Ponte City: 'Back To The Future'
Possibly the most recognisable building on the Johannesburg skyline is undergoing a complete revamp, altering it from a drug-infested slum to a chic and upmarket apartment building.
Standing alone in the iconic Ponte building in Johannesburg, it isn't hard to see why Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, last year announced his intention to film a thriller set in the tower.
It is truly scary, but at the same time awe-inspiring. Luckily for me, and for my nerves, I was soon joined by Odile Kgaswe of Kensington-based Odile Kgaswe Architects for a full tour of the building, which has long symbolised Johannesburg's inner-city decay.
In the hour we spent in the building, she painted a picture as far removed from the immigrant slum of the past as you could get – an upmarket building containing 467 spectacular residential units, a retail floor with restaurants, a supermarket, a state-of-the-art gym and wellness centre, specialty shops, cafés, a children’s play area and a climbing wall. “It is a beautiful building that has been damaged over time,” she mused.
Project overview
Development
Project Brief: Complete refurbishment
Status: Under construction
Client: Investagain
Address: Lily road, Berea, Johannesburg
Land: 12,392 m2
Building: 54 storeys
Number of flats: 467
Information: Ponte City Web Site
Discuss: Facebook Ponte Group
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