Summer Season Façade, Cape Town Retail Development, South African Architecture Images

Summer Season Façade

Shop Front in Cape Town: Retail Building South Africa design by SAOTA, Architects

page updated 28 Sep 2016 with new photos ; 27 Jan 2015

109 Hatfield Street, Cape Town

Design: SAOTA, Architects

Location: 109 Hatfield Street, Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town Contemporary Retail Building

109 Hatfield Street is situated in Gardens near the vibrant City Bowl in Cape Town, South Africa, and is surrounded by iconic landmarks like Table Mountain, Lions Head and Parliament.

Out with the old and in with the new.

This was an active participant in the World Design Capital 2014 as Cape Town thrived on showcasing both emerging and established creatives. The building became a part of this international initiiative, celebrating being the host city in multiple ways.

When it became a registered WDC project, there crystallised a desire to showcase involvement and support in a unique and memorable way. The building was painted the iconic yellow of the WDC branding, detailed with an overlay of an abstract map of Cape Town to emphasize that the city streets would be the pulse of the industry.

The architects wanted to allow the stakeholders of the city to be as involved in the festivities as the design elite, which lead us to the main concept for our WDC project: The Street Museum of Design.

Using over 20 digital screens facing out on to the streets from 109 Hatfield, the work of local artists was exhibited: from puppetry, graffiti, ceramics to fashion. These screens ran 24/7 and were freely accessible to the public.

With the 2014 World Design Capital coming to a close, there needed to be an update of the old design and a requirement to come up with something that aligned with the Summer season. The architects weren’t ready to say goodbye to the cheerful yellow building so they needed iconography that both stood out from and complemented the paintwork; festive but not cliché, bold but tasteful.

They also wanted to say “We are here – This is Africa!” The line; Under This African Sun, was chosen as they felt it embodied their roots and our base. It is also a nod to the continent which is constantly growing and bursting with new opportunities.

The yellow building on Hatfield has become a landmark – and the gold reflecting the bright energy from the sun, exemplifies the energy that resonates from within.