All Paragon Group businesses offer the full range of services in their respective professional discipline. We deliver design, project documentation, and contract administration services across a range of project types. The directors of the company share a wide range of architectural project experience, both local and international. In addition, our property finance, risk assessment and management background extends our range of client services beyond that of the conventional architectural practice.

The dominant contractual basis for many of our appointments is the PROCSA Client-Consultant Agreement. This Agreement describes the duties and responsibilities of both client and architect, and forms a solid basis for a mutually beneficial relationship.

The generally defined sequence of architectural services is:

1. Briefing
2. Sketch Design
3. Design Development
4. Approvals
5. Construction Drawings and Tendering
6. Contract Administration
7. Handover and Close-out

Additional services may include:

Project Definition Phase

• Defining the project, brief and/or the schedule of accommodation
• Site selection and due diligence on comparable site locations, based on commercial and strategic parameters
• Site selection in ecologically sensitive areas, by on-site inspections and direct observation
• Participation in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA’s)
• Master planning of sites
• Limited urban design studies
• Enquiries at Local Authority level to establish planning law parameters applicable to a site
• Site Assembly or Land parcel Assembly processes.
• Precedent studies relevant to the brief, based on similar successful projects
• Order-of-magnitude financial feasibility studies to determine base parameters for planning
• Due diligence investigations on existing buildings
• Measuring up of existing buildings and investigations into existing plans
• Space planning for strategic decision making on churn and growth of companies
• Assistance and advice to clients with regard to the requirements for Green Star rating through the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA)
• Participation in consultations and meetings with local interest groups as part of Public Participation Processes
• Briefing and management of the work of geotechnical engineers, traffic engineers, and land surveyors
• Motivating for, writing, managing, launching, running, assessing and awarding architectural competitions
• Engagement and negotiations with the SA Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA)
• Advice on building techniques and procurement models for buildings in remote locations.

Design and Marketing Phase

• Artwork projects and the handling of competitions for artists to contribute site-specific installations in or around buildings we design
• Once-off designs such as furniture, built-in items of specific complexity such as wine cellars and their installations
• Brand Integration and Brand Development studies
• Internal graphics and brand specific graphics generation
• Interior Design
• Space Planning
• Design activities and management of processes relating to the Green Star rating through the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA)
• Workshops for professional teams and contractor stakeholders to build team cohesion around the GBCSA Green Star rating processes
• Physical model building
• Electronic model building, fly-throughs and animations
• Marketing materials, brochures, sales pavilions, sales installations, project websites
• Live webcam camera systems on sites during construction
• Exhibition design and content creation
• Publications, lectures and workshops

Project Completion and Close-Out

• Post-occupancy surveys
• Global Best Practice studies and handbooks
• Handover manuals and workshops for building operators / facilities managers for post-occupancy operation of the building
• Assistance in arbitrations and conflict resolution

Paragon is a member of the Green Building Council of South Africa. We believe we have a responsibility to design in a sustainable fashion. As of September 2018, we have 18 buildings either accredited or in the GBCSA design phase. 

Eastgate 20: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2010

Alice Lane 1: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2012

Alice Lane 2: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2014

Alice Lane 3: 4 Star Green Star Offfice V1 Design rating, 2017

Sasol Place, 5 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2017. As built underway, expected 2019. 

Redefine Offices: 5 Star Green Star Interior V1 Design rating, 2017

Alexander Forbes: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 As built rating, 2015 (Afrisam SAIA: Sustainable Building of the Year Award: 2015)

140 West: 4 Star Green Star Office Design V1 rating, 2018

GE African Innovation Centre: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating and Gold LEED, 2016

Stats SA: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2015

15 Alice Lane Annex: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2014

Rosebank Link: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2018

Pran Boulevard: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2018

Katherine Towers: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, expected completion 2019 

Travenna Precinct: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2020

144 Oxford: 5 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2019

Pullman Airport City: 5 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2018

Discovery Place: 5 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating, 2018

144 Oxford: 4 Star Green Star Office V1 Design rating targeted, expected completion 2019