GLH Architects New Embassy Towers

As director at a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Laurence Grigorov follows current residential projects in South Africa. This allows Laurence Grigorov to read market trends in terms of design as well as functionality and to use these concepts in future developments he is involved in.

Embassy Towers

Situated in the prestigious suburb of Sandhurst and enjoying unencumbered views is the magnificent apartment building, Embassy Towers. Tucked behind the United States Consulate in Sandton, the building enjoys breathtaking views across to the Magaliesburg mountains as well as in the south, east and western directions due to the residential scale of the surrounding neighbours.
Embassy Towers sits on the crest of the Sandhurst Ridge, thus occupying a proud position on the southern edge of the Sandton CBD. The building itself is positioned as close to the street frontage on Empire Place so as to provide large, lush private gardens with many of the mature trees retained from the original residential property. This large gardenscape and the small residential scale of the surrounding properties ensure that views are unimpeded, thus creating the sense that one is occupying a large parkland property, but with the convenience of being within the Sandton CBD.
The sparkling lights of Sandton are juxtaposed with the ample privacy and greenery of the garden, reminiscent of the great apartment buildings of Central Park, New York or Hyde Park, London. The natural fall of the site allowed for the entrance floor of the building to be situated at street level while the elevation of the site allows for the ground floor public area to look out over the neighbouring properties. This allows for the view of Sandton to unfold as one enters through the large glass doors of the reception while also retaining a human scale on the street frontage.
The 12-storey apartment building is a seamless blend between contemporary and timeless charm creating an architectural gem with amazing exposure over the skyline of Sandton. The timelessness of Embassy Towers is amplified by the sleek and simple proportions of the building ensuring that the architecture will age gracefully, while the large window expanses allow ample light into the building making a luxurious statement for those that occupy it. The apartments all have large glazed windows to the north and south, ensuring that the units enjoy the range of different light offered at different times of the day and the different seasons of the year.
Oriented perfectly to maximise the northern aspect, the 90 unit apartment building enjoys full benefit of the sun as well as views over Sandton in the foreground and the rest of the city in 360º.
While the building is comprised of 63 two bed units, 18 three bed units, four simplex units and five penthouses, all apartments are sizeable, and the open plan allows the occupant enjoyment of ample living spaces and large bedrooms. The apartments have been specifically designed to ensure natural light penetrates deeply into the apartment from north and south. The interconnected lounge, living room and kitchen are bathed in light due to the large flush glazing elements that bound the apartment on the north and south façades. Even the bathrooms in the main bedrooms are fully glazed so as to allow the natural light to permeate into the apartment.
All of these elements have ensured that Embassy Towers has become the benchmark for luxury living in the city.

Photo and words courtesy of Architect and Builder magazine.

96 Rivonia Road by Boogertman + Partners

As director at a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Laurence Grigorov keeps abreast of development news and information. Current and upcoming commercial and residential projects offer Laurence Grigorov an insight in residential and commercial market trends.
The Sandton CBD in Johannesburg is a fast –growing commercial and residential hub that has many exciting projects that are of particular interest to Laurence Grigorov.
The new home of anchor tenant, Werkmans Attorneys, is the first building to be developed on the site of the new mixed use precinct in the heart of Sandton known as The Central. Continuing their long standing relationship with Werksmans, Investec Property sought out a high profile address for the development of an iconic building that would house the law firm for many years to come.
The Central will eventually include 100,000m2 of mixed use rights, which will include retail, office, residential and a hotel. Located opposite the Sandton Gautrain station the site is easily accessible and the construction of the massive multi story basement will ensure that the precinct has buildings with podiums that are pedestrian friendly and allows for public spaces.
“96 Rivonia Road is the result of a close tenant driven relationship between Investec and Werksmans that has accommodated the firm’s history and ethos into the design,” says Gavin Bernstein of Investec Property.
The original client brief was the need for a 20,000m² landmark building. Once Werksmans, as primary tenant, came on board with their designers – Stephen Rich Interiors, the brief was defined to an envisaged concept presented by Stephen Rich Interiors.
Investec Property and Boogertman + Partners developed the concept based on an understanding of the client’s culture & ethos and the design elements presented. With Werksmans as the primary tenant in this landmark building in Sandton, the concept for 96 Rivonia Road is derived from the firm’s historical and current legal prowess and dominant presence in the legal services marketplace. The stone base of classical form and proportions lays the foundation of the firm’s history which then projects into the future with the modern, clean lines of the black box. Almost as if it is a handshake between the old and the new in a promise to build on the past while striving into the future.
96 Rivonia Road stands as an iconic anchor building for the rest of The Central precinct and sets the standard for what is a world class addition to the Sandton CBD.

