In-situ Spaces – Henry Abosi

In-situ SPACES is a series of construction photos taken between 2016 and 2019. Most of the images showcase the construction progress of Sable Park and Axis with a few other projects featured. I find the in-progress state of buildings read better in black and white, or maybe it’s just an excuse to desaturate my images. All photos were taken by me during site visits unless stated otherwise.

Finally getting to stand in a space that you conjured up in your dreams years ago is a feeling that’s really hard to describe.
(photo by Sarah P.)

Sable Park – Shuffling double slab gasket detail

On the Sable Park roof-top with the team

Axis – One of five penthouse suites. Crunch time, late night site visits

Sable Park’s *brise soleil* is striking and can be seen over a mile away

The facade and structure are intended to exist in isolation, allowing for inhabitable void spaces as they separate.

Sable Park – Double height winter terrace

Witnessing the last touches on the Norval Foundation’s slick roof

Axis roof-top was designed to “camouflage the building on Google Earth”. The podium and roof layouts are almost identical.

Axis penthouse terrace – On site kerfuffles. *(photo by Sarah P.)*

There are many playful notes for residents to discover. We decided to blur the edge of the podium by ‘weaving’ the gardens on the podium with the one down at the road level.

City Park – The Old Christiaan Barnard Hospital

Gutting the infamous 1960s hospital. Knocking off 5 old floors then adding 20 more, while tying into the existing structure, was a nightmare

City Park – The old hospital getting stripped from within

Axis – For some reason they simply could not get this reception desk right. *unimpressed emoji*

From Sable Park to Axis – Not often do you get to make two site visits in one trip from the office.

Axis – Forest of scaffolding in the central courtyard, which is wrapped in exposed brickwork

In contrast to the slick, off-white outer cladding, the inner chasm employs natural material. A whitewashed brick ‘veil’ acts as a natural lantern for the lowest levels

The courtyard bounces light right down to the lowest levels of the building. *(photo by Sarah P.)*

Parklands College – This reminds me of a Sergio Leone ‘Mexican stand-off’. Had to include it. *(photo by Sarah P.)*

35 Lower Long – Scissors stair at the back end of a tall building

Sable Park – Casting the beam over the quadruple height atrium facade

With all the shifting and shuffling, I was never sure if it would work until it actually worked