Led by Sean Hayden, Director, and supported by Smaragda Thalassinos, Project Architect, the UCB redevelopment was as much a heritage rejuvenation as it was a statement in digital transformation. With Autodesk Revit at the core of the project and internal collaboration enabled by BIM Collaborate Pro, the KMH team demonstrated how modern tools could enhance and honour the past.

As a long-standing partner, Baker Baynes supported KMH on their digital transformation journey—laying a foundation that has now evolved into fully integrated Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) workflows on their latest project, the Redevelopment of Entrance 5 as Luxury Mall (Lux), also for the V&A Waterfront. This shift marks a significant contrast in collaborative capability and sets the tone for what’s next in architecture and heritage preservation.

Customer Challenges

Restoring a heritage building in a bustling tourist hub like the V&A Waterfront is no small feat. The challenges faced by KMH Architects were multifaceted:

1. Heritage Constraints: Working with a listed building required close collaboration with Heritage Western Cape and with the BELCom Committee. “It was a detailed process,” Smaragda recalls. “There were numerous submissions and ongoing engagements to ensure alignment with heritage expectations.”
2. Existing Drawings: Available information was somewhat limited, and the work started with a Lidar scan of the building to better record the existing buildings detailed features.
3. Service Coordination: UCB’s transformation required all services to remain exposed to suit the architectural concept. “It wasn’t just about functionality,” says Smaragda. “It needed to look the part.” However, with consultants still operating in 2D or on non-BIM platforms, service modelling and coordination became the responsibility of KMH.
4. Time Sensitivity: As with many tenant-driven retail projects, the Client required flexibility, fast iterations, and marketing-ready visuals long before construction was complete.
5. Disjointed Collaboration: While KMH’s internal team collaborated via BIM Collaborate Pro, some of the external Consultants were not yet integrated into a shared platform like ACC, leading to challenges in workflow.

Project Goals

The redevelopment of the Union Castle Building wasn’t merely about refurbishment—it was a vision to transform the area into a vibrant, inviting urban space while retaining its historical significance – a vision strongly shared by the client representatives, Niaz Ahmed, Development Manager, and Migyle Stevens, Development Project Manager for the V&A Waterfront. The primary goals included:

• Restore and Celebrate the Building’s Legacy: Built as the headquarters for the Union Castle Mail Steamship Company (operating the inaugural Cape Mail Service and later as a cargo and passenger liner between Europe and Africa), the building had historical value that needed to be preserved and celebrated.
• Create Permeability and Public Engagement: The new design aimed to connect the reimagined Alfred Plaza and Union Square, creating a pedestrian-friendly spine that encouraged movement and interaction by way of the building.
• Accommodate High-Profile Tenants: With global brands like Nike, Thule, H&M together with strong local offerings in Marble Restaurant and Wedgewood onboard, the design had to align with high-end retail and hospitality standards.
• Introduce Green Public Spaces: With the Developers support, KMH saw the opportunity to reimagine the surrounding spaces—introducing greenery with integrated public furniture, pause and performance spaces, to enhance the pedestrian and visitor experience.
• Enable Design Flexibility: With frequent changes from the client as the brief evolved, quick, visual design iterations were critical to ensure stakeholder alignment and approval.

Design Solutions

To meet these ambitious goals, KMH relied heavily on Autodesk Revit, with strategic use of BIM Collaborate Pro for internal worksharing. Their design workflow showcased how digital tools can power precision, clarity, and collaboration.

1. Point Cloud & Model Integration: A detailed 3D survey was conducted and converted into a Revit model. “It was incredibly accurate—sometimes too accurate,” laughs Smaragda. “We had to simplify and remodel for usability, but the precision was invaluable.”
2. Service Coordination in 3D: Without external consultants working in Revit, KMH took the initiative to model all services. “We were adamant we wouldn’t coordinate services in 2D,” says Smaragda. Clash detection and visual clarity were handled directly in Revit, ensuring all services were exposed but beautifully integrated.
3. Visual Storytelling for Approvals and Marketing: Using Revit, the team quickly generated 3D visuals to aid discussions with the Heritage Council, prospective tenants, and the construction team. “The renders helped communicate design intent in a way words and flat plans simply couldn’t.”
4. Dynamic Design Options: The Revit design options feature enabled KMH to iterate swiftly as client feedback & site conditions evolved. “Sometimes we’d circle back to an option we’d explored much earlier,” says Smaragda. “Having them stored in-model was a lifesaver.”
5. Enhanced Internal Collaboration with BIM Collaborate Pro: Although external consultants were not on BIM Collaborate Pro for this project, KMH’s internal team used it extensively for version control, co-authoring, and centralised cloud worksharing. “It’s much less complicated than manually creating local files. We avoid so many issues,” Smaragda explains.
6. Stakeholder Empowerment: KMH provided detailed axonometric views and 3D snapshots to V&A Waterfront stakeholders and tenants—especially useful since many tenants were not locally based. “They could see their future space before stepping foot in Cape Town.”

Business Benefits

Despite the limitations posed by heritage restrictions and legacy workflows, KMH Architects achieved a resounding success on the UCB project. Among the tangible benefits:

• Time and Cost Savings: Early investments in accurate Revit modelling and clash detection reduced the need for late-stage redesigns and on-site corrections.
• Improved Stakeholder Communication: Whether working with the various consulting engineers or retail tenants, Revit’s visual outputs helped get everyone on the same page quickly.
• Tenant Marketing Wins: Rendered visuals and 3D walkthroughs supported marketing efforts, when it came to securing tenants pre-completion.
• Seamless Handover Potential: While not fully adopted for Facilities Management on this project, the availability of a robust digital model lays the groundwork for future use by the client, which is their intention going forward.
• Future-Proofing with ACC: The lessons from UCB directly influenced KMH’s next project with the V&A Waterfront— Lux—where all consultants now work collaboratively in Autodesk Construction Cloud.

Conclusion

The Union Castle Building stands as a powerful example of how architectural heritage and digital transformation can not only coexist but thrive together. Through their expert use of Autodesk Revit—and with internal collaboration supported by BIM Collaborate Pro—KMH Architects created a space that honours the past while embracing the future.

But perhaps most compelling is what lies ahead. On the Lux project, KMH, all consultants, and the client are now operating within the Autodesk Construction Cloud ecosystem. The client, V&A Waterfront, has embraced the model-first approach, using it to support facilities management and long-term retail planning across many of their current projects.

“It’s a different world,” says Warren, Associate Director at KMH. “Now the client themselves logs into ACC to interact with the model. It’s no longer just a design tool—it’s a living, breathing asset.”

This evolution marks more than just a shift in software. It’s a change in mindset. A leap from static plans to shared data environments. From reactive problem-solving to proactive, model-driven decision-making.

And at the heart of it all? Baker Baynes—quietly and consistently guiding KMH’s digital journey through training, support, and strategic alignment. Though much of the transformation has become embedded in KMH’s culture, its roots lie in years of partnership and purposeful progress.

As KMH Architects look to the future, their message is clear: the foundation of design is still creativity—but in today’s world, collaboration and technology are the bricks that build success.