Of increasing importance to the economy of the Western Cape is research in information technology, telecommunications, medical equipment, research equipment and other hi-tech industries. The Capricorn Science and Industrial Park in the Cape Town suburb of Muizenberg is an important growth node of the hi-tech industry in the province.
The Park was of the first new developments in the Western Cape to be designed on environmentally sustainable landscape principles. Initially aimed to attract purely technology related industry, this was later broadened to include general business uses.
OvP were appointed at Master Planning stage and assisted with defining the environmental design principles and thus the idea of a Park setting for business was born. The layout was further based on the harsh environmental conditions (winter rainfall & long, hot, dry, windy summers) and contextual constraints of the coastal vegetation being located in the False Bay Cape Flats Dune Strandveld biome.
Being located on the Cape Flats Aquifer, the high water table allowed for the establishment of a water body which serves both for stormwater detention and as a central lake feature which became a design structuring element for the layout of the erven, for recreational use and as a biodiversity area within the business setting.
OvP developed the landscape design for the site infrastructure through to implementation including hard and soft landscaping elements (roads, pathways, boardwalks, lighting, furniture, trees and planting). Later OvP were invited to serve on the Homeowner’s Assocation Panel and were also responsible for many of the Landscape Plans for the development of individual erven.
The Park has been very successful – now fully developed it remains a pioneer and model of how balanced industry business park development can be controlled and managed within environmentally sensitive conditions.