New look for Newtown silos

The silos have long been part of the Johannesburg skyline to the west of the M1 highway. Originally used to store grain and owned by the Premier Milling group, the silos have been unused for decades. With these acquisitions, Citiq will transform these concrete pipes into trendy student apartments.

This follows the company’s identification of the student market as a strategic growth area. “The demand for quality student accommodation is enormous,” said Paul Lapham, CEO of Citiq. “We plan to become a meaningful provider of student accommodation by focusing on compact, convenient and secure accommodation that gives students a real taste of varsity life.”

This project has helped to redefine South Africa’s perceptions of affordable accommodation and the use of alternative building techniques, with the shipping container units being fully rented out in two days.

“At first glance the silo project may seem like a departure from what we did with shipping containers, but in reality it is driven by the same priorities; to make available quality accommodation in the city at affordable prices,” said Lapham.

The silos enable this while catering for the demand that exists for student accommodation around the University of Johannesburg and the Wits campuses.

“Students in general find themselves at the cutting edge of style and design, and are not afraid to try something new. The circular shapes of the grain silos enable us to create an appealing environment that is very different to the dormitory style accommodation available at most residences. ”

Construction on the first of the two silos started at the beginning of 2013, with the project scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, in time for the 2014 student intake.

Managing director of Citiq’s Development Division Arthur Blake said, “These ten large concrete six-metre diameter pipes go up ten floors, and will be converted into trendy circular apartments. The walls are already there, and all that is required are floors and ceilings, and obviously spaces cut for doors and windows.

“The silos were built in the 1960’s and were intended to store 35 metres of grain in each pipe. The structure is extremely sound, with 18cm thick walls, making them more than adequate to bear the weight of the units. One of the pipes will be used as a staircase with a lift shaft and a fire escape.

“Another will be used to create ten floors for study areas, libraries, lounges, computer rooms and other recreational facilities. Two more silos will house the bathrooms and kitchens for each floor.

“The accommodation will not only be functional and attractive, but will also be cost-effective because of the re-use of the existing structure. On each floor there will be twelve apartments, with a mix of single bed and double sharing bedrooms, as well as communal kitchens and bathrooms. In total, 320 students will be housed. An extra two storeys, made from shipping containers, will be added to the top of the building with single bedrooms and recreational areas where students can get together to socialise and enjoy the panoramic views of the city.

The use of shipping containers builds on what we learned with our shipping container apartment block, and will complement the industrial look and feel of the exterior design while making available more space for recreational activities,” said Blake.

Construction on the second set of silos, also in Newtown, is to start during 2014 and should be completed within twelve months.