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 

BIG, MAD, MVRDV and OMA on shortlist to design Australia's tallest building

Laurence Grigorov, who is director of a Johannesburg-based property development company, 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.

A new project which is Laurence Grigorov believes is significant is a competition, run by developer Beulah International, to design a £1.1 billion mixed use development in the Australian city of Melbourne which has drawn entries from some of the world's best-known architects.

Supertall skyscrapers with rainbow facades and shaped like a mountain piercing a light-up cloud are on the shortlist for Southbank – a new tower in Melbourne, which if built would be Australia's tallest building.

Six designs for supertall towers have been shortlisted from the following teams: Bjarke Ingels Group with Fender Katsalidis Architects, Coop Himmelb(l)au with Architectus, MAD Architects with Elenberg Fraser, MVRDV with Woods Bagot, OMA with Conrad Gargett, and UNStudio with Cox Architecture.

The developer purchased over 6,061 square metres of land on the Southbank Boulevard last year, and plan to turn it into a new "lifestyle precinct" with a hotel, shops and apartments along with cultural and public spaces.

Beijing-based MAD Architects and local architecture firm Elenberg Fraser have proposed Urban Tree, a 360-metre-high "mountain village" surrounded by foothills, with a hotel shaped like an illuminated cloud near its summit.

Green Spine is the competition entry from Dutch architectural practice UNStudio and Australian firm Cox Architecture. It features two twisting towers with glass facades on their outer edges and terraced gardens on the inner sides. The 356.2-metre-high residential tower would be topped by publicly accessible botanic gardens. A shorter office and hotel tower would be 252.2-metres high.

Copenhagen and New York-based BIG and Melbourne's Fender Katsalidis Architects have proposed two 359.6-metre high interlocking blocks. Called the Lanescraper, its stacked shape would provide both stability and natural points of connectivity between the towers.

A two-tiered concentric auditorium in one section would be able to hold 3,000 people, while a BMW experience centre would span four floors with a central void filled by a car lift surrounded by a spiral staircase.

The Beulah Propeller City is the shortlisted entry from Viennese architecture firm Coop Himmelb(l)au and Melbourne-based Architectus. Shaped like a tri-blade propeller, the 335-metre-high tower would be topped by a penthouse with its own private landscape garden and pool.

Residential areas would be prioritised, with 46 floors of apartments featuring high ceilings and full length glazing. The hotel would comprise 15 floors and have its own winter garden complete with tropical vegetation and a swimming pool.

Dutch firm MVRDV and Australian architects Woods Bagot have proposed Stack, an "interconnected vertical city" that would rise 359 metres above the city. Stacked neighbourhoods in the city would be demarcated by different textures in the facade

In the centre of the tower a hotel pool with an underwater glass window would be surrounded by stepped terraces. Elsewhere in the skyscraper visitors could enjoy a tropical garden where residents would be able to job or walk their dog along treetop walkways.

Rotterdam-based OMA and Brisbane architecture practice Conrad Gargett's unnamed proposal for the Southbank is a colourful take on the traditional vaulted markets and arcades found in Melbourne.

Emphasising the foot of the tower rather than the top, a "vertical city" would be built between arches supporting a rainbow-coloured facade. All the cultural, commercial and educational functions of the development would be located here, with the hotel, residences and offices placed in the tower above to give them the most light.

The winning design will be announced 2018.

Laurence Grigorov is often influenced by modern design trends and ideas and uses these as inspiration in the company’s architectural style.

Melbourne Australia

Australian Cricket Coach Quits Amid Ball-Tampering Scandal

As director of Laurence Martin Developments, a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, Laurence Grigorov has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. This assists his ability to have a deep technical understanding of the construction and engineering aspects of the residential projects Laurence Martin Developments undertakes.

Laurence Grigorov enjoys watching and following various sports in his down time and has recently been following the Australian tour of South Africa, which unfortunately has been marred by ball-tampering allegations.

An emotional Australia cricket coach Darren Lehmann said on Thursday he was stepping down after this week's test match against South Africa due to abuse he and his family received over a ball-tampering scandal that has rocked the sport.

His voice choking with emotion at a news conference on the eve of the Johannesburg test, the last of the four-match series against arch rivals South Africa, Lehmann said his decision to quit was tough but voluntary.

"My family and I got a lot of abuse over the last week," said Lehmann, a burly former test player known for his no-nonsense approach on and off the field. "Speaking to my family, it's the right time to step away." He conceded that he should take some blame for the aggressive culture that has developed in the Australian team during his time as coach. "Ultimately I'm responsible for the culture of the team. Been thinking about my position for a while, despite telling media yesterday that I'm not resigning," he said.

Watching axed captain Steve Smith break down repeatedly at a news conference on his return to Australia removed any final doubts about quitting, he said. "It's only fair that I make this decision," he said.

