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Park Life : Light sources beneath counter tops and hand rails provide illumination and drama. -
Park Life : Metallic materials and angular lines are the perfect foil against a cloudy sky. -
Park Life : The building’s matt-black finish blends with its natural surrounds. -
Park Life : The use of heavily contrasting tones defines different spaces.
PHOTOS Grant Campbell WORDS Malibongwe Tyilo
“The greenest building is the one already built,” first stated by US architect Carl Elefante, has become a slogan of contemporary urbanism, as we retrofit our cities for our 21st-century needs. Already proponents of environmentally sensitive design, South African architecture firm studioMAS was guided by this principle in transforming the Old Tramway Depot building in Woodstock into offices for Velocity Films, digital agency Hellocomputer and ad agency Draftfcb.
“We wanted to keep the gritty nature of Woodstock in the DNA of the building,” says Sean Mahoney, Cape Town director at studioMAS. “This is a creative, edgy area, and the architecture needed to reflect this.”
Details from the old structure were retained, including the industrial facade at the top of the building, which was raised slightly before covering it in a patchwork of glazing, polycarbonate sheeting and insulation. The walls were painted in black Bituthene, a waterproof membrane. In a signature studioMAS move, creepers were then planted against the facade so that, with time, the building will be enveloped in nature. Since the depot is situated in Trafalgar Park, which has suffered from neglect over the years, the end result will be particularly striking.
In an effort to revive the park, the rejuvenated Tramway building also opens towards the greenery instead of turning its back on it. “This creates a civic space and urban generosity, which in time will contribute to the rehabilitation of Trafalgar Park,” explains Sean.
To complement the modern industrial style, raw textures and neutral tones were chosen for the interiors. Sean adds: “We try to design buildings that get better with time and avoid fashion-based architecture.”
