We love nothing better than sinking our teeth into a new landscaping project, especially one in Sandton’s bustling commercial district. During our recent installation, we had the pleasure of collaborating with landscaping architect Karen, from Ochre. Our client, Redefine, required the service at their renovated office building, 155 West Street, Sandton. The building is a careful blend of form and function, with serene pause areas balancing the corporate atmosphere. We worked in two areas, the ground floor and an outdoor space on the building’s fourth floor. With the project done and dusted, it’s safe to say we delivered, and then some. Discover how the installation went below:
It’s all about the curb appeal
Working on-site with contractors, WBHO, we had great fun bringing Karen’s design to life. The first part of this landscaping project focused on the ground floor. We began by clearing the site of old vegetation, including felling and sprucing up the existing trees. Once the new bed areas were ready, we imported topsoil and compost in preparation for planting. A beautiful selection of plants and trees followed, all placed as per the landscape architect’s cohesive design, as well as an automated irrigation system. The surrounding greenery gives the whole building an air of invitation, softening the strong, modern lines. We also installed Slimline paving from Bosun, neatening the exterior walkways. To finish off, we unified the outdoor and indoor space by installing a lovely selection of plants inside the Atrium.
The view from the top
The second part of our installation was a top floor pause area. An outdoor section on the fourth floor, the space had to live up to the impressive views of the surrounding city. The finished product is a quiet seating area where one can take a moment to breathe, reflect and absorb the remarkable Sandton views. Strategic planting softens the space, with meticulous planting mixes adding the finishing touches. One of our favourite finishes was a black crusher on a geofabric layer. The colour of this mix is an attractive complement to the renovated building. All in all, Redefine were thrilled with the outcome of this tranquil garden in the sky.
How it all came together
No landscaping project is without its set of challenges. In this case, time was against us, with only six weeks to complete the entire installation. Yet, our skilled and dedicated team finished on time, delivering an outstanding finished product. Due to the confined delivery space, receiving and moving materials also proved tricky. For the top floor installation, we had to carry everything from the ground floor up the staircase to the fourth floor in bags. Being so high up, we also couldn’t allow this installation to become too heavy. To reduce excess weight, we used polystyrene blocks as a lightweight filling underneath the plants. These blocks eliminated the need to fill the whole planting area with soil, which would have been heavier. Nonetheless, the difficulties were worth it in the end, resulting in a top floor oasis that adds tremendous value to the building.
That’s a wrap for this unique landscaping project
Redefine’s ground floor revamp and fourth-floor garden were a once off landscaping project, with a three-month post maintenance plan. We thoroughly enjoyed working on this delightful installation. The end result is sure to bring joy to the building’s visitors and residents for years to come. If you’re looking to add value to your commercial property with well-designed landscaping, give us a call. We offer a full range of landscaping and maintenance services.
