Alberton’s own part of the tallest building in Africa

THE Alberton RECORD had the opportunity to visit the construction site of The Leonardo, the new skyscraper under construction in Sandton, to meet with Catharine Atkins (42) from Alberton.

Catharine is a director at Co-Arc International Architects, the company responsible for the design and completion of The Leonardo. Catharine is the principal consultant on site for The Leonardo project.

We have heard that The Leonardo will be the tallest building in Africa. The building, which towers over Sandton and the larger Johannesburg area, will stand at 233m tall. The building will usurp the title of the tallest building in Africa from the Carlton Centre which has held the title of tallest building in Africa since 1973.

The Legacy Group and Nedbank reached out to Co-Arc about six years ago for the conception stage of the project. Construction on site began in late 2015, and as the building gained height, the initial 40 storey tower increased, with approval to a 55 storey tower. “I don’t know if it has hit me yet, that it may be the tallest building in Africa,” said Catharine.

Home grown

Catharine grew up and has lived all her life in Alberton. She grew up in Verwoerdpark and went to Alberton Primary. Her love for architecture started in Grade Seven.

“I got my dad to buy some graph paper for me, on which I started drawing house plans,” said Catharine. She then went to Marais Viljoen, which, in those years, was still a technical school.

“I started technical drawing in Grade Eight and I absolutely thrived from there,” she said.

“I’m very technically inclined. When I was younger I grew up on building Lego and I still build Architectural Lego today.”

Catharine graduated at Wits Technikon, and after a year working at a small firm in Bedfordview, started her journey with Co-Arc in January 1999. She has been working for the firm for 20 years now and has led many projects such as The Raphael Apartments on Nelson Mandela Square, the Wits Chamber of mines 4th Quadrant addition, The Wheatbaker hotel in Lagos Nigeria, as well as the new offices for the World Bank Group in Accra, Ghana.

“I love what I do,” said Catharine. “I was born to this.”

Catharine spoke to the RECORD about her pride as a woman in architecture. She mentioned that The Leonardo Co-Arc team consisted mainly of women, a fact which she is exceptionally proud of.

Catharine lives together with her husband and son in Alberante. Her interests outside of her work include mountain biking, camping, reading and enjoying the outdoors.

“I love getting back to the roots and spending time with my family,” Catharine said.

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