WORDS Celeste Jacobs IMAGES Supplied
56 Jorissen is the fresh-faced new kid on the block in Braamfontein, Johannesburg – just in time for the 2021 academic year.
Conveniently located on the corner of Bertha and Jorissen streets, 56 Jorissen is directly opposite the Wits University’s Wits Art Museum and will become the home-away-from-home to 1 195 students.
The ultra-modern building has a face-brick exterior that features a patterned facade, creating a 17-storey composition that changes as the sun’s rays run across it. “The use of three different face-brick bonds, where the thickness of the wall changes as the bond changes, resulting in windows that are flush to the facade, recessed from it or protrude from it, creates dynamic shadows and light that read different throughout the day,” says LYT Architects project architect Sarah Kuiper.
“The building’s interiors place strong emphasis on social spaces, with a focus on public spaces, such as the lobby, roof terrace, study spaces, open-air laundry and dwell areas. It’s a large building and, as the scale might be otherwise overwhelming, we used South Point’s brand colours to divide the building into five human-scaled zones, where every three floors has a different accent colour as its identity, which also drives better way-finding.”
56 Jorissen is designed to offer students an inspired space to work and live in safety. Beyond the study rooms, boardrooms, entertainment areas and so much more, there is also a roof-deck on the 16th floor with 360-degree views of Johannesburg. All in all, this new development is a R450-million investment into the future of central Johannesburg’s Braamfontein – a suburb that South Point is truly passionate about.
Looking for more architectural inspiration? Check out the Resa San Mamés student accommodation by Masquespacio.
