One on Bree

One on Bree is a landmark mixed-use skyscraper under development at 1 Bree Street in the Cape Town CBD. Positioned adjacent to Portside Tower, the project occupies one of the city’s most prominent gateway sites and is set to become one of Cape Town’s tallest buildings upon completion. The development will combine luxury residential apartments, a hotel, retail space, and public amenities, reinforcing Bree Street’s reputation as one of Cape Town’s premier urban corridors.

The site was occupied by a low-rise commercial/industrial building dating from the mid-20th century. In its later years it was largely vacant and used as a site office and depot by major construction firms including Group Five and Murray & Roberts. The building stood almost empty for well over a decade before redevelopment commenced. It is a Streamline Moderne / Art Deco-influenced commercial building, probably dating from the late 1930s to early 1950s.

Although the old commercial building itself had little architectural significance, parts of its historic street façade are being incorporated into the new development. This is why the design of One on Bree includes a retained heritage podium with the modern glass tower rising above it—a common approach in Cape Town’s CBD to preserve the historic streetscape while allowing higher-density development.

So the timeline is:

• Mid-20th century: Commercial/industrial building constructed.
• 2007–2008: Proposed 18-storey office tower by Paragon Architects (not built).
• 2010s–2024: Existing building largely vacant, used by construction companies.
• 2025: Demolition and site preparation begin.
• 2025–2028: Construction of One on Bree, a 41-storey mixed-use tower.

This site will represent one of biggest transformations currently taking place in Cape Town’s skyline, with One on Bree set to become the city’s second-tallest building once completed.