Profica project for Google SA scoops two SAPOA awards
The Google office in Johannesburg, a Profica managed project, was the winner in both the Interiors and the Overall Green Award categories at the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) Property Development Awards for Innovative Excellence.
The two awards were collected by Profica Group Managing Director Tim White at a glittering gala event that formed part of the annual SAPOA congress at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg on 23 June.
“Profica is proud to have been part of the Google South Africa project, working with architects Boogertman and Partners. We would like to congratulate Kutlwano Rasodi and Dave Harriss, who led the team on this project. Profica is a member of the Green Building Council of South Africa and our Project Managers take Green Building, sustainability and life cycle costing issues seriously. Working on this project provided an excellent opportunity to flex our skills in this area,” says White.
The project boasts an accreditation of a 5-star Green Star rating and is being assessed for a Gold LEED certification. The space has been described as a well thought-out sustainable project inspired by the contextual fabric of Johannesburg. Views to the exterior, visual comfort, internal air quality, ergonomics, waste monitoring and recycling initiatives, daylight harvesting and energy-efficiency were integrated in a way that remained conducive to a comfortable work environment.
The office has a number of quirky green features, for example, that some of the upholstery was created from jeans collected from staff members and furniture was made of upcycled items such as old wheel barrows that were converted into seats. Second-hand magazines, advertisement banners, crates, reclaimed timber and African beads are, amongst many others, some of the non-traditional materials sourced from the city and used within the design. 7500 recycled magazines were used as cladding in the waiting nook.
The commitment to using ethical products from the surrounding community and other sustainable products is a wonderful approach that educates others in the possibilities of being sustainable, while designing a cool office for a global leader.
