of the contractor with design and construction
documentation. There were various teams on site
pouring concrete slabs at a rate of up to 40,000m2
per month.
“Meticulous planning, innovative design
solutions and ongoing collaboration between
all stakeholders enabled us to keep meeting
deadlines and resolving challenges to reach the
key milestones of the programme. There was
a phenomenal team of professionals working
together, which allowed us to meet the deadline,”
explains Kanakakis.
“Another challenge was remaining focused
on creating the retail and design vision within
Mall of Africa
commercial constraints for almost four years,”
she adds.
Evolution of the Design Process
The design process was led by MDS Architecture
to fulfil the client’s desire to provide not just a
mall in Africa but ‘the’ Mall in Africa, something
of greatness on the African continent. The design
inspiration for the mall and the courts was drawn
from the geological beauty of the continent of
Africa. This formed the direction of the design
and the inspiration for the mall interior, aesthetics
and finishes was developed on this concept in a
non-stylised manner.
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