EDEN ACADEMY,
SHEFFIELD BEACH
Seated in Eden Village on the old Foxhill
Farm Estate in Sheffield Beach, north of
Umhlanga, the unique schooling project
comes at the birth stages of the fourth
industrial revolution and the need for an
educational system that will shape and
mould the children of today.
The brief was to create an architecture
that was less about the appeal of the building
but more about creating an environment that
could provide a safe and secure setting,
whilst still allowing for the individual
experience of the learner, including those
with special needs.
Through this, the concept of using a
modular but resilient architecture was
developed. Through the development of a
flexible steel construction block, it allowed
the oppurtunity for, not only the architect
to design the building, but for a community
effort where the scholars, parents and
teachers were all involved.
The modern steel structure is striking, yet
sympathetic in its contrast to the indigenous
trees on the site. The steel construction not
only allows for a phased school design, but
will also allow for an extremely quick turn
over time, making the development very
cost effective. The building is dressed in
steel sheeting which wraps up, from the
ground up, over the building to form the
internal walkway and courtyard space. The
horizontal steel sheeting is broken up by the
vertical circulation shafts which will serve
as a marker in the landscape. From service
spaces to classrooms, the building will allow
for maximum flexibility and thus create a
resilient architecture, in a time of the next
industrial revolution.
Client and Developer:
Eden Village
Architect & Principal Agent:
Richard Holgate Architects
Structural Steel Engineer:
Kanyezi Projects
Steel Contractor: EVCO Steel
MORNING GLEN MALL, GALLO MANOR
Morning Glen Mall in Gallo Manor is
undergoing a refurbishment and the precinct
has been designed by MDS Architecture for
SA Corporate Real Estate. Depending on
market demand, SA Corporate is considering
the addition of a high rise residential building
on top of the new parkade that will be built
adjoining the mall.
Pierre Lahaye, MDS Architecture’s partner
heading the project, says that the shopping
centre has been repositioned in terms of
tenant locations to increase traffic flow and
provide a better energy for strategic tenants.
The entrances have been reconfigured to
make them more inviting to shoppers.
“From a design point of view, the
centre’s fresh lease of life was achieved by
eliminating any crossover between service
and public entrances, reconfiguring the
parking and ensuring better views to develop
a contemporary shopping centre with energy
and vibrancy,” he says.
Internally, the ablutions are being
revamped to be more tactile and con-
temporary. The existing polished floor
tiles are being replaced and the lighting
has been given a lot of attention. New
escalators are being introduced, ensuring
both ends of the building are vertically linked
for better connectivity and circulation. New
shopfronts and bulkheads at various levels
provide a much more enticing interior space,
complemented by new mobiles and furniture
for a more tactile experience.
One of the main issues faced by the
existing mall was a lack of parking and this
has been addressed in the design by adding
a new parkade and improving access to
the site.
Client: SA Corporate Real Estate
Architect: MDS Architecture
Civil & structural Engineer: TG Harrison
Quantity Surveyor:
DDT Project Management
Mechanical Engineer: To be confirmed
Electrical Engineer: MWK Engineering
Fire Engineer: To be confirmed
Main Contractor:
DDT Project Management
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