1 Discovery Place, South Africa

The interiors of Discovery’s global headquarters in Sandton were designed by Paragon Interface in collaboration with Mortar Project Management and Baseline Project Management while Tiber and WBHO  Construction (Pty) Limited worked on the fitouts. Discovery’s vision was to create a working environment that inspired creativity and innovation by uniting all employees under one roof (they were previously housed in five separate buildings). The concept aimed at creating open spaces that were not only beautiful but also fostered cross functional connection and growth between staff. The architectural design of the headquarters building was executed by Boogertman + Partners.

The headquarters comprise of three towers spanning nine levels with circulation passages along the entire perimeter, allowing everyone to enjoy the view with agile workspace designs. The ground and first floor are public spaces featuring retail outlets, restaurants, conference and training rooms, while the upper levels include two auditoriums as well as a multipurpose sports court, gym facility, employee wellness centres and a rooftop cycling and running tracks to optimise work-life balance.  

Discovery Place is the largest project to receive a 5-Star Green rating as a sustainable building that is energy efficient, resource efficient, and environmentally responsible, with a façade made of steel from post consumer recycled content. Other sustainable design elements include daylight harvesting through the use of a high performance, double glazed façade and automated blinds, allowing natural light to infuse the building and reducing the need for excessive artificial lighting. Further economy is achieved through the use of low energy lighting and motion sensors, including high efficiency, air cooled water chillers and aircon systems, and a drive for a paperless environment.