Century City Sets the Tone for a Sustainable & Green Environment
Category Cape Town: Newsletter News
As an industry, the real estate and construction sectors are experiencing increasing pressure to create green developments focussed on sustainability and environmental conservation.
Century City in Cape Town - one of the largest privately managed mixed-use precincts - is setting the tone for upper class development by embracing the principles of new urbanism. The precinct boasts office, retail, residential, leisure and environmental components in an integrated urban environment.
Century City, together with its major stakeholders, continuously work together to ensure a concerted effort is made to reduce its carbon footprint while developing the precinct into a renowned work and lifestyle destination.
How is Century City making a positive environmental contribution?
As a collective development, the precinct offers conventional services, but with a sustainable element to them. Some of the ways in which the city has optimised its usage of services is through:
- Public and Environmental amenities within close proximity to one another;
- Ease of access to public transport;
- Water infrastructure with lower embodied environmental impact;
- Integration of sensitive ecological systems into an urban environment;
- Planning of a comprehensive Integrated Waste Management Plan for the whole of Century City.
In the heart of Century City lies a 16ha wetland conservation area that is rich in birdlife and indigenous plants, acting as the green lung for the precinct. Intaka Island comprises 8ha of ecologically sensitive ephemeral (seasonal) pans that are among the last remaining of their kind, and 8ha of reconstructed wetlands that serve to cleanse the water in the 8km of navigable canals that link the different elements of Century City.
According to the Century City website: "The reconstructed portion of Intaka Island has been opened up to the public on a controlled basis and is becoming an important eco-tourism destination."
Upcoming developments
Not only is this area of Cape Town setting an example for environmental conservation but it is also leading the pack when it comes to development.
The area is constantly being developed with nothing short of world-class properties. The former Ratanga Junction will soon be transformed into another mixed-use precinct within Century City. Called Bridgewater One, it has been conceptualised as a modern take on Amsterdam housing. Featuring elegant buildings and narrow canals, Brightwater One will comprise of a residential component, an 80-bed luxury hotel, several commercial offerings, and limited retail.
In line with the ethics of the precinct, this development will also comply with conservation measures. Brightwater One is set to enlarge the water body and retain as much of the original vegetation as possible to create a substantial green zone.
The Century City blueprint
Family
At the heart of the precinct is creating a family-friendly place to live, work and play. It ensures that occupants don't have to travel too far out into the greater city to do anything. The developers of Century City aim to create a large public green space which will welcome families back to the area as well as offer them indigenous birdlife and the opportunity to enjoy nature that bit more.
Business
Century City saw its success after the recession in the late 1990s when big corporates such as PricewaterHouseCoopers, Vodacom, the Louis Group, SAPS, Unisys and Business Connexion gradually started moving into the city.
At the start of the economic upturn of the early 2000s, Century City had development rights totalling more than 1,25 million square. A significant amount of development has taken place over the past decade with just over one million square metres of bulk currently built or earmarked for development and total investment standing at more than R21billion.
Safety & accessibility
The precinct claims comparatively low crime statistics due to its zero-tolerance approach to crime as well as being armed with a highly effective fibre-based CCTV surveillance system.
Conveniently located adjacent to the N1 highway that connects Central Cape Town CBD to the northern metropolitan suburbs and beyond, travelling in and out of the city is a breeze. Occupants have the option of travelling by bus, train, or car and those working in the precinct can make use of the four e-parking areas at any time.
Cape Town is home to several eminent establishments known around the country and some even attracting attention from travellers abroad. Century City in specifically has already made its mark as the place to be or visit if you are in the Western Cape province.
While it has become another commercial node in the metropolitan area, the city centre remains vibrant, allowing the precinct to offer a unique, exciting and smooth experience that won't be found anywhere else in close proximity.
We have numerous commercial rental options available in the desirable Century City. To find out more, contact one of our knowledgeable brokers at OfficePlace for more information.
Author: OfficePlace