Photo and words courtesy of Architect and Builder magazine.

96 Rivonia Road 

No. 6 Silo in Cape Town

No. 6 Silo in Cape Town

As director at Laurence Martin Developments, a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Laurence Grigorov keeps abreast of development news and information. Future and upcoming developments offer Laurence Grigorov an insight in potential residential and commercial market trends and changes.

The developments that are appearing in Cape Town are of particular interest to Laurence Grigorov as these market trends often carry over into the Johannesburg market which is the main project area for Laurence Martin Developments.

The V&A Waterfront approached DesignSpaceAfrica in 2014 with a brief to develop a new mid-range hotel on the site known as No 6 Silo, situated in the Silo District. Luyanda Mpahlwa DesignSpaceAfrica were appointed as architects in association with Peerutin Architects.

The new Zeitz MOCAA Museum in the centre of the District, was envisaged as becoming “a new architectural icon for the exhibition and preservation of contemporary Art from Africa”. This museum has become a key design informant for the rest of the District and all buildings around were expected to take design cues from this building. The Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group was awarded the operational rights for a Radisson RED Hotel with 252 rooms over six floors. The brief for the building had to incorporate the requirements of the operators. At that stage, there was no precedent for the Radisson RED since RED was the Rezidor Group’s new brand. The design brief was based on the concept design developed by GRAVEN.

The objective for the Silo District was the creation of an ensemble of buildings with an individual character. However, architects are required to comply with the design guidelines set for the District and to develop individual buildings that reflect the industrial but contemporary architecture envisaged.

The architectural design reflects a combination of an industrial and robust architecture of a semi industrial harbour District, but also in dialogue with the refurbished Grain Silo building which forms the heart of the new Silo District. This dialogue is expressed through the contrast between a robust brick, industrial and modern aesthetic with metal components combined with glass and metal sheeting to integrate a container type design feel which is characteristic of production warehouses and the harbour environment.

The design also captures the character of the Radisson RED brand, which is represented by a contemporary aesthetic which is youthful and combines art, music and fashion with an African flavour expressed both in the architecture and interior design. The design brief for the Radisson RED brand seeks to achieve an unconventional appeal both in terms of design and guest experience.

The Cape Town RED was completed in September 2017 and is the first Radisson RED Hotel on the African continent. It is the fourth in the world, and the second in the southern hemisphere. The design team faced a great task to interpret the requirements of Radisson RED brand and translate them to a local design aesthetic, hopefully with success.

New and exciting projects such as these offer insight to Laurence Grigorov and the team at Laurence Martin Developments for future projects and developments that the company may benefit from.

Photo and words courtesy of Architect and Builder magazine.

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners New Toronto Skyscraper

Laurence Grigorov, as director of Laurence Martin Developments, finds inspiration from international architectural designs and trends for residential development projects that the company is involved in. Laurence Martin Developments has been developing luxury residential projects in Johannesburg, South Africa for nearly 15 years. Laurence Grigorov is highly influenced by modern design trends and endeavours to instil these inspirations in the company’s architectural style.
A new project which is featured in www.dezeen.com and has Laurence Grigorov excited is the HUB situated in Toronto, Canada.

