The City of Johannesburg’s newly built council chambers, after being awarded the 5 Star Green award last year, recently scooped up yet another two awards.
The Joburg Property Company managers of the City’s property portfolio, said the conceptual design of the chambers was inspired by the Tswana word lekgotla which means a circular outdoor meeting space.
The company recently won the Public Services Development Award by the Africa and Arabia Property Awards. They will be honoured on 7 September.
The company said there were 14 entries in total for Africa and Arabia for the Public Service award split over 10 countries and emirates. The design of Johannesburg Council Chambers made it to the top.
Furthermore, the company has been shortlisted in the Other Developments category for the South African Property Owners Association Innovative Excellence in Property Development Awards because of the very nature of the building and its purpose.
At the association’s convention, exhibition and awards ceremony held on 22 June in Cape Town, the company received the prestigious award in this category.
About the chamber:
- The chamber has the seating capacity for 361 councillors and 158 seats in the gallery for the public and media – 80 seats more than is currently required, in order to cater for future expansion.
- The glass building allows the outside world to have a visual connection with the building’s occupants, which is symbolic of a constant dialogue between the public and municipal officials.
- One of the unique features of the building is the winning designs from last years’ Totem Art Competition, where artists created works inspired by their community which were translated into wooden totems placed inside the council chambers building.
The City’s Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba, in his State of the City Address, expressed concern over the R360-million council chambers. He delivered his inaugural speech in the new chamber, saying it could have been better used to build roads, clinics or houses.
He said major problems the administration is facing, and which were not as important as new council chambers, includes a R170-billion infrastructure backlog, high unemployment and a 300 000 housing-units backlog.
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