1 Mutual Place

The ZAR 900 million new building comprised comprises a 12-storey tower block, positioned above a six-level parking basement. Built on a brownfield site, the building’s geometric shape evolved from a hexagonal base into an equilateral triangle – and the floor plates grow as building height increases. Though currently the building predominantly comprises of office space, as the regional head office for Old Mutual, as well as commercial office accommodation together with a hotel and some supporting retail. 

WSP was appointed for the design and management of this major urban mixed-use development – initially aimed at attaining a targeted Green Star Design rating. 

Old Mutual, as the building developer and owner, wanted a head office building for its Emerging Markets operations that would provide a strategic and convenient central hub from which to continue driving its collaboration initiatives and further expansion plans into Africa. The new building met the client’s brief by providing functional and aspirational space – and given its location in the Gauteng financial district with convenient transport amenities nearby – assists in reducing the cost and time inefficiencies associated with multiple office sites. 

Additionally, as Old Mutual is committed to building environmentally sustainable buildings that have a minimal impact on the natural environment, No.1 Mutual Place was designed in an environmentally sustainable manner and care was put into the building’s construction and operation. 

List of primary services provided by WSP for this project: 

• Structural design
• Civil design
• Sustainability design
• Project management
• Construction supervision
• Site supervision

A team of sustainability consultants from WSP also lead the Green Star facilitation process by investigating passive and sustainable design initiatives. The aim was to reduce the building’s reliance and impact on water and energy resources while increasing functional resilience. Further to this, the occupants’ well-being was another primary focus in the building’s design and the indoor environmental quality is a large measure of the building’s environmental sustainability. 

The sustainability consultants from WSP ensured the necessary certification requirements were met and Old Mutual’s commitment to sustainability was recognised by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA), as the building achieved a 5-Star Green Star SA rating.

Additionally, in recognising that - while the building has been designed and constructed in an ecologically sustainable way - the sustainability focus can easily be neglected once the building has been occupied. As such, to ensure that the building is operated efficiently and that the behaviour of the occupants is both monitored and managed effectively, WSP has provided Old Mutual with a building user guide and continues to support the company in monitoring the performance – where No.1 Mutual Place is currently registered to attain a targeted As Built Green Star rating certification.