Shape Shifters

We checked in to two Cape Town landmarks to see if historic office blocks could be transformed into inviting lifestyle spaces

WHEN YOU’RE DEALING WITH A PENINSULA THAT’S ALSO DOMINATED BY A MOUNTAIN and national parks, there’s only so much space to build new residential or hospitality property. And the last few years have seen almost every available square metre of Cape Town’s CBD being dedicated to a new development. Yet the demand for housing and lifestyle spaces in the Mother City continues to rise, even faster than those new properties. So with all of those spots taken up, smarter developers are re-imagining existing spaces – and in turn shaking up the property management game.

The expert team at Newmark is involved with two such properties, with the newest kid on the block being a black beauty located in the Foreshore. The Onyx – formerly the iconic Nedbank Building being redeveloped by Signatura – is leading the residential revival of Cape Town’s historic Heerengracht district. Close to all CBD attractions, the development promises to offer not just an address but a lifestyle, along with a suite of services and amenities usually only offered in a luxury hotel. We spoke to the team behind its creation to find out just how they went about turning a bank into a bankable living and hotel space.

GQ: What was your design approach to a building transformation like this?

Francois Du Plessis, of Francois Du Plessis Interiors (interior designer):

I loved the ‘urbanness’ and incredibly modern feel of this building. The interior is an extension of this architecture, the bold strong lines and black glass. So, my philosophy was to utilise this architectural framework; to bring in contrast and art to blend it all together.