Waterfall Ellipse phase I was designed and developed to meet the 4 -Star Green Star SA Office v1.1 design and as-built certification requirements. The development will ultimately comprise four residential towers, with the 16-storey Cassini tower planned for phase 2 and the Galileo tower for the third and final phase. Once complete, the 45,000m2 precinct will include 600 apartments.

In phase 1, Newton has a total of 119 dwellings ranging from 1 to 3-bedroom units across a total dwelling rentable area of 10,348m², while Kepler houses 151 dwellings ranging from 1 to 4-bedroom units over a total dwelling rentable area of 11,655m².

Nico Barnard, City Planner for Attacq, says:

As part of Attacq’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, sustainability is a key focus area for the group in developing Waterfall City. Our vision is to develop Waterfall City as a safe, sustainable, mix-use city that provides a vibrant and healthy living environment.

One of the key benefits of developing Waterfall City as a greenfield site is the opportunity to plan every aspect of the city, taking into consideration green and sustainable principles in order to create a node that truly prioritizes the most critical asset of the development – the people.

Jean Paul van Huffel, Project Manager at Tricolt, comments, “As property developers, we recognise that the construction sector has a harsh impact on the environment. It is our responsibility to build more sustainably, and we are extremely proud of this milestone, Tricolt’s first Green Star certification.

I am pleased with the solutions that we were able to incorporate which include removing backfill and rubble for separation and recycling, and ensuring that 70% of the reinforcing used on site was recycled. Externally, we introduced a lot of water sensitive planting to reduce demand on irrigation, and up-lighting has been eliminated to reduce light pollution.

Designed by multidisciplinary design studio, dhk Architects, the elegant form of the towers will deliver a highly recognizable landmark in the heart of Waterfall City. Claudia Mela, Senior Associate at dhk, says:

The architecture is both bold and discreet, featuring a striking facade of glass and solid panels that allow the buildings to be presented as a singular, legible architectural form. The design moves away from simple all-glass towers and will be recognized as an enduring and site-responsive addition to Waterfall City. The carefully designed podium, which will house leisure and lap pools, verdant gardens, and The Luna Club, will engage residents and create a sense of community, providing further quality to this unique development.

Ellipse Waterfall is strategically situated next to the Mall of Africa and is well connected to local amenities and existing public transport infrastructure. The towers are located within 400m walking distance of a number of local amenities including a pharmacy, laundromat, restaurant, shops, cinema, ATM/bank, hospital, offices and a school – all of which helps to reduce emissions associated with private transport. Open active play areas and outdoor exercise stations will also promote an active lifestyle.

Annelidé Sherratt, Head of Department: Green Building Certifications at Solid Green, explains that Green Star energy points were achieved by using thermal comfort modelling to demonstrate that the units are comfortable without mechanical ventilation. In addition, the super basement that runs below the scheme over two levels is entirely naturally ventilated except in the event of a fire.

Because gathering information is key to understanding and managing building systems as well as to assessing opportunities for energy savings, all major energy and water consuming systems are sub-metered. Several energy efficiency measures were implemented, including good levels of daylight within dwellings; occupancy sensors for all individual or enclosed spaces; the provision of hot water by heat pumps that are supported by a hot water storage tank; and the use of energy efficient appliances that are provided to each unit. These will all result in a minimum 75% improvement in energy consumption (kwh/year) over a notional building without green initiatives.

Materials were also carefully chosen. All steel used in the project has a post-consumer recycled content of at least 54%, and 20% of the project‘s total contract value is represented by materials or products that have been sourced from within 400km of the site. NFX bricks with 21% perforation were used for all brick applications to reduce the embodied energy and resource depletion associated with virgin materials used in masonry units.

The Building Users Guide compiled for the towers recommends that new construction should aim for a 30% reduction of the quantity of Portland cement as an average across all concrete mixes, and a 60% recycled content of all steel by mass. Where timber is used, 50% (by cost) of all timber products used in the building and construction works should be Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified Timber, reused or recycled timber.

As part of the rapidly developing Waterfall City, Ellipse Phase 1 continues the precinct’s vision of a vibrant destination that embraces a more sustainable approach to urban living.

Learn more about this project.

Project Team

Owner: Attacq and Tricolt
Accredited Professional and Sustainable Building Consultant: Solid Green Consulting
Architect: dhk Architects
Electrical Engineer: Aftek Consulting Engineers
Fire Engineer: Sutherland Engineers / Crossfire
Lift Specialist: Kone
Mechanical Engineer: Spoormaker & Partners
Quantity Surveyors: Tricolt
Structural Engineers: Arup
Wet Services: Sutherland Engineers
Main Contractor: Barrow
Project Manager: Echo Project Managers
Environmental Consultant: Seaton Environmental
Landscape Architects: Green Inc.