- Markets & Services
- Projects & Impact100,000+ projects. 55+ countries. 90+ years of impact.
- Explore Zutari
144 Oxford Road, South Africa
An impressive addition to Rosebank's Oxford street
The 36 700 m² premium-grade 144 Oxford Road office development is a multi-tenant office building in Rosebank, Johannesburg, aimed at capitalising on the demand for office space in the popular precinct.
In 2015, Growthpoint Properties appointed Zutari to provide mechanical engineering and environmentally sustainable design (ESD) services. The project targeted a 5-Star Green Star SA design rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).

Featuring two extended office towers that are connected by a central atrium, the striking development consists of nine occupiable floors and six basement levels for parking. 144 Oxford Road has been described as an iconic development, surrounded by a leafy residential neighbourhood while, at the same time, across the road, there are trendy retail centres, hotels and the Gautrain station.
“A visionary client, a strong professional team and commitment to best sustainability practices led to a landmark development that will offer additional green prime office space in Gauteng,” says Yovka Raytcheva-Schaap, Zutari Associate.
Designed by Paragon Architects, the building constitutes a bespoke shape wrapped in high performance glazed façades, which mirror the bustling traffic of Oxford Road to the west of the development.
It was initially designed to incorporate a hotel and office component but was later changed to a multi-tenant office building. Zutari worked closely with the client, the architects, and the professional team through the various iterations to ensure that the mechanical services and the sustainability objectives were seamlessly aligned with the ultimate design.
“A visionary client, a strong professional team and commitment to best sustainability practices led to a landmark development that will offer additional green prime office space in Gauteng.”
One of the innovations implemented by the project was developed by Zutari to detect refrigerant leaks from the air-cooled chillers.
Some of the sustainability features of the project include an energy-efficient air conditioning system with a full economy cycle, which means that it supplies full fresh air to cool the space when external conditions are favourable; energy-efficient lighting throughout the building; water-saving sanitary fittings; a rainwater harvesting system; extensive glazing to maximise external views and natural lighting; and water-efficient landscaping.
One of the innovations implemented by the project was developed by Zutari to detect refrigerant leaks from the air-cooled chillers. The mechanism deploys weighing cells that are connected to the business management system to continuously monitor the weight of the chillers, enabling detection of even a minor leak of refrigerant. This limits the environmental damage caused by refrigerants with ozone depletion or global warming potential.
In addition, a facilities manager was actively involved during the design phase to ensure that the operational intent of the sustainability initiatives is effectively implemented after the commissioning of the building services.
“We are privileged and excited that Zutari could be part of another landmark development for Growthpoint Properties,” says Yovka Raytcheva-Schaap.
*The Aurecon Africa business has been officially renamed Zutari as at 21 July 2020. Zutari acquired Aurecon Middle East on 20 November 2020.