Like many cities, Johannesburg has numerous industrial heritage buildings that have been repurposed to serve more contemporary uses. The Bus Factory was an old factory for municipal busses and now used by the City of Johannesburg's Development Agency (JDA) - who are active in redeveloping large parts of the city. The very real security concerns have forced the offices of public servant to be fortified - frustrating the relationship between citizen and public official. 

The project responds to two real forces operating on the building, i) deterioration of the structure which has resulted in a bird colony and water damage, and ii) strong need for fortification membranes that are critical to carry out public service functions. The main functions of the offices are consolidated through the introduction of a new office wing to free up the main atrium space which is given over to a public cultural landscape. The proposal embraces the idea of deterioration and introduces an indigenous landscape into the large open areas of the building. A security cordon is created at the front the building that is more sensitive to the visitor experience and is conceptualized as a lobby - overlooked by a boardroom and concierge. This secure arrival lobby is permeable allowing access to the public landscape while the administrative offices are contained by a second layer of secure courtyards and galleries. The core aim of the project was ensure the civic functions of the state are not compromised by security threats and that the heritage resources are celebrated. 

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