Ponte City Apartments, Brutalist residential tower in Hillbrow, South Africa
The cylindrical Ponte City tower rises 173 meters into the Johannesburg skyline with 55 floors of residential apartments and commercial spaces.
Built in 1975 by architect Manfred Hermer, the building initially offered luxury apartments during apartheid before experiencing significant social transformations throughout the decades.
The structure shifted from an exclusive residence to a symbol of urban transformation, reflecting Johannesburg's complex social dynamics and residential patterns.
The tower contains 467 apartments across multiple floors, served by eight elevators and features a hollow core design that allows natural light into all units.
The central void extends through the entire building, creating a circular internal courtyard that reaches from ground level to the open sky above.
Location: Johannesburg
Inception: 1975
Architects: Manfred Hermer
Official opening: 1975
Architectural style: brutalist architecture
Floors above the ground: 55
Elevators: 8
Height: 172.8 m
GPS coordinates: -26.19056,28.05708
Latest update: May 19, 2025 11:57
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