Leading architecture, interior architecture, and space-planning practice Paragon was a major winner at the Construction World Best Project Awards 2017, held at the Royal Kensington Golf Club on 8 November.

The Best Projects are the only awards in the industry that recognise excellence across the entire spectrum of the built environment, from contractors to suppliers and professional services such as architects and consulting engineers.

In the Professional Services – Architecture category, Paragon won a Highly Commended award for Sasol Place in Rosebank. It was also the overall winner for 140 West Street, a new commercial development in central Sandton.
The AfriSam Award for Sustainable Construction was awarded to Paragon for the Alice Lane 3 mixed-use development in Sandton. Paragon also received a Highly Commended award for the GE African Innovation Centre (GEAIC), the first green- and LEED-certified GE building in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Established in October 1997 by Founding Directors Anthony Orelowitz and Henning Rasmuss, Paragon celebrates 20 years of design excellence this year. The company has since grown into one of the largest design practices on the continent.

Paragon confirmed its status as one of the premier architecture and design firms in South Africa at the South African Property Owners’ Association (SAPOA) awards at its annual convention in Cape Town on 21 and 22 June. Here it clinched major awards for Sasol Place and the GEAIC.

Projects such as Alice Lane 3, 140 West Street, and Sasol Place represent some of the most advanced and innovative buildings in South Africa to date, helping push the envelope of what is architecturally and technically possible. “The sculptural quality of the buildings we design is heavily reliant on 3D modelling, allowing us to now draw exactly what can be imagined,” Orelowitz points out. Paragon is also positioned uniquely to exploit the synergy between interior design and architecture.

“Wherever possible, we work to secure the interior architecture appointment alongside, or in addition to, the architecture projects we carry out,” he adds. In terms of interior architecture, Director Claire D'Adorante reveals that Paragon has been responsible for two of the largest fit-out projects in South Africa to date. These were Sasol Place, completed in January 2017 (70 000 m2), and the new Discovery Campus, completed in October 2017 (110 000 m2).

The Best Projects panel of independent judges commented that the growing importance and influence of architects was reflected in Paragon’s success at the 2017 awards. “As Best Projects has grown, it now attracts entries from both consulting engineers and architects. For this reason, the category will become two separate categories in 2018.”