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Drivelines Studios

Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood

DRIVELINES STUDIOS

LOT-EK

ARCHITECTS
LOT-EK

PHOTOGRAPHS
Dave Southwood

CATEGORY
Apartments

AREA
75000 ft²

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
SevenBar Consulting

CITY
Johannesburg

PROJECT YEAR
2017

CONSTRUCTION
Tri-Star

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Asakheni + Silman

TEAM
Ada Tolla, Giuseppe Lignano, Sara Valente

COUNTRY
South Africa

MEP
VBK Engineering Systems + ABBINK Consulting

ARCHITECTURE OF RECORD
Anita du Plessis

Text description provided by architect.

Drivelines Studios is a residential building in Johannesburg, SA. Located in Maboneng, an area of recent urban transformation and renewal, it responds to the post-apartheid generation’s desire to repopulate the city’s downtown through new models of urban living.

Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood

Embracing the triangular geometry of the site, the building is conceived as a billboard where two separate volumes of residential units are hinged at the narrow east end of the lot, framing the social space of the open interior courtyard.

As in a billboard, the building outer facades are straight and flush with the lot line while the facades in the inner courtyard are articulated by the staircases, the elevator tower and the bridges connecting all levels, and by the open circulation paths activated by the units spillover onto their outdoor space.

Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood

The building is modular and made of 140 upcycled shipping containers.

Containers have been selected by colors to be left unpainted, with availability dictating the ultimate building color.

They were stacked and cut on site, and combined to form the units.

Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood

A large diagonal cut-out, from the corner to the center of each container long side, generates the large windows for the units on street and courtyard sides.

Its repetition and mirroring generate the building façade pattern.

Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood

The ground level is occupied by residential at the rear, retail along the Albertina Sisulu Road, and the private courtyard for the residents with planted areas and a pool.

The 6 levels above are occupied by the residential units, all open plan studios varying in size between 300sqft and 600sqft.

Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood

All units include an outdoor space along the courtyard facing walkways.

The building’ social intention and agenda is in line with the emerging urban community of its surrounding neighborhood, taking an active role in the revitalization, reactivation and reimagining of the city downtown.

Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood


Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood
Drivelines Studios
© Dave Southwood


Drivelines Studios
South elevation
Drivelines Studios
North elevation


Drivelines Studios
Graphics - blue
Drivelines Studios
Graphics - green


Drivelines Studios
Out concept
Drivelines Studios
Exploded isometric


Drivelines Studios
Ground floor plan
Drivelines Studios
Typical floor plan
Drivelines Studios
Typical units plan

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