Strand Hotel receives top honours in API awards

Launched at this year’s Summit, the API Awards are aimed at providing a distinguished platform for developers, suppliers and owners in the African real estate industry – beyond South Africa – to showcase their best projects and services from across sub-Saharan Africa; giving special recognition to the best that Africa has to offer. Although this was the first year the awards were hosted, looking at the calibre of entries, these awards are expected to grow from strength-to-strength annually, aiming to become Africa’s premier real estate competition.

Located in Namibia's premier seaside resort of Swakopmund, the Strand Hotel has become a landmark in the area and a popular holiday destination, with its beach location and being close to the town's amenities. The hotel is owned by O & L Leisure, and was developed by Mirage Developments and Leisure (Pty) Ltd., where construction of the hotel was completed in 2015.

WSP in Africa - one of the largest multi-disciplinary engineering consultancies on the continent – was commissioned by the developer to design the Rational Fire, piped services (gas/plumbing and drainage), mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning for the hotel.

“The main objectives of the system’s design was to contribute towards sustainable development by means of utilising resource efficiency in the design, careful selection of equipment that can withstand the harsh corrosive environs and provide robust reliable operation. Plant and materials were also selected of a suitable quality to last for a design life span of between 20- and 25-years, without major refurbishment during this period.” said Peter Hodgkinson, Managing Director, WSP, Building Services, in Africa. 

The project entailed the development of a 4-Star Hotel with three food beverage facilities to the Hotel’s public areas. The total size of the project was 11 630m2 consisting of 87 luxury suites and 28 upmarket apartments, 610m2 promenade retail space, more than 1000m2 of conference, business and banqueting facilities as well as 1000m2 of health and spa facilities and a restaurant.

In a statement from API, the award panel also indicated that the design of the hotel met the requirements of the local heritage council and that it responds sensitively to the existing indigenous landscape – through a functional and contemporary design approach that provides a unique aesthetic.

“We feel incredibly fortunate and proud to have been involved in this project – and are thrilled by the commendations that it has received. Through the collective efforts of all the partners on this project, the Strand Hotel offers iconic views and experiences, where every aspect of the hotel has been developed in line with international 4-Star standards – setting the benchmark against which all hotels and lodges in Namibia are measured,” concludes Hodgkinson.