Architect and Builder August/September 2019 | Page 80

Flamingo Shopping Centre, Modderfontein
RETAIL DEVELOPMENTS
The main architectural feature of the Flamingo
Shopping Centre in Modderfontein, Johannesburg
is a concrete ribbon undulating across the façade.
This was refined during the design development and
construction phases, resulting in a unique and elegant
design solution compared to that of conventional
strip-mall architecture.
Circulation and the location of different types of
shops is a critical factor in strip-mall design, both for
shoppers and tenants. Foot traffic between the anchor
tenants, restaurants and the circulation cores provides
opportunities for smaller shops. Therefore, strip-mall
design has to strike a careful balance between the need
for different-sized shops.
The shopping centre forms part of a larger
neighbourhood development encompassing an outdoor
park with new restaurants and recreational facilities.
The client requested a two-storey strip mall with
on-site parking, with the shopping centre servicing the
neighbouring suburbs. During the initial construction
phase, the client increased the scope to accommodate
offices, restaurants, and a medical centre.
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As the architects had planned to future-proof the
building to accommodate possible additions, these new
elements were absorbed easily within the main design. In
addition, the different elements of the design were refined
together with the client, both for aesthetic and efficiency
purposes. The circulation cores had to be moved after
the upper ground floor was cast as a post-tensioned slab,
which posed an engineering challenge as voids had to be
cut to accommodate the new positions of the lifts and
stairs. The team was able to resolve this through careful
coordination of the structural and service routes.
Developer & Main Contractor: Nevada Group
Architects: Paragon Architects
Civil Engineers:
De Mesquitea Twilley and Associates
Structural Engineers: MMA Posten
Mechanical Engineers: Graeme Page Consulting
Fire Consultants: Fenco
Town Planners: GE Town Planning Consultancy
Landscape Architects: Cotton Trees
BMS: BMS System Consultancy
SAPOA Awards