This bustling suburb is attracting students and young professionals who are drawn to the lifestyle and selection of property.
Old apartment blocks and o¬ffice buildings in Braamfontein have been given a new lease of life and have become trendy, well-managed residential apartments that attract students and young professionals.
For the past three years, Braamfontein has been home to Alexander List, who describes the suburb as a vibrant commercial business district consisting of o¬ffice blocks, residential apartments, trendy restaurants, retail outlets, colleges, theatres and hotels.
“Braamfontein is a not a Disneyland version of ‘city rejuvenation’, or hideous new glass buildings walled off from the street. It’s a living, breathing part of a true city, with everyone and everything from cafes to o¬ffice buildings, student bars to museums and a campus,” says Alexander.
Once a rundown area, Braamfontein is now a chic neighbourhood sought-after by young professionals who like the lifestyle and also want to live closer to where they work. The suburb’s rejuvenation follows a multimillion rand investment from the local government and private sector.
Through the City Improvement District managed by the Braamfontein Management District, the area provides security and maintenance through uniformed security guards, parking attendants, CCTV cameras and extensive greening initiatives.
Must-see spots include the Nelson Mandela Bridge, the Constitution Hill complex, the Wits Planetarium and many contemporary creative spaces, such as 70 Juta, which is home to avant-garde interior design, art, fashion and film studios.
Braamfontein is home to the City of Johannesburg’s local government, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Joburg Theatre Complex and Wits University.
What I like most about Braamfontein is the bustle of people, the activity on the streets, and the mix of new offices and old residents. There's such a diverse cultural mix.
- Alexander List, resident.
Where to eat in Braamfontein, Johannesburg
- Eighty Six Public Pizzeria: for a relaxed dining experience
- Father Coffee: for great coffee all day
- Galata Bakery and Coffee: for light meals and baked Turkish delicacies
- Post, Breakfast, Lunch: for amazing breakfasts
- The Orbit Jazz Club and Bistro: for live music and good food
- WAM Cafe: for delicious desserts
What to do in Braamfontein, Johannesburg
- Enjoy the amazing Joburg skyline at Randlords
- The Origins Centre
- The Market Theatre
- Neighbourgoods Market on Saturdays
- The Nelson Mandela Bridge
- The Joburg Theatre
- Wits Art Museum
Hospitals near Braamfontein:
- The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital
- Helen Joseph Hospital
- Johannesburg Hospital
- Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital
- Netcare Garden City Hospital
- Netcare Milpark Hospital
- Netcare Rand Hospital
Why we love 44 Stanley:
Located in Milpark, close to Braamfontein and Melville, 44 Stanley is an established vibrant precinct on the edge of downtown Joburg. It’s a trendy and chic mixed-use development that fuses downtown urbanism with subtle sophistication. The precinct comprises carefully curated, bespoke fashion, lifestyle, art and design stores, and independent restaurants, giving the area an authenticity that runs through the eating, drinking, shopping, working and living experiences. Shady arcades and green courtyards between what was once a series of industrial 1930s buildings make this a unique Johannesburg space.
For more information, visit 44stanley.co.za.
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
