5 Lower Long Cape Town – Glass Office Tower and Contemporary Skyline Architecture

35 Lower Long is a contemporary commercial tower located at 35 Lower Long Street in Cape Town’s Foreshore precinct. Designed by dhk Architects for Abland Property Developers and Ellerine Brothers, the building forms part of the continued redevelopment of the Cape Town CBD and its expanding financial and commercial district. Rising approximately 86 metres above street level, the tower is distinguished by its extensive glazed façade and carefully shaped upper structure.

The building replaces an existing 1980s office structure that occupied the site. The original proposal was to remodel and extend that building, but the limitations of the existing structure led to a completely new development. The resulting tower provides approximately 14,000 square metres of floor area and accommodates office space, flexible co-working areas, a top-floor business suite, ground-floor retail and 280 parking bays.

Architecturally, 35 Lower Long is defined by a sculpted building form wrapped in reflective glass. The façade continues across both the office accommodation and the parking levels, creating a consistent exterior treatment. The two principal corners are chamfered as they rise towards the roof, while the glazed elements extend beyond the upper building line. This creates a layered profile that is particularly visible from street level and gives the tower a distinctive presence within the Cape Town skyline.

At street level, the design incorporates retail space and multiple entrances along Lower Long and Jetty Streets. A prominent double-volume entrance provides access to the office component, while the internal circulation system connects the street-level arrival area with the upper office floors and sky-lobby arrangement. The project was also designed with environmental performance in mind and achieved a 4-Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa. Measures included high-performance double glazing, energy-efficient lighting and services, consideration of solar gain, bicycle facilities and showers, and a reduced parking ratio intended to encourage public transport use.

The tower has also received architectural recognition. dhk records a 2023 Commendation for Architecture from the Cape Institute for Architecture, while 35 Lower Long received the 2022 SAPOA Award for Innovative Excellence for Best Commercial Office Development.

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