BALWIN PROPERTIES
Best Apartment SA
Thaba Eco Village
5 Stars
Best Architecture Multiple Residence SA
Thaba Eco Village
5 Stars
Best Leisure Architecture SA
Leisure Development SA
Munyaka Lifestyle Centre, Waterfall City
5 Stars
Best Social Housing SA
GreenBay Eco Estate
Sustainable Residential Development SA
GreenBay Eco Estate
Award Winner
What does winning an International Property Award mean to you?
A cornerstone of Balwin’s approach has always been to consider what’s good for our clients and what’s good for the environment. To deliver a sustainable, exceptional quality product, we spend an inordinate amount of time and effort working with the best consultants, contractors and architects. These awards demonstrate that we can compete and win on one of the world’s biggest stages, which makes us very excited and grateful.
The International Property Awards (IPAs) is one of the most prestigious platforms in the world celebrating excellence in real estate. It sets an international benchmark that allows Balwin to scale itself against the best in the world. To date, we have achieved 38 awards recognising our commitment to excellent and innovation in sustainability, leisure and architecture as well as social housing.
Munyaka Lifestyle Centre.
The journey of Balwin building multi-award winning developments starts with the application of an EDGE advanced certification for all our apartments. This ensures that we give our clients a 40% saving on their energy usage and a 20% reduction in water consumption. To achieve this we implement sustainable passive design, low energy appliances and on-site clean energy generation. Further into the journey, we provide a world-class lifestyle centre that will receive the highest Green Star rating, which is the 6-Star Green Star Building rating GBCSA. While providing a vast variety of amenities we still ensure our buildings are of the utmost efficiency and sustainability. This is all in line with Balwin’s vision of providing affordable yet aspirational and sustainable homes to our clients.
Thaba Eco Village.
Where to from here?
The awards are a yardstick and we’re very proud to be at the leading edge of innovation in design, lifestyle offering and sustainability. Balwin is officially the largest IFC EDGE developer in the world, resulting in lower energy and water consumption during and after construction, which we’ve turned into a financial benefit for our clients through our green bonds. Going forward, we’re looking to address specific challenges in South Africa, such as off-grid power at our current developments to alleviate loadshedding and black water reticulation.
An innovation of IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, EDGE makes it easy to design and certify resource-efficient and zero-carbon buildings of every type, everywhere.
GreenBay Eco Estate.
LYT ARCHITECTURE
Best Leisure Interior SA
Highline Courtyard Hotel Rooftop Bar and Restaurant
5 Stars
Best Residential High Rise Architecture SA
South Point Student Accommodation
5 Stars
Mixed-use Architecture SA
Munyaka Lifestyle Centre
Award Winner
Retail Architecture SA
McDonald’s Flagship, Waterfall
Award Winner
What does winning an IPA mean to you?
It is an acknowledgement of LYT Architecture’s design talent, as well as a vote of confidence for the dedicated and driven team that worked on this project. Winning the award is an affirmation of our commitment to providing highquality designs and service for our current and future clients.
As our brand continues to be defined and developed, it generates the opportunity to market the company on a local and international level. The IPAs are an excellent platform to showcase LYT Architecture’s more prestigious projects and provide the opportunity to be recognised for the numerous ways in which they respond to the everchanging societal values and urban landscapes of our local and global contexts.
Where to from here?
We are committed to maintaining a leadership role in the architectural profession through outstanding service and the continued delivery of high-quality designs.
Left: Highline Courtyard Hotel Rooftop Bar and Restaurant
Right: Munyaka Lifestyle Centre.
At LYT Architecture, working towards a sustainable future is at the forefront of every project. Our projects are designed in a manner that carefully consider our clients’ present and future needs to be able to successfully address these issues. During the planning and construction phases, the use of environmental-friendly systems and building materials is explored to develop alternate, future-proof solutions for our clients. Our sustainability strategies include:
• Passive and active sustainable design
• Prioritisation of sustainable materials in design
• Landscape design
Left: South Point Student Accommodation
Right: McDonald’s Flagship.
WATERFALL MANAGEMENT COMPANY
Best mixed-use Development SA
Waterfall City
5 Stars
What does winning an IPA mean to you?
Although Waterfall City is currently only 45% complete, it is fast becoming known as the new economic hub of South Africa and the ideal residential, lifestyle and blue-chip business destination in Gauteng.
Winning an IPA helps to attract international companies and reassures those who have already moved to Waterfall City that they have made the right decision. Receiving international recognition such as this on a regular basis – having won the Best Mixed-use Development in South Africa award eight times, Best in Africa seven times and Best in the World four times to date – certainly emphasises just how world-class Waterfall City is.
