Overview
APS has completed a new 8,500 m² iconic headquarters building in Borrowdale, Harare, for Ecobank Zimbabwe. This joint venture with Osmond Lange Architects and Planners (South Africa) features a north-facing Piers Road frontage. The building’s placement and orientation maximise good northern orientation and excellent road visibility.
Located at a corner, the building offers opportunities for a strong architectural character that enhances the bank’s public image as a recognisable city icon. Careful architectural features convey the Pan-African image important to the client.
The ground floor spans 1500 m² and is accessed from the south. Visitors enter a multi-storey, top-lit atrium that stretches the building’s full height. This grand space connects all floors and will be enhanced with a curated Pan-African art collection and an EFTE skylight – a first in Zimbabwe.
The east wing houses staff facilities like a canteen and gym, along with meeting rooms designed to limit visitor access to upper levels. The remaining space will accommodate filing, services and support staff.
Office accommodation is divided into two equal floor plates. Departments are allocated to the 1st and 2nd floors to support functional inter-departmental relationships.
Space shapes behaviour and culture is a direct consequence. The pandemic has highlighted new working practices facilitated by technology, emphasising collaboration as key to productivity and satisfaction. We’ve integrated these aspects into a “single space” fostering openness, integration and belonging – a place people want to spend time. This is achieved by connecting office floors with openings for visual contact and natural light.
The executive area is on the second floor west wing, offering all levels of privacy relative to the rest of the office.
The third floor, with limited space of about 500 m², accommodates special accommodation and staff indoor and outdoor break areas. This design also offers future-proofing by allowing for a substantial 700 m² growth option.