PRAN BOULEVARD
PRAN BOULEVARD
CORPORATE OFFICES
Pran Boulevard is a four-storey commercial office development located on a ridge-top corner site in Umhlanga’s Ridgeside precinct. Designed by Paragon Architects, totalling ±18,600 m², the scheme comprises two distinct office blocks with a lettable area of 5,600m² above a fully glazed retail plinth and a shared basement structure.
Set at a prominent intersection, the buildings are orientated along an east–west axis to align with the main arterial road and optimise the allowable bulk on site. This orientation, while not ideal in terms of solar performance, is mitigated through careful façade design. The east and west façades are clad in diagonally seamed reflective stainless steel composite panels, broken by narrow strip windows to limit solar gain while maintaining external views and visual rhythm.
The glazed retail plinth activates the street with cafés and shops, encouraging pedestrian flow into a central landscaped courtyard that serves as the spatial heart of the development. Framed by the office blocks and anchored by a fire pit, the courtyard offers framed views of the bay and provides amenity space for tenants and visitors.
Glazed pedestrian bridges, staggered at the upper levels, link the two buildings across the courtyard, reinforcing transparency while visually separating the blocks. The north and south façades of the upper floors are fully glazed and cantilever over the base structure. These façades are wrapped in projecting aluminium cowls, enhancing shading and emphasising the floating massing.
Internally, the buildings accommodate multi-tenant configurations with efficient cores and access to natural light. The development achieved a 4-Star Green Star Office Design rating, incorporating passive shading, rainwater harvesting, and energy-efficient mechanical systems.
Pran Boulevard delivers a considered architectural response that balances formal precision, contextual sensitivity, and sustainable intent within a prominent coastal setting.
Location: Umhlanga Ridge, South Africa
Size: 5,600 m²
Completion Year: 2018
Sector: Commercial Offices