From inception, the Waterfall Management Company and our various development partners have had big aspirations for Waterfall City. Conceptualised as a safe, state-of-the-art smart city built on the cornerstones of connection, commerce, care and community, Waterfall City is unique. Entering such awards helps us to benchmark ourselves against international players, and to represent South African property developments on the world stage.
Where to from here?
Our aim is to continue to develop and improve this worldclass smart city. The golden thread running through this is the continued development of infrastructure enhancements with a focus on the future. Energy efficiency is critical in this regard and as such, Waterfall City plans to install more solar panels on the roofs of commercial developments while also investigating the possibility of a solar farm.
There are continuous investments being made in road infrastructure as well.
Future-proofed infrastructure and responsible environmental stewardship are at the forefront of design. On the energy front, the intention is to keep the carbon footprint small, air pollution low and energy efficiency high. The Waterfall City CBD boasts 31 green-rated buildings with rainwater harvesting and back-up power enabling business continuity during outages.
Waterfall City has mitigated against the risk of flooding and erosion through the building of 18 attenuation dams that have become part of its 130ha greenbelt. It has a water-use licence that allows for irrigation of common areas at the development using water from the Jukskei River, which is first pumped through an ozone water treatment plant. We have applied for licences to draw more water from Jukskei and harvest rainwater on a larger scale. Our landscaping focuses on indigenous, water-wise plants.
Waterfall City’s waste management processes divert waste from landfills, creating a circular economy. The city currently converts 90 tons of food waste a month into pre-compost to be used on the development. Residents drop off their recyclables, including e-waste, at a centralised waste management facility.
GIANT LEAP
Best Office Interior SA
AngloGold Ashanti Project AGA
5 Stars
What does winning an IPA mean to you?
We are so proud to have won the 5-star Best Office Interior South Africa, for AngloGold Ashanti. In 2020, we were encouraged by our client to enter the awards, and we won for our Barloworld project. We entered two more projects in the following years and are thrilled that we won 5-star Best Office Interior SA for three years consecutively.
Where to from here?
We continue to design and build office interiors, locally and internationally, that inspire efficient and innovative.
By understanding that making a balanced office environment can benefit employees’ wellbeing, we consider vital elements such as biophilia, good lighting, art and ergonomics to create the best environment while keeping sustainability in mind.
VIVID ARCHITECTS
Mixed-use Development SA
Bridgewater
Award Winner
What does winning an IPA mean to you?
We are extremely humbled and thankful our work has international relevance and appeal, and ecstatic for being chosen as one of the winning projects.
What prompted you to enter the project into the award?
We were invited. Our WEX1 project won the Best of 5-Star award in 2017, so we understand it is a fantastic opportunity for our work to be assessed on the world stage.
Where to from here?
To win more awards! To keep creating places for people to inhabit and enjoy. Spaces that have relevance and longevity, buildings that make people happy.
We design our projects with passive sustainability in mind, using appropriate façade treatments and designed floorplate depths, to ensure natural light without excessive heat load build-up is attained. Natural ventilation is a key design factor, reducing the reliance on mechanical services
PAM GOLDING PROPERTIES
Best Real Estate Agency Marketing SA
Best Real Estate Agency over 20 Offices SA
Best Real Estate Agency Website SA
(5 Stars in all three categories)
Receiving these acclaimed accolades is testament to our market leadership, as well as our ongoing commitment to providing clients with differentiated, world-class service excellence, coupled with high technological and marketing innovation as we constantly strive to set new benchmark standards in the industry.
We are proud that this brings to over 67 IPAs achieved. With 46 years of experience in the residential property market, we have established a reputation as a globally recognised and respected brand in real estate, with our success built on the same pillars as the IPA’s judging criteria.
Coupled with this, the challenges and socio-economic impact of the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns on the global and local economy in today’s rapidly changing world, has further underscored our commitment to our core values and in the way we do business. Innovations include our Live Remarkable campaign which has been portrayed across media, whereby we recognise remarkable Africans and the positive impact they have on the world, celebrating the human spirit and inspiring our own lives.
Operating via a network of over 300 offices in sub-Saharan Africa as well as several international offices, our agents are active at both a hyper local, national and global level. Our aim is to influence and create increased consciousness among homeowners regarding sustainability, in terms of the home environment, namely, energy usage and saving, water conservation, waste and biodiversity in gardens.
We recognise remarkable South Africans and Africans and the positive impact they have on the world, celebrating the human spirit and inspiring our own lives.
