Architect and Builder August/September 2018 | Page 9

Electrical furniture specialists. Integrating technology into furniture with elegantly functional solutions. THAVHANI MALL – A REGIONAL MALL WITH A LOCAL FOCUS Thavhani Mall, a 50,000m 2 regional shopping centre, opened in 2017. It is centrally located in the centre of Thohoyandou in Northern Limpopo and has been carefully planned since its inception to offer substantial and meaningful benefits for the local economy. The mall was designed by MDS Architecture for clients Flanagan & Gerard, Thavhani Property Investments and Vukile Property Fund. Donald McGillivray, the MDS Architecture partner who headed up the project, says that Thavhani Mall is the focal point of the large mixed-use urban precinct mega development, Thavhani City, which is being developed on a 27ha site in Thohoyandou. As such, the Thavhani City Precinct is likely to create a new city centre for Thohoyandou. Our shopping centre design incorporates an option for a further 20,000m 2 extension as part of phase 2 of the existing shopping centre,” he says. Entrances and Exterior Treatment The entrances to the mall feature high volume canopies held up by abstract structures which evoke the language of the Baobab tree. The entrance design is mindful of the concept of pause and gathering. Bright colours have been incorporated into glass entrance lobbies to reference the colourful vernacular artwork and fabrics endemic to the area. Lighting at the entrances draws visitors into the building. Wind lobbies coming off each entrance have coloured vinyl, creating a lingering glow in the evening. During the day, colour glows into the mall are created by sunlight surrounding the entrances. The exterior finish of the building is a combination of painted bagging in earthy tones and face brick in terracotta and beige satin. Interior Spaces The mall’s interior features double volume spaces. Openings have been created in the floors to allow the abstract trees to push through to the upper level from below. There has been a conscious effort to create as much natural light as possible, which was achieved by the inclusion of high level clerestory windows. A pixelated leaf floor pattern has been incorporated into the floor of the mall, as if to create the illusion that the abstract trees have shed their leaves. The colour palette is a timeless black and white combination, which adds a contemporary feel to the shopping centre. It is infused with earthy blues, browns and greens and vibrant splashes of orange, yellow, blue and red uplift the monochromatic scheme through mall furniture. The three main circulation courts are double volume and bathed in natural light from clerestory windows wrapping around the high level perimeter and each of the courts has its own aesthetic theme. www.mdsarch.co.za The DotPro is a complimentary addition to any workstation. Quick and easy access to a power source. Sleek low profi le design allowing maximum fl exibility. Ideal for high-end computer workstations. The Grid Range offers a clean, functional presence with a limitless selection of options, customised to meet your individual needs. T: [phone] E: [email protected] www.d-4.co.za News Watch 9 d4-leading-architecture-1-4page-vertical.indd 1 30 May 2018 11:06:50