1 Thibault Square, formally known as the LG Building and originally known as the " BP Centre", is a modernist

skyscraper A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Most modern sources define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition, other than being very tall high-rise bui ...

on the European-style Thibault Square at the end of St George's Mall,

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

, South Africa. Work on the building began in 1969 and was completed in 1972. As of 2025 it is the second tallest building in Cape Town. The 34-degree diagonal twist, which puts it on a north–south axis, reduces sun loads on the façades, thereby reducing pressure on the air-conditioning system. To further shield the façades, a pre-cast screen is mounted on every floor, allowing good air flow and cutting off direct sun rays. This unique orientation also means that all the offices have views of either the mountain or the harbour, and that none stare straight into the façades of the surrounding buildings. At 11:55pm in October 1989 a bomb exploded outside the building causing no casualties or injuries. In 2006 the building was sold along with two other office buildings in Cape Town for R300 million and was at the time the largest Grade A commercial property in the city. Flanked by

John Skotness John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...

' ''Mythological Landscape'' steel-and-bronze sculpture, the piazza below is a popular public space for office workers and visitors to the city. The building provides a focal point for Thibault Square. In 2008 the building was acknowledged in a national survey by the

South African Institute of Architects The South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) is an association of affiliated and regional institutes that promotes excellence of architectural design in South Africa. It replaced the Institute of South African Architects and a number of regional ...

to be one of the country's "good buildings".

References

{{Cape Town Skyscrapers Buildings and structures in Cape Town Skyscrapers in Cape Town Skyscraper office buildings in South Africa Office buildings completed in 1972 20th-century architecture in South Africa