Africa’s Highest Event Venue Set to Open in Joburg’s Iconic Ponte City
Ponte City – one of Johannesburg’s most iconic landmarks – is set to launch a restaurant that taps into the vibrant spirit of the city. Pioneered by the innovative social enterprise, Dlala Nje, “Fifty-One-Oh-One” (5101) is poised to become one of the City Of Gold’s A-list event venues, forming part of a wider effort to reinvigorate the […]
Ponte City – one of Johannesburg’s most iconic landmarks – is set to launch a restaurant that taps into the vibrant spirit of the city. Pioneered by the innovative social enterprise, Dlala Nje, “Fifty-One-Oh-One” (5101) is poised to become one of the City Of Gold’s A-list event venues, forming part of a wider effort to reinvigorate the heart of downtown Johannesburg.
5101 – which is due to open in early December – will offer a compelling view over the City past the Hillbrow Tower as far as Sandton and Northcliff. It’s a city which has evolved from mining town to bustling metropolis to an urban slum known as one of the most dangerous residential areas on Earth.
Ponte City, which was built in 1975, was once called Suicide City… but a lot has changed since then.
According to Dlala Nje, “Ponte City is a mirror of the microcosm of South African society and a beacon of hope in the city skyline it dominates. Today the residential building offers great security, affordable rentals and retail opportunities on its ground floor where Dlala Nje’s community efforts have provided a safe space for children to play and learn.”
Dlala Nje is a social enterprise, founded in October 2012, by ex-Mail & Guardian journalist Nickolas Bauer (who recently made headlines for posting old photos during the Black Monday marches) and Mike Luptak. Their aim was to challenge perceptions and create opportunities, through running inner-city guided tours and experiences in some of the city’s most misunderstood areas – with profits from the tours being used to fund a creche on the ground floor of Ponte, as well as other programmes to benefit the community.
Dlala Nje Experiences CEO Luptak says 5101 will be “available by pre-booking as a venue, the events that we aim to host here will be integrating yet un-intrusive.”
5101‘s launch is the first of its kind in the 52-storey monolith’s history and opens the door for more socially innovative concepts for the building’s future.
Matthew Millar, Chief Architect at Milarchi Architects, says “revealing the concrete floors created the canvas for the new Dlala Nje “5101” space”.
The venue will cater to pre-booked brunches, exco-meetings, out-of-office work sessions, book launches, art exhibitions, sundowners and hosted dinner parties. All events are complimented with a Ponte tour detailing it’s undulating history and jaw-dropping views.
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