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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
APRIL
2016
R200-MILLION CENTURY CITY HOTEL OPEN
The 125 room Century City Hotel, the sixth hotel
at Century City, opened in the burgeoning
precinct last week.
PROJECTS AND CONTRACTS
Built at a cost of R200-million and located adjacent to the new
Century City Conference Centre, the Century City Hotel will cater
for both business and leisure markets and brings to 600 the number
of rooms now available in Century City.
Greg Deans, a director of Rabie Property Group, says the development
was a response to the growing demand for hotel accommodation at Century
City which is now home to more than 4 000 residential front doors and 500
businesses. The office component at Century City alone exceeds 300 000
square metres making it the third largest commercial precinct in Cape Town.
General manager of the new hotel, Walda Meyer, says it has been
designed to be out of the ordinary with a great emphasis having been placed
on room efficiencies for both business and leisure travellers.
“The only thing traditional about it is the laundry shoot.”Among its iconic
features is a GreenWall comprising more than 3 500 living plants that forms
a backdrop to the reception area.
Paolo Viotti of Vivid Architects, says every city should have at least one
public square that offers a dynamic, vibrant and safe environment for the
public to enjoy.
“Century City Hotel is one of three buildings that now form the new
Century City Square, a beautifully proportioned space that will offer users
the opportunity to socialise, relax, dine and be entertained. The hotel expe-
rience within this environment is further enhanced by the introduction of
the extended canal systemof Century City and the bold landscaping themes
that frame this development.”
He says the urban design and planning of the this precinct has ensured
and encouraged pedestrian connectivity and hierarchy of that over the
motor vehicle, a comfortable and safe human environment and a seamless
interface between building and square.
“The hotel architecture has employed the maximum use of glass at the
ground floor plane to ensure transparency between inside and out while
the developer’s brief has ensured that restaurants, coffee shops and hotel
public areas spill out onto the square to ensure there is a constant buzz of
activity, life and energy.”
Meyer says the multi-purpose Square Café and Wine Bar on the ground
floor of the hotel have been designed to be part of the public square on
to which they flow and to welcome not only hotel residents but also
non-residents.
The square, which will host community and cultural events, is also
fronted by the neighbouring Century City Conference Centre, offices,
restaurants and apartments with this entire development representing a
private equity investment of more than R1-billion.
The other hotels at Century City, which will also benefit from the new
Century City Conference Centre, are the 180 room African Pride Crystal
Towers Hotel & Spa, the 165 room Stay Easy, the 68 roomColosseum Luxury
Hotel and two boutique hotels Manhattan Suites and Island Club which have
28 suites and 23 rooms respectively.
On hand to greet staff in front of the reception area with the backdrop
of a living wall comprising more than 3 500 plants were, from left,
Winson Nyoni (restaurant manager), Walda Meyer (hotel general man-
ager), Michelle Presting (executive housekeeper) and Michael Rentzke
(front office manager).
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Each unit features a kitchen, Wi-Fi, fully
furnished bedroom units and security systems
with 24 hour monitoring. The security provi-
sion is paramount.
“Parents and students want to be sure
they are safe and do not need to worry about
safety while concentrating on their studies,”
said Lategan. In addition to fencing and
monitoring of the building, each room will
also have its own security fingerprint access
lock. Other facilities will include gymnasiums,
entertainment areas, laundry facilities,
bicycle sheds and ample parking comprising
258 parking bays spread over three levels.
The almost 16 000 m
2
building situated
on 4 404 m
2
property has posed its own chal-
lenges. “The site is very restricted and there is
very little working space around the building,”
Lategan explained, adding that a tower crane
and a mobile crane will be accommodated
on site so as to position the materials and
equipment that is needed.
The contractors are also making use of
temporary lateral support gunite walls to
retain the sides of the basement excavation
whilst the concrete retaining walls are
being cast.