Technical Information

Many of the sites at Durban Point have a mixed-use zoning. Developers are encouraged to use the ground floor of buildings for uses such as retailing, entertainment and restaurants that can flow out onto the adjacent sidewalk space. Uses such as offices and residential on upper floors are encouraged to look out onto the public spaces below.

In order to achieve as much of an urbane quality as possible, developers are encouraged to achieve maximum allowable height and bulk restrictions. Thus buildings of a minimum height of three to four storeys and higher will be encouraged with bulk and coverage allowances having been formulated to achieve this.

Durban Point will be developed in a series of branded precincts.

A critical element to the success of the urban design framework for Durban Point is the ability to handle landscaping in a proper manner. Issues such as the correct planting strategy, the design of appropriate street furniture, lighting, signage and how the ground surface is treated, all greatly contribute to the richness and final outcome of the built environment resulting in increased land values.

To create high quality urban spaces at Durban Point with a clean, safe and supportive public environment and to increase the area and quality of waterfront space in support of development opportunities.

To enhance the identity and structure of Durban Point by ensuring landscaping continuity within the entire project area whilst at the same time enhancing the identity of individual precincts.

To showcase local and regional planting species thereby strengthening the identity of Durban as an East Coast African city.

The overall concept is to use water, in the form of a system of canals, as a key landscaping structuring element for Durban Point.

The challenge is to use planting that enhances the sub-tropical nature and microclimate of Durban Point and, at the same time, offers an ecologically responsive solution given the constraints of the proximity of the sea. Planting must be of a texture, form and colour that is common to the Durban region.

Streetscapes offer the potential to become distinct character areas contributing to the experiences the general public and tourist will have of Durban Point’s urban fabric. Specific landscape elements such as lighting, park benches, bollards, signage, water features and paving all contribute to the identity and memorability of key public places.

Planting Strategy – A detailed landscaping plant palette has been drawn up comprising trees and plants endemic to the coastal areas of south-east Africa. No invasive exotics or scheduled aliens are to be used.

Some of the criteria used to select plants for the planting palette were as follows:
The ability of plants to provide food and shelter for indigenous birds, insects and other urban wildlife.
The need to increase the bio-diversity and restore ecological value to Durban Point which is currently a generally sterile environment.
The ability of plants to provide visual screening, absorb noise, attenuate wind and dust and guide people movement.
Plant species for canal edges were selected with special regard to micro climatic conditions including wind, proximity to water and loss of foliage.
The ability of pan-tropical species to provide additional colour and variety in foliage.
The need for cost effective maintenance and irrigation.
The ability of the landscaping to raise public awareness of a regional natural heritage.
More mature indigenous trees will be sourced from approved locations and no trees will be planted from protected areas or other wild natural areas. Juvenile trees will also be planted providing a continual sequence of maturing trees.

A comprehensive irrigation system is to be installed which will reduce the need for costly manual watering.

Surface Material – A range of paving materials has been chosen to create a hierarchy of surfaces based on function and scale of space. The emphasis is on simplicity using earthy colours and textures interspersed from time to time with more intricate pattern shapes.

Materials have been chosen to blend with the architectural style of buildings while at the same time unifying materials will be used to link spaces.

Street Details – The quality and unity of open spaces or streetscapes can be greatly enhanced by well-designed street furniture, correct lighting and controlled signage. It provides a sense of organisation especially where a consistent use of materials forms and colours has been used.

Some considerations in the selection and design of street furniture such as litter bins, bollards and benches includes:
Compatibility with the general landscape and building design.
Vandal resistance.
Use of standard fixing details.
Simple replacement.
Ready and long term availability.
A detailed list of design criteria for the provision of lighting including road, pedestrian and special feature lighting has been drawn up and will be carefully monitored by the design review panel. Likewise all signage such as street names, direction and information signs will be carefully controlled with an emphasis on keeping the number of signs to a minimum with the use of consistent letter sizes and fonts. Signs will be grouped where possible to avoid visual clutter.

All lot owners at Durban Point are obliged to become members of the Durban Waterfront Management Association. The Association is responsible for managing matters of common interest to all lot owners including security issues, landscaping and beachfront maintenance, aesthetic and signage controls and urban management standards over and above those normally provided by the eThekwini Municipality.

The Association is also responsible for managing the design review process under the auspices of a Design Review Panel are development of all sites. Plans submitted to the Design Review Panel will be scrutinised by at least one urban designer and two architects to ensure that the overall design intentions of Durban Point are being met. In essence, before construction commences, a “package-of-plans” process is followed which involves the preparation of Precinct Plans, Site Development Plans and Building Plans.

The ultimate intention is to ensure that, without detracting from the creativity of individual developers, an overall integrity is sought for Durban Point which will add address value and appreciate property values in the interests of all investors.

Critical to the success of Durban Point as a distinctive and interesting place to visit, is the way in which buildings respond to sidewalks and how they in turn interact with the edge of the canal. In order to create this well-defined street architecture, Durban Point’s architects have designed a number of “canal edge typology” options, samples of which are shown below. Thus building edges can incorporate colonnades, or they can have canopies with support structures that either straddle or cantilever over the sidewalk. Buildings may have verandahs on upper floors that run the length of street frontages above the colonnades or canopies. In some instances buildings are required to be set back from the canal edge, in others they could be built directly on the canal edge.

In each instance there is an opportunity for a developer to utilise the waters edge while at the same time not restricting pedestrian flow and leading to an interesting urban environment.

Although the precinct is still under development, a full security compliment supplied a private security company managed by DPWMA is been deployed. There are 9 precinct patrol officers on duty during the day and 10 at night, operating from a site-based control office and utilising 2 full time patrol vehicles decorated in the distinctive Durban Point Waterfront livery. In addition, 2 CCTV Surveillance Operators man a 24hour control Room. The patrol officers are in radio contact both with each other and with a sophisticated control room, allowing for efficient response to reports and requests for help. All point precinct owners know that they simply need to dial the allocated security number for instantaneous reaction. The number is also emblazoned on the vehicles and ongoing awareness campaigns will ensure that members of the public have access to the number and therefore also the same level of security reaction whilst in the point in the point precinct.

Included in the ongoing crime prevention initiatives are regular liaison meetings with the SAPS and the Metro Police operating in and around the point. Excellent relationships have been developed with the management and staff of both public-policing entities and regular joint operations are conducted. So successful is this partnership that SAPS crime statistics show a significant reduction in levels of crime in the precinct since the commencement of Durban Point security operations.

A private facilities management company managed by DPWMA is contracted to provide the following services: public area infrastructure, roads, stormwater, lighting, maintenance, security, canalmanagment, events & entertainment, and commercialization of public places and income generation.

The Durban Point Waterfront Management Association normally referred to as the DPWMA, is a registered section 21 company (not for profit or gain) whose opperation is legally bound by its registered Articles of Association (its “Constitution”). Being a section 21 company DPWMA does not have a share capital, it does not pay dividends and it does not distribute assets to its members.

The Articles of Association lay down all definitions, proceedures and regulations regarding the Point Precinct and as such as issued to all purchasers of property within the Point Waterfront. The full Articles of Association are also available for viewing at the Association’s offices and copies are obtainable for a nominal fee. The Association offices are currently located at Rocpoint House, 15 Timeball Boulevard, Durban Point Waterfront.