The Onyx is a distinctive mixed-use hotel and residential development in Cape Town’s Foreshore, occupying the former Nedbank head office at 57 Heerengracht Street. The project is an important example of adaptive reuse, transforming a significant 1960s modernist office building into a contemporary apartment hotel while retaining the striking black-glass character of the original architecture.
The original building was completed in 1968 as Nedbank’s Foreshore headquarters and was designed in the language of the International Style, characterised by its clean geometry, extensive dark glazing and restrained modernist façade. Its black glass exterior gave the building a strong and memorable presence within Cape Town’s developing Foreshore precinct. The Onyx project retained this essential architectural identity while introducing a new residential and hospitality use.
The conversion was undertaken by Signatura, in partnership with Nedbank CIB, with Robert Silke & Partnersresponsible for the architectural and interior design. The project was completed in November 2018. Rather than replacing the existing office structure, the architects retained the building’s principal black-glass façade and introduced a series of distinctive new interventions.
One of the most recognisable features of The Onyx is the contrast between the original dark glazed façade and the new curved white aluminium balconies. These projecting balconies animate the otherwise disciplined modernist elevations, creating a distinctive layered appearance. The balconies were deliberately conceived as a contemporary intervention, giving the building a more residential character while maintaining the visual strength of the original black-glass box.
The development incorporates apartments, penthouses and hotel accommodation, creating a combination of residential and hospitality uses. The apartments range from compact studios to substantially larger penthouses, with some of the upper-level residences incorporating roof gardens and private pools. Hotel facilities include restaurants, a gym, spa, concierge services and indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
The Onyx occupies a strategically important position within the Heerengracht precinct, directly opposite the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). Its location places it within the rapidly evolving Foreshore area, surrounded by major commercial, hospitality, healthcare and residential developments. The building is also within walking distance of the V&A Waterfront and Cape Town CBD.
From an architectural perspective, The Onyx is particularly significant because the project demonstrates how an existing modernist office building can be successfully adapted to contemporary residential and hotel requirements. The original building’s black curtain-wall façade provides a strong architectural identity, while the new balconies, terraces and hospitality facilities introduce a softer and more residential expression.
The building also forms part of the broader transformation of Cape Town’s Foreshore. The Heerengracht area has undergone substantial redevelopment, with former commercial buildings being refurbished and new hotels, offices, residential developments and public facilities being introduced. The Onyx contributes to this transformation by bringing permanent residential occupation and hotel accommodation into a formerly office-dominated building.
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