Touchstone House is the result of an idea that has been brewing for a number of years. The site is currently home to an abandoned burnt-out building, which is a marked eyesore amidst AAA-grade office blocks and luxury apartments. But that will soon change when the existing buildingis seamlessly incorporated into a brand new A-grade office tower.
Today’s Touchstone House scheme is markedly different to previous proposals. The building has undergone numerous design revisions in order to create a building that is both modern and cost-effective, whilst remaining sensitive to its roots. As a result, new additions will be set back by 5 metres from the existing structure.The final product is a 15-floor tower that looks markedly diverse when viewed from differentangles.
Much focus has been placed on incorporating large windows into the property to exploit gorgeous views of the city and surrounds. There are also balconies set over various levels – some even wrapping around the building.The ground floor will house various retail outlets, which will open the building up to the public and engage with the streetscape. Above this will be 4 levels of parking, topped off with 11 floors of office space. The final floor will provide entertainment and dining space for tenants of the building.
In terms of affordability and prime location, Touchstone House will be hard to beat. The new 33 storeyPortside tower is currently under construction directly across the road, whilst 22 Bree – the new home of Bowman Gilfillan attorneys – is under development diagonally across the road as well. With a third development by the name of ‘The Modern’ due to be constructed next door to Touchstone House, it will truly be in the hear of Cape Town’s financial district.
Galetti Commercial and Industrial – one of South Africa’s premier national property brokerages – has noticed a marked increase in demand for AAA-grade office space in the Cape Town CBD. There is currently a shortage of quality office space available to top-tier corporate tenants. New developments such as Touchstone House, Portside and 22 Bree will thus bring a large amount of such needed space to market and service this demand.
Source: Galetti
