Property development and investment company Critiq has converted Johannesburg grain silos into student accommodation for 400 undergraduate students.

Dubbed Mill Junction, the building, which was officially opened earlier this month, will be home to students from the Univer- sity of Johannesburg, the University of the Witwatersrand and other colleges in Johannesburg.

Critiq CEO Paul Lapham says the development, which has attracted both praise and criticism, includes the long-abandoned grain silos, which are currently functioning as ten floors of accommodation, as well as four additional storeys, built using shipping containers.

To cater for student living, Critiq notes, all the basics have been covered, from study rooms, free WiFi and lounges to communal kitchens and bathrooms on every floor. In addition, a gym, table tennis facilities and a snooker room all form part of the recreation spaces. The rooftop has been Astro-turfed, making it an ideal place for socialising.

Apart from the contemporary design and the reuse of the existing silo structure, the apartments have energy efficient features such as hot water from heat pumps, motion-sensor lighting, double-glazing on the windows and external doors, energy efficient lighting and water-pipe insulation. These initiatives have reduced power consumption on the project to 50% of the consumption of a conventional building and will result in long-term savings for the students living there.

“The building is now a complete 14-storey [structure towering] over Newtown and is proof of what can be achieved through creative design and leading-edge architecture. “We challenged our design team to be creative and innovative with the space and they have surpassed all expectations,” Lapham adds.

Critiq MD Arthur Blake highlights that the project is testament to what can be achieved when focusing on renewable architecture and energy efficient architecture.

“Vacant land in city centres is hard to come by and repurposing the silos for student accommodation not only provides convenient and well-situated accommodation but also contributes to urban regeneration,” he points out.