Architect and Builder August/September 2019 | Page 91

Eastgate Redevelopment & Contemporisation
REFURBISHMENTS RETAIL
The redevelopment and contemporisation of East-
gate Shopping Centre took place in the context of
extensive mixed-use rights being approved. The project
therefore had to prioritise those components of the
retail environment that needed modernising so that
an urban precinct for Bedfordview could be created.
The components, identified as phased projects, were
redeveloped over a period of three years and included new
cinemas, rooftop entertainment, mall expansion, parkade
extension, office tower redevelopment, and interior mall
and courts refurbishment.
Since 1978, Eastgate has been refurbished many
times. The design approach for this makeover was to
allow Eastgate to be used in a different way and to create
a contemporary aesthetic with new physical spaces in
support of that. A major focus was to create a centre court,
which involved moving the existing cinema complex to
the roof. This allowed the existing food court and external
piazza to be connected to the entertainment components,
consisting of a new, state of the art cinema and IMAX
complex with destination retail below. Entrances were also
upgraded with double-volume glazed exteriors to allow in
more natural light and foster an open, transparent visual
connection to the surrounding landscape.
To assist with turning an inward focused centre into an
external orientated environment, the old precast façades
were upgraded and solid façades were reconfigured.
Additional floors of parking were also added to compensate
for the additional 15,000m 2 of retail space, which involved
landscaped façades and more modern and interactive
signage features.
SAPOA Awards
Owner & Developer: Liberty Two Degrees
Quantity Surveyors: NWS Quantity Surveyors;
Azzaro Quantity Surveyors
Project Management: Focus Project Management
Architects: Batley Partners
Civil & Structural Engineers: Aurecon
Electrical Engineers: MNS Consulting Engineers
Mechanical Engineers: Spoormaker & Partners
Fire Consultants: Building Code Consultants
Main Contractor: Stefanutti Stocks Building
Other: TERM Project Management
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