Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa May/June 2014 | Page 48

NORTH ELEVATION

Facilities
The centre accommodates 7 anchor tenants
over two levels, including cinemas on a third
level. National tenants are also very well
represented. A centrally situated, multi-level
food court feeds into and out of each level, as
well as forming a convenient entrance from the
upper parking plate. Parking is accommodated
on two on-grade levels corresponding to the
retail levels, with mezzanine levels sandwiched
in between.
Direct access to any level is also possible from
any intermediate decks via lifts, stairs and trolley
ramps. Services are separated from public traffic
in all instances. Access to the parking decks is
possible on three different levels to minimize
and obviate the need for circulation through the
parking decks to get to a desired level. Having
said that, inter-parking deck vehicular circulation
is unrestricted, should the customer choose to
circulate within the parking deck system. There
are 4,500 parking bays.
Efficiency of Operation and Services
The planning was done to simplify deliveries via
a single delivery route along the posterior of the
building envelope, pushing larger retail tenants
to this edge to optimize usage of this route,
as well as segregating service operations and

48

shoppers. Mechanical and electrical services
have also followed this cue.
Workmanship
Workmanship will always be a challenge when
developing 75,000m2 of retail space in less than
two years. The challenge in responding to this
reality by way of design is one of attempting
to optimize architectural components that are
lenient to such an exhaustive and intrinsically
complicated process, where finicky, difficult
to build detailing could often detract from a
pleasant result. At the same time, the industry
is prone to homogenous responses where
every resolution smacks of déjà vu. Once again,
finding a balance has been the challenge.
Environmentally Sustainable Design
Electricity saving infrastructure serves to save
resources from an ownership point of view, as
well as being environmentally friendly. The
Mall interiors find an ideal balance between
optimizing daylight without creating areas
subjected to direct sunlight by way of clerestory
glazing wherever possible. The food court as a
component, optimizes light quality by creating
multiple opportunities for clerestory glazing.
By reducing the demand on lighting
during daylight hours, the overall energy