11 Diagonal Street, High-rise building in Central Business District, Johannesburg, South Africa.
11 Diagonal Street is a 20-story commercial building in Johannesburg's main business district, built with a distinctive glass facade that features angular geometric lines. The structure houses office spaces and functions as a landmark within the cityscape due to its striking modern design.
11 Diagonal Street was conceived in 1981 by Helmut Jahn, with excavations beginning in December that year. Construction ended in 1983 and the building was tenanted in 1984. It was built by Anglo American Property Services with the Louis Karol ISR and Murphy Jahn Inc. practices, at a cost estimated near 56 million rand.
The tower's faceted form refers to the diamond, a stone mined on a large scale in Gauteng, the province that includes Johannesburg. The building also appears on the album cover of The Very Best of Level 42, a British band.
The tower stands at 11 Diagonal Street in downtown Johannesburg, near the corner with Main Street, and is occupied by the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development. It is a working government office building, so interior access is not open to the public; the diamond-shaped exterior is best seen from the street and surrounding blocks.
The glass exterior reflects light differently throughout the day, creating changing visual effects as sunlight moves across the structure. This quality makes the building appear distinct from various vantage points around the city.
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