At present, two anchor tenants, Pick n Pay and
Woolworths, are located on the north and south-east
corners respectively, in red brick box structures that
are linked by an internal mall. On the first floor, a
further anchor tenant, a Virgin Active gym, links the
two structures in the form of a glass box with large
projecting metal roof.
Behind the two storey blocks is the covered
mall to the east and open mall to the north, which
has a retail strip on the north side with softer feel
and lower façades, giving a more intimate shopping
experience. The open mall terminates in a covered
square that will be completed in the final phase of
the development.
Uniquely, in security-conscious Johannesburg,
there are no entrance doors to the mall. This simple
gesture allows ease of movement from the parking
into the mall and creates a seamless approach and
entry. The different spatial qualities of the various
elements of the mall - the open and covered malls,
squares and active entrances - provide an interesting
and fresh shopping experience.
Tenant Mix
As a neighbourhood mall, Dainfern Square provides a
varied tenant mix and range of facilities that activate
the mall around the clock. The large anchor food
Dainfern Square
tenants have been discretely positioned so as not
to dominate and the centre includes small coffee
shops, salons, banks, a dry cleaner, a flower seller
and a travel agent. The varied restaurant, café and
fast food offering enlivens the square and parking
square. The first floor comprises offices and medical
suites, as well as a large gym with swimming pool
and outdoor training area. Parking is provided for 279
cars at ground level with a further 864 basement
parking spaces.
Traffic Flow
Traffic flow into the site is very clear and either
through the main front-of-house or back-of-house
entry points. Vehicular traffic is predominant and there
is good access to the ground level surface parking.
Basement parking is also accessed via the square
and by the secondary/goods entry point. Pedestrian
traffic flows follow the