Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa January/February 2014 | Page 35

coordinated effort is paramount to the success
of any project, and the concerted effort of all
the professionals involved resulted in the great
success of the centre.
The leasing / retail design of the centre,
as the first step of the design process posed
certain challenges due to the restrictive site
proportion as well as required visibility from
the N12. The challenges were overcome by
placing the main anchor (Shoprite) shop in the
deepest most prominent portion of the site, and
the national sub anchors (Cashbuild, Fairprice
furniture and Jet) to the ends and middle of the
centre, wrapping all retail around a centrally
located parking plate, serving shops directly in
true convenience fashion.
The taxi rank to the Southern side of the
centre, with direct access through an open mall
and outward facing retail, acts as an important
catalyst in creating the required footfall to
the centre, acting as an anchor in itself. The
leasing and design considerations in this
regard are important, as not all tenants benefit
from positioning adjacent to the taxi rank,
though others, i.e. food and service stores find
great benefit.
The logistics of servicing the site from
a delivery, vehicular movement as well as
pedestrian foot traffic necessitates the linkages
between the main road and entrance, past all
line shops and anchors and finally linking to
the taxi rank, whilst attempting to separate
all pedestrian, customer vehicular traffic and
delivery traffic, to sustain the convenience factor
required for these types of centres.

To the East lies the food court and
amphitheatre. The amphitheatre itself nestled
below the individual buildings will no doubt
come into its own in time. This also doubles
as a water retention area to minimise the
impact of the site on the already strained storm
water system.
The public transportation hub sits nearby
with dedicated access into and out of the
centre to facilitate ease of use for the Jouberton
population.
Every inch of the centre was considered,
designed, drawn, & debated over, redesigned,
redrawn & reconsidered, down to the placement
of individual tiles. This has paid dividends in the
ablution facilities where the strong liner lines
were carried through to the walls, floors, doors
and ceilings leaving clean lines and upmarket
finishes whilst still remaining sensitive towards
the budget.
Commendation should also go to Louis Van
Eeden of Ludick Construction who worked
tirelessly day & night to have the centre
completed on time & to the exacting standards
of VH+S.

ADVERTISERS ON
THIS PROJECT:
Corobrik
Specialist brick manufacturer
and distributor of clay
bricks, clay pavers and
allied brick products
Manus de Bruyn Consultants
Consulting Fire Engineers
VH + S Architects
Architects & Principal Agents
WSP Group
Consulting Civil Engineers

Design
The entrance features stand proud above the
parking plate & beckon invitingly to you as
you stroll towards the entrance; each feature
becoming more elaborate as you near it. The
shadows leave striking linear lines across the
building with neat slivers as the sun pierces
through the voids in each individual wall. Beyond
this sit the carefully considered face brick lined,
tiled columns that frame the shop-fronts.
Tower Mall

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