FNB Bank City Courtyard Refurbishment | Design Scape

The Bank City courtyard is located along Simmonds Street in the centre of the 4 FNB Bank City precinct buildings. The courtyard is situated on top of a four-level basement parking complex used by the Bank City precinct staff.

The client had requested us to activate the “dead” space between the company buildings by converting it into a recreational space for staff.

Our concept was that of an “Urban Sanctuary” with the idea to convert the space into a vibrant urban park. 

To incorporate natural ground and vegetation to the existing bare concrete landscape, we introduced wooden planters to demarcate the space, allowing for medium-sized perennial trees to be planted. To soften the concrete surface, we layered the concrete surface silica sand topped with manicured varying lengths of “golfing green” astroturf. The result was an organic, natural green pocket contrasted against the cold urban landscape.

Finally, we populated this beautiful sanctuary with handmade furniture and reclaimed wooden forms. The heart of the courtyard consists of a recycled steel ring beam draped with beads of translucent hand-picked beach pebbles.