Construction of tallest building in South Africa nears completion

Construction work is soon to be complete on the Leonardo building, South Africa’s tallest skyscraper, that will overtake the Carlton Centre which is currently the tallest in the country.

The Leonardo is situated at 75 Maude Street, approximately 100 metres from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton. Construction work began in 2016 as a result of a joint venture between Legacy and Nedbank, with over 2,000 construction workers on site since then.

The structure will be a mixed-use development that will offer luxury residential units in the form of apartments and penthouse suites, as well as over 15,000 m² of premium office space. It will also have a business and conference centre, a gym and spa, restaurants and lifestyle and recreation zones.

This skyscraper towering over Sandton Central is visible miles away. In completion, the Leonardo will be above the height of the 223-m and will surpass the Carlton Centre by only 4 metres. The entire work on the project is expected to be done by the second quarter of this year.

According to Legacy Group CEO Bart Dorrestein, the group made a conscious choice not to broadcast the plan to make the tallest building in the country, instead letting the tower speak for itself. However, he confirmed that the decision was taken in 2018 to push beyond 50 floors.

“We believe that The Leonardo will be the most technologically advanced, environmentally friendly building on the continent. That has certainly been the thinking behind the planning and development of the property,” said Legacy.