Big Need For Convenient Living

With a growing number of people wanting to live and work within close proximity where they can enjoy quality of life without long commutes and security concerns, mixed-use developments provide the solution.

The foreshore Place

The Foreshore Place, a 34-storey iconic landmark in Cape Town’s financial district, has been around since the 1900s. Situated on the corner of Adderley Street, Riebeek Street and St George’s Mall, it is the fourth tallest building in Cape Town and was previously known as the ABSA building. In the last four years, it has been refurbished to include retail, residential units, a hotel, offices, and co-working spaces. It has 190 residential units mixed between studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments with Scandanavian-inspired interiors. One of the few glass buildings in the city, The Foreshore Place is aesthetically pleasing with black and gold detail.

“Its location is one of the drawcards offering panoramic views of the harbour and the ocean. And, it’s very close to CBD public transport routes,” says Itai Ilouze, head of broking at Galetti Corporate Real Estate. The building is just a short walk from the V&A Waterfront and other attractions such as the Artscape Theatre and the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Ilouze adds that when designing a mixed-use development, it’s important to ensure it offers a variety of things and caters
to all demographics.

Harbour Arch

Located on Cape Town’s Foreshore, Harbour Arch is a R16-billion mixed-use precinct that will comprise six towers, with the first due to open in May 2023. The vibrant pedestrian-friendly development will house restaurants, cocktail bars, shops, hotels, banking facilities, medical services, and health clubs. 

The 23-floor Harbour Arch Tower 1 has 560 residential apartments, including 82 rental units, 158 studio apartments, 203 one-bedroom apartments, 58 two-bedroom apartments, and 59 three-bedroom apartments. It features retail space on the ground level reserved for exclusive motor dealerships and coffee shops and additional retail space on the eighth floor, which will include restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating. 

“Mixed-use developments are urban villages – a place where you can live, work, and play – and an attractive solution to the housing shortage,” says Nicholas Stopforth, managing director of Amdec Properties. “Convenience and quality of life are the top two factors developers must consider when designing one – they need to strike a balance between urban convenience and the tranquillity of nature.” The large-scale development, across 200 000m², is due to be completed in 2030.

Steyn City

Steyn City has a range of homes, apartments and clusters that can accommodate any homeowner, whether for a lock-up-and-go lifestyle or starting a family. Sprawling over 2 000 acres on the edge of Sandton, the mixed-use development also has AAA-graded offices and a school for Grade 000 to matric learners. Facilities include an 18-hole golf course, an equestrian centre with a clubhouse, eateries and coffee shops, resort pools, tennis courts, a 45km promenade for running, a gym, and fishing dams.

Steyn City was the vision of Douw Steyn and property developer Giuseppe Plumari, who wanted to create a community rooted in old-fashioned values such as neighbourliness and family. “The development’s design is about creating an outdoor-oriented lifestyle rooted in wellness. This has been made possible by offering facilities that get people outside, spending time together and doing things they love, rather than sitting in front of their screens,” explains Zoe van Onselen, head of marketing at Steyn Properties. 

The people-centric design of the development makes it unique. “Generally, people spend most of their time in their cars with few opportunities for interaction. In contrast, Steyn City encourages these interactions because pathways and greenbelts take precedence over roads,” adds van Onselen. Vehicle use in the development is almost incidental as residents can reach facilities on foot, bicycle or golf cart.