edge on the north side of the building

the roof edges extend around the building’s perimeter, and are supported by tall columns at a length of 24 meters. these posts take a tapered form, ranging from a thickness of 500 mm to 250 mm. surrounding the building, vegetation creates a welcoming environment, with species including acacia xanthophloea, celtis africana, viburnum sinesis and ficus microcarpa. numerous types of glass panels compose the the curtain wall system, including double-glazed, spandrel, and floor vision sheets. the largest panels utilized in the system are 4.5 meters x 1.4 meters.

wide staircases linking the street level to building’s entrances

plentiful trees and vegetation surround the building volume

the louver members take an undulating geometry

tall columns (24 m in length) support the extended roof form

project info:

location: rosebank, johannesburg
year: 2013
type: commercial
area: 10,000 sqm
client: investec
contractors: WBHO
architects involved: anthony orelowitz, duanne render, andrew bell, april mhlanga, mila bolon, jarred pinchus