Hallmark House, located in Johannesburg, stands as a testament to urban regeneration, blending architecture, art, design, and culture into a unique and desirable lifestyle space. The building's transformation is a story of vision, innovation, and a commitment to revitalizing degenerated neighborhoods.
The Johannesburg skyline, a backdrop to the Hallmark House story.
A Historical Foundation
The 66-metre-high modular structure was originally designed by Greg Cohen in the early 1970s to house a growing diamond-polishing industry. Following Joburg’s gold rush and development, the “City of Gold” also developed as the centre for diamond polishing. This historical context provides a solid foundation for the building's transformation into a modern, multi-use space.
In 2016, Founder and CEO of Propertuity, Jonathan Liebmann joined forces with Sir David Adjaye and local interior designer, Aimee Henning of Malica Design to oversee the building’s refurbishment. Adjaye wanted to re-create the building into a creative space that combines an African aesthetic with a contemporary vision through architectural design.
An example of the interior design within Hallmark House.
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The Visionaries Behind the Transformation
“HALLMARK HOUSE is the newest addition to the highly successful Maboneng precinct. It’s being revolutionised by a global team of professionals. Visionary Jonathan Liebmann of Propertuity and architect David Adjaye of Adjaye Associates have come together with Arup Engineers and Mace Project Managers to rebuild the most desirable lifestyle space on the African continent.
Launched in 2008, Propertuity combines architecture, art, design and culture to re-energised degenerated neighbourhoods. It all started with the refurbishment of an inner-city building to the east of the CBD that would become Arts On Main, home to world-renowned artist William Kentridge’s studio. This preceded a series of retail, commercial, industrial and residential refurbishments in what is today Johannesburg’s Maboneng Precinct. Maboneng is spreading further east, with the redevelopment of the industrial Hallmark House building.
David Adjaye's Perspective
Adjaye says that Johannesburg’s Eastern CBD regeneration is perfectly in line with what is happening around the world, and points at Hackney in London’s East End and New York’s Meatpacking District as examples. “It’s incredibly exciting to be working with Jonathan to re-envision Johannesburg’s CBD,” he says. “The transformation of Hallmark House is an opportunity to apply fresh thinking to urban communities and to create a new typology that reflects changing lifestyles and a more fluid approach to the way we inhabit cities.”
A Curated Lifestyle Experience
Residential sales opened, with Hallmark House offering a curated lifestyle experience, merging art, design, culture and architecture to appeal to a variety of lifestyle needs. Designed to rival apartments in similar neighbourhoods around the world, in a spacious, minimalist style with interior-exterior layouts that frame the surrounding cityscape and iconic Joburg skyline, the apartments are priced from R495 000. Smack! microbrewery and Firebird roastery are additional tenants in the building.
The development is underpinned by solid security and a high-speed-technology infrastructure, offering 24-hour security staff, an in-house concierge, a biometric fingerprint system, a CCTV-camera system, high-speed internet and wifi.
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Art and Culture Integration
British conceptual artist Mat Chivers, who for the last four months has worked in residency at Nirox’s Sculpture Park in the Cradle of Humankind, installed a solo exhibition called Altered States at Hallmark House. The exhibition explores the evolution of modern consciousness, creating a bridge between human evolution and the current technological age. The exhibtion consists of a five-tonne carved boulder from the Cradle of Humankind, an installation work, performance and 25 print works.
Made in Maboneng | Hallmark House
The Maboneng Precinct Connection
“The rate at which Maboneng Precinct has developed since 2008 is solid proof that there’s a thirst for more world-class regeneration of residential, retail and commercial space in Johannesburg’s CBD. Hallmark House will be meeting that need, and more,” adds Liebmann.
“The rate at which Maboneng Precinct has developed since 2008 is solid proof that there’s a thirst for more world-class regeneration of residential, retail and commercial space in Johannesburg’s CBD.
Hallmark House Amenities
Smack! microbrewery and Firebird roastery are additional tenants in the building.
The development is underpinned by solid security and a high-speed-technology infrastructure, offering 24-hour security staff, an in-house concierge, a biometric fingerprint system, a CCTV-camera system, high-speed internet and wifi.
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Another view of the interior of Hallmark House.
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