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has released the first visualisations of The HUB, a skyscraper that will "hover" above a historic building in Toronto, Canada. Renders show an external steel structure supporting the building and allowing it to cantilever over the Toronto Harbour Commission Building, a six storey building erected on the site in 1917.

"Our design brings together many key elements of our work, including structural steelwork, transparency, and connectivity to the urban fabric around it, to form an office in harmony with its surroundings," said Graham Stirk, senior partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. "We are excited to have this opportunity to design a landmark building for Toronto’s skyline," continued Stirk.
At 60 stories high, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners' commercial skyscraper will be among the tallest buildings in the city. The 72-storey First Canadian Place is both the tallest building in Toronto and Canada.

The British architecture firm was announced as the design competition winners for The HUB, also known as 30 Harbour Bay, in 2017. The HUB acronym is a reference to the towers' proximity to the Harbour, Union Station, and Bay Street.

MAD's mountain-shaped tower complex nears completion in Beijing

MAD's mountain-shaped tower complex nears completion in Beijing

Laurence Grigorov, who is director of Laurence Martin Developments, often looks for inspiration from international architectural design trends. This allows Laurence Grigorov to continually keep the development projects that the company is involved in, fresh and current. Laurence Martin Developments is a luxury residential development company in Johannesburg, South Africa.

A new project which is Laurence Grigorov believes is shifting modern architectural trends is the new commercial and residential complex based in Beijing which is based on rock formations.

MAD's Chaoyang Park Plaza is a 120,000-square-metre complex of skyscrapers, office blocks and public spaces is located in Beijing's central business district, which sits on the southern edge of Chaoyang Park – one of the largest parks in the city.

In building Chaoyang Park Plaza, the architects intended to create a "city landscape" by referencing the lakes, mountains and stones depicted in traditional Chinese shan shui scenic paintings.

The project is modelled on Shanshui City, the architectural model created by MAD's founder Ma Yansong for an urban development in Guiyang, China. Yansong's vision is intended to rethink how cities and their inhabitants can reconnect with the natural world.

Construction started on the project in 2012 – with the main focus being a pair of asymmetrical 120-metre tall skyscrapers modelled on the natural shapes of rock formations. "Ridges and valleys define the shape of the exterior glass facade, as if the natural forces of erosion wore down the tower into a few thin lines," said the architects.

The irregular silhouettes of the two towers are formed from multi-level terraces populated by public gardens where people can look out over the city. The ridges are embedded with sustainable technologies, using internal ventilation and filtration systems to draw the natural breeze indoors.

A 17-metre-high glass lobby creates a transitional area between the two towers – sounds of flowing water are played throughout the connecting space to "make the lobby feel like a natural scene from a mountain valley," said the studio. The firm's concern with connecting the urban environment with nature is demonstrated by its use of greenery interspersed throughout the towers.

Laurence Grigorov is highly influenced by modern design trends and endeavours to instil these inspirations in the company’s architectural style.

Electronic Dance Music - An Expanding Genre Worldwide

Laurence Grigorov guides Laurence Martin Developments in Johannesburg, South Africa, as executive director, overseeing the creation of luxury apartment complexes that incorporate leading edge design principles. Outside of work, Laurence Grigorov has a strong interest in electronic dance music (EDM) and was an amateur DJ when he was younger.

The most rapidly expanding genre of music over the past decade, EDM now encompasses a music industry valued at $7.1 billion, with Calvin Harris the top worldwide earner at $66 million. The music revenue is spurred not simply by albums, as with traditional performers, but by massive festivals and concerts that bring together tens of thousands of music lovers for multi-day experiences. For example, New Jersey’s 2015 Electric Daisy Carnival enjoyed a gross of $11.2 million on the strength of more than 90,000 fans in attendance. 

Although growth in EDM has slowed over the past year, it is still experiencing substantial expansion, with particular growth in markets in Asia. The Philippines and Vietnam recently launched new festivals, as did Panama and Cuba in the Western Hemisphere.