These include renowned pulmonologist, Dr Taban, who has a burning desire to assist disadvantaged children to acquire an education, thereby ensuring that they have a brighter future. Together with our Heart of Gold Trust and the Emmanuel Taban Foundation, we have pledged our commitment to sponsor bursaries for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds to enrol at Jeppe High School for Girls.
Our campaign also recognises Farai Chinomwe, a Rastafarian, Zimbabwean musician and long-distance runner whose calling is to draw attention to the importance and plight of bees on our planet through Blessed Bees Africa. Then there is Hanli Prinsloo, an ocean conservationist, exceptional free diver and aqua-ambassador for the deep with her I AM WATER Foundation, who was also selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders, who dives to make a critical and remarkable connection with aquatic wildlife, drawing attention to the fragility of our blue planet.
DHK ARCHITECTS
Commercial High-Rise Architecture
35 Lower Long
Award Winner
Hotel Architecture SA
Radisson RED Rosebank
Award Winner
Mixed-use Architecture SA
Old Cape Quarter
Award Winner
Residential High-Rise Architecture SA
The Rubik
Award Winner
What does winning an IPA mean to you?
Winning an award is always a bonus in that it’s a recognition of an aspect of design excellence, but it isn’t the reason we practice architecture. When a building fulfils its function in its context and achieves its objectives visually, functionally, in terms environmental impact, the comfort and wellbeing of its occupants while delivering financial return for the developer, then as a design inspired commercial studio, we have created a building both beautiful and fit for purpose.
An award is simply recognition of the success of this endeavour. Award platforms are an opportunity to engage with the industry at large – and share current or recent work with the world.
Where to from here?
We continue the journey, trying to push and challenge the design envelope, constantly re-inventing to remain fresh and relevant.
35 LOWER LONG
RADISSON RED ROSEBANK
OLD CAPE QUARTER
THE RUBIK
The Rubik (left) 35 Lower Long (right)
We have always attempted to follow best practice in the buildings we design and in terms of outright sustainability we have come a very long way together with our fellow professionals. The bar is being set ever higher, not because of the points one scores but rather in our goal to genuinely support efforts to curb global climate change and urban blight in the pursuit of better places to work live and play. This must remain our goal.
LEGARO PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT
Best Leisure Development
The Emerald
5 Stars
What does winning an IPA mean to you?
We are very proud to have won this award. It is recognition of our innovation and quality, two driving forces in our business, so it means a great deal.
In our ongoing quest for excellence, we think it is necessary to put ourselves up for comparison with the best in the world. It is both motivating and rewarding. We also think our current homeowners and potential homebuyers value the quality assurance that this award represents.
Where to from here?
We have just launched our first residential development in the Western Cape, Drakenzicht. This luxury estate in Paarl will feature over 200 villas and all the lifestyle facilities The Emerald offers, and more! We have another development coming soon in the Hyde Park area, Hyde Park Square. We are increasing our commercial property portfolio, with the development of 84 Corlett in Melrose North.
Legaro Property Development has a strong focus on green building; from design to development, sustainability and eco-conscious living are paramount in the creation of all our developments. The Emerald energy-efficient and water-wise solutions and is Edge Advanced certified by GBCSA.
AMA ARCHITECTS
Best Mixed-use Architecture SA
Towers Main
5 Stars
What does winning an IPA mean to you?
Winning this IPA exposes our firm to the global built environment that is inventive and skilled in the design of the urban architecture. It broadcasts the incredible vision and effort in rejuvenating a building in the city centre through powerful interventions. This was a meaningful opportunity to showcase a rare achievement in the innercity of Johannesburg, by renewing a mothballed office tower into a world-class mixed-use building, using the best design skills our country has to offer. Competing on the world stage and winning international design provides recognition of our architectural skills and shows what we are capable of in South Africa, which is immensely gratifying.
Where to from here?
AMA Architects is intent on transforming our cities and communities into safer, healthier and more connected spaces. The future of our world is strongly tied to how we live, work and play.
The energy-efficient glazing on the main façade, and the careful composition of windows to the residential façade reduced energy consumption dramatically. The ETICS façade building system, used on the residential façade, is nine times lighter, four times faster to construct, and 12 times more thermally efficient than conventional brick construction. The lightweight and size characteristics of Hebel AAC block allows for reduced transport costs when compared to conventional brick.
Efficient ducting and sensors were installed to distribute the centrally provided fresh air. An air-cooled chiller located on the ground floor distributes water to the office area of the building. LED lighting is installed throughout. All lights are operated using occupancy
sensors that double as daylight harvesting switching. The floorplate is not deep, therefore natural light is abundant.
The building is largely naturally ventilated and relies on fresh air distribution. Materials were procured from environmentally preferable sources. There are dedicated recycling areas and fuel-efficient parking bays.
