A key aspect of the development is its contribution to unlocking value in the rejuvenating node.

“The project, executed by the Tiber Group, took a heritage structure in a revitalizing part of the city and created a new-format office block for corporate blue-chip Ashanti Gold,” says John Truter, chairman of the SAPOA Awards Committee and director of engineering firm WSP Group Africa.

“The success and innovation of the project lies in the fact that it took an historic property, in an old area, and created a commercially-viable and architecturally appealing new development.”

Turbine Square collected the awards for both Overall Winner and Best Office Development.

Truter’s comments reflect the rigorous criteria applied to projects under consideration for the awards. Economic viability, architectural appeal and locational value-add are all taken into consideration by the panel of judges. This year, the panel included eleven property professionals drawn from across the spatial disciplines.

The Awards are a high-point on the property industry calendar, recognizing achievements by developers across eight distinct categories: Innovative Solutions; Social Impact; Refurbishments; Industrial Developments; Office Developments; Retail Developments; International; and Other, which covers the hotel, leisure and residential sectors.

“The awards attracted a record 44 entries this year, across all the categories,” says SAPOA CEO Neil Gopal.

In fact, so many submissions were received from residential developments as part of the Other Category that SAPOA has decided to launch a separate Residential category for the 2009 awards.

“A key goal of the SAPOA Awards is to showcase the excellence of world-class South African property developments across the different sectors of the market,” says Truter.

“Certainly this year’s crop of entrants has lived up to expectations.”
 
Greenstone Shopping Centre in Modderfontein, with what the judges described as its magnificent architecture and excellent structure, won the Retail Developments award; the Industrial Developments category was won by Mahogany Ridge in Pinetown, for being both functional and well-executed.

Two prizes were awarded in the Refurbishments category: the restoration of mixed-use Majestic Village in the Western Cape’s Kalk Bay by Argyle Developments, and the careful re-working of 22 Fredman Drive in the corporate Sandton node by Zenprop Property Holdings.

Facilities management Gatemax came out tops in the Innovative Solutions category with its creative office building in Umhlanga outside Durban.

The standard of entries this year prompted judges to award merit prizes in several categories, adds Gopal.

Fernkloof Golf Course in Hermanus by Rabie Properties achieved first prize in the Other category, thanks to its successful implementation of a public-private partnership model and its commitment to environmental principles. Merit awards were given to the historic Newcourt of Alphen in Constantia and to Oasis Luxury Retirement Resort developed by Rabie Properties.

While the Nelson Mandela Museum in Qunu in the Transkei scored the first prize in the Social Impact category, business mentoring project Growthpoint Enterprise Development won a merit award for its contribution to small and start-up businesses.

Frank Berkeley, managing director of Nedbank Corporate Property Finance, which has sponsored the Awards for a number of years, said that the bank was proud to be associated with awards and entries of this class.  "We believe that we have a role to play as we strive to become a truly South African bank, and Nedbank's sponsorship of these awards is part of our investment in the property industry.  Property developers play an important role, not only in our industry, but in our economy and form a vital part of our business."
 
"This year we received a record number of entries in the various categories, which is indicative of a sector going from strength to strength.” said Berkeley.