Collaboration was responsible for the fit-out of the Allan Gray office building (No.1 Silo) at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront and the first building in the Western Cape to be awarded a 6 Star Green Star SA by the Green Building Council.

The team delivered office interiors that contributed to the sustainable rating that considered the long term flexibility, adaptability, sustainability and durability of all aspects of the project. The offices were designed to ensure the best working environment for the building’s occupants, as well as lowest possible environmental impact with a focus on energy use and specification of sustainable materials wherever possible.

Art was also an important element of the office design and Collaboration commissioned local photographer Dylan Culhane to create a series of site-specific artworks. Culhane’s images contrast the sleek modern architecture with the gritty rusted textures of the immediate port surroundings, executed in multiple exposure photography. Collaboration also commissioned internationally acclaimed sculptor Lionel Smit to create a series of his signature busts for the building that are mounted on a rotating display in the auditorium function lounge.

In recessionary times, budgets are tighter but expectations are higher, as corporates seek to express their point of difference in a competitive market. The new headquarters for Allan Gray have set a new benchmark for office design in the country.