Residential Development
Bellville, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
2021 - Completed
The Block Glenhaven is a residential complex that forms the first phase of the Glenhaven neighbourhood in Bellville South. The development comprises of 253 affordable gap housing units, privately managed by a letting agency. There is one large apartment block and two smaller blocks inside the development.
The apartment blocks are a combination of four and three storey walk-ups, with vertical circulation positioned at the centre of each block. The roofscape is made interesting by combining these blocks of differing storey heights alongside each other. There is a large central parking court, around which the individual apartment buildings are positioned to form a perimeter block. Trees and planters soften this area and break up the expansive parking mass, which is envisaged to be converted into further green space when the demand for cars is decreased over time.
The “BLOCKS” comprise a variety of unit types arranged around a central courtyard, three to four stories in height. The apartments face outward, with the covered walkways looking onto the inner landscaped courtyard.
Two portal structures cover the stairwells and articulate the entrance to the courtyard space and “BLOCK”. There is a combination of 1 bed/1 bathroom and 2 bed/1 bathroom units within each block.
While the apartments face onto the outer communal green spaces and parking areas, the landscaped inner courtyard provides a more intimate and reserved space for the inhabitants of the each “BLOCK”. In order to create a safe environment within the development, vehicle and pedestrian access is controlled from the guarded entrance gate, located on Glenhaven Crescent.
The stairways give each block some visual interest within the larger massing, with side walls and canopies painted a dark blue and oversized lettering adding an extra dimension to the façade. Communal facilities and children’s play areas are scattered across the in-between areas to encourage social engagement between the various apartment blocks. The success of this project in the Glenhaven neighbourhood paved the way for the social housing Anchorage development and the Glen Apartments which followed shortly after its completion.
