A grain silo in Cape Town harbour is becoming a focal point for art emerging from the African continent. The designers from the renowned Heatherwick Studio were behind the radical conversion.
The silo area is a major development project that has gradually given the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront a new look in recent years. At the heart of the area is silo number 5. Once South Africa’s largest building, grain was stored here until 1990. In mid-September 2017, this was the site for the public unveiling of what is currently the most comprehensive collection of artwork from Africa and the African diaspora.
Honeycomb design
Heavy machinery was required in order to carry out the conversion. Several of the 42 compactly arranged tube chambers – each measuring 6 metres in diameter – were carved out to form an imposing hollow space that now serves as an atrium. Other chambers were removed in order to gain additional space. This and other measures resulted in a floor space of 9,500 m2, around two-thirds of which is reserved for the 80 exhibition rooms spread over nine levels.
The perfect solution
The upper floors of the tower – which previously housed the feeding and sorting systems – are now home to the five-star hotel The Silo. For structural reasons, lightweight prewall systems were the best solution when it came to planning and designing the sanitary facilities in the 28 suites. The perfect solution was soon found in Geberit Duofix, as the self-supporting, powder-coated installation elements are ideally suited to space-saving installation. They are fitted with Sigma concealed cisterns, which work with a water-saving dual flush.
Zeitz MOCAA and The Silo Hotel
Building owner: Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Holdings (Pty) Ltd
Architecture: Heatherwick Studio, London
Green building: 4-Star Green Star rating
Completed: September 2017
GEBERIT KNOW-HOW
- Geberit Duofix and Kombifix installation systems
- Geberit Sigma concealed cisterns 8 cm and 12 cm
- Geberit actuator plate Sigma50
- Geberit urinal flush control with electronic flush actuation
- Geberit HDPE drainage system
- Geberit Mepla supply system