Learning curve
Peak Studios Student Accommodation in Observatory, Cape Town, designed by GASS Architecture Studios, repurposes and adds to an existing heritage building to optimise the functional and urban potential of the site.
Professional team
Client: Growthpoint Student Accommodation Holdings
Project manager: Atvantage Project Managers Architect: GASS Architecture Studios
Quantity surveyor: MMQSMace Structural and civil engineer: AECOM SA (Pty) Ltd
Mechanical, wet services and fire engineers: Solution Station
Electrical engineer: Claasen Auret Heritage consultant: Pentz & Berman EDGE auditor: Ecolution Consulting Health and safety: Frontline
Principal contractor: ISIPANI Construction
Peak Studios Student Accommodation is a new nine-storey building in Observatory, Cape Town, which accommodates 563 students from the nearby UCT and CPUT campuses, and other private educational institutions in the area. It is the first of the Thrive Student Living group of buildings – a national portfolio of student accommodation in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town – in the Western Cape. Each building in the portfolio is designed to adhere to overarching product and brand requirements, but is branded individually with finishes, colours and graphics reflecting its context. Twenty percent of the accommodation at Peak Studios is reserved for students receiving support from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). Requirements for accreditation with the University of Cape Town, as well as EDGE accreditation, were paramount to the client to ensure responsible and sustainable development.
The development repurposes an existing heritage building, previously a funeral home designed in the early-mid 20th century, which had contextual significance in relation to the street and surrounding area. Retaining its architectural presence on street level was an important design informant of the new additions.
Existing built fabric with no heritage significance was demolished to enable the insertion of a new multistorey student housing building, which optimises the functional and urban potential of the site.
The new section is set back from the heritage building, creating a clear distinction between new and existing sections. The existing building was repurposed to house the communal spaces for student living, which connects directly with the residential portion on ground and first-floor level. A section that previously housed a chapel was opened to create an open-air internal courtyard filled with light and greenery, which also illuminates the surrounding areas.
The communal spaces were designed to allow flexibility of use. Loose furniture can be moved to allow gatherings of up to 200 people inside the building and spilling out onto the new open courtyard.
The new multistorey residential section, even though much higher than the existing building, interprets its geometry through a contemporary lens. Its face-brick façade serves as a low-maintenance, sustainable finish robust enough to withstand the wear and tear associated with student accommodation.
The ground-floor strip of both the existing and new buildings has a dark painted textured plaster finish, which ties them together visually. It also helps reduce the visual impact of the difference in the fenestration rhythms of the doors on the ground floor and the windows on the upper storeys, while creating a robust plinth for the building.
Certification under GBCSA Edge has been awarded for environmentally conscious design. Sustainable features include various elements salvaged carefully from the existing building and reused, including doors and timber cladding used in benches and wall claddings. Internal walls were constructed with perforated Maxi Bricks. Smart metering is used to measure and manage electricity usage. Domestic hot water is provided via a heat-pump system, and all taps and shower heads are water efficient. All landscaped areas are designed with water-wise planting and a cap on irrigation. Dedicated permeable paving areas are integrated into the hardscaping design to reduce stormwater surface run-off.
The repurposing, densification and redevelopment of this previously closed-off, single-function site contributes positively to the development of the urban environment, actively enhancing the economical and urban potential of the area.