Former players had been calling for Lehmann's head, suspecting that he might have been involved in the ball-tampering plan that led to the sacking of Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opener Cameron Bancroft.

Television footage showed Lehmann sending a message out onto the field before Bancroft dropped the piece of sandpaper he was clandestinely using to rough up the ball down his trousers.

However, Cricket Australia cleared Lehmann of wrongdoing, with the organisation's CEO, James Sutherland, saying Lehmann was as surprised as the thousands of spectators in Cape Town's Newlands stadium and millions more watching the images at home.

Laurence Grigorov is pleased South Africa have been able to turn the series around and now currently lead Australia 2-1 with the final game to be held at the Wanderers in Johannesburg

Words and photo courtesy of Supersport.com

Springbok Rugby Coach Allister Coetzee Sacked

Allister Coetzee

As director of Laurence Martin Developments, a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, Laurence Grigorov is involved in all aspects of the development process, including land acquisition, rezoning applications, architectural design as well as the finance and legal components of these complex projects. Laurence Grigorov enjoys watching sport in general and rugby in particular.

The Springboks, which is the South African national rugby team, has been in turmoil over the last 2 years with poor results and a lack of a clear game plan. Laurence Grigorov has been reading with interest the changes that appear to be happening to try and reverse the decline of the team.

As reported in the Associated Press recently, the departure of Coetzee was described by SA Rugby as by mutual agreement but it was widely reported it was seeking to sack Coetzee following another dismal showing on the tour of Europe last November and December. Coetzee and SA Rugby agreed to terminate their contract two years early. In a statement, it quoted Coetzee as saying "Now is the time the team and me strike out in new directions."

Rassie Erasmus, the former Springboks loose forward and ex-director of rugby at Irish club Munster is expected to take over. He returned to South Africa in November as the union's director of rugby.
Coetzee won just 11 of 25 tests in charge since taking over in early 2016, an unacceptable win ratio for a team that believes it should be the best in the world, or at least the No 1 challenger to fierce rival New Zealand. Instead, the Springboks became a laughingstock under Coetzee, collecting a string of unwanted records.

Coetzee's team lost to Ireland for the first time at home in his first test, lost in Argentina for the first time, was beaten 57-15 by New Zealand for its worst defeat at home, and was even beaten by minnow Italy, also for the first time ever. In all, South Africa lost eight tests in 2016, the team's worst season ever just a year after the Springboks finished third at the Rugby World Cup and pushed New Zealand close in the semi-finals.

The lowest point came in 2017, a 57-0 hammering by the All Blacks in New Zealand for South Africa's worst loss anywhere, ever. After that, Coetzee couldn't shrug off doubts over his suitability for the job. The last straw was the record 38-3 loss to Ireland in Dublin in November to start the Boks' end-of-year tour.

It was widely reported in South Africa that SA Rugby would force Coetzee out of the job, with just a possible compensation deal the only complication because he still had two years left on his contract. The relationship turned sour, with Coetzee reportedly sending a letter to SA Rugby criticizing management and saying he was "set up to fail."

The 45-year-old Erasmus has filled various roles at SA Rugby and has been linked with the Springboks coaching job previously. His role as SA Rugby director is to oversee all elements of the national team, and Coetzee reportedly said he was unwilling to work under Erasmus, calling it an "indignity." Asked if he was willing to coach the Springboks, Erasmus said he would do what was best for South Africa.

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.

The South African National Council for the Blind

Laurence Grigorov has been a supporter and donor of the SA National Council for the Blind for over a decade. He regularly donates to the charity organisation and feels strongly that the support of such organisations is critical for the improvement of South Africa’s society and the upliftment and assistance of the underprivileged.

Laurence Grigorov is director of LaurenceMartin Developments, a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company specialises in modern, luxury apartments, cluster units and bespoke homes. In his spare time, Laurence Grigorov enjoys reading and exercising as well as travelling abroad.

The South African National Council for the Blind, through a network of over 100 member organisations, serves, supports and facilitates the prevention of blindness, rehabilitation, community development, training and education of South Africans with visual impairments.

The Council was established in 1929 with the objectives of co-ordinating South African organisations for the blind, being the national blind representative body, advocacy and the promotion of the rights of persons with visual impairments. There was also emphasis laid on the prevention of blindness, which led to the establishment of the Bureau for the Prevention of Blindness in 1944.  Since then the Council has grown exponentially – adding education and rehabilitation (1985), a centre making assistive devices available in 1986 as well as entrepreneurial development and support (1991) to its list of services.

Council is a national organisation and comprises nine provincial structures and some 100 member organisations. It is also affiliated to international organisations including the Africa Union of the Blind (AFUB) and the World Blind Union (WBU). The Council comprises four core business areas, namely Social Development, the Bureau for the Prevention of Blindness, Education and lastly Fundraising and Public Relations. These divisions run efficiently with the help of Finance, Administration and Logistics and Governance and Project Services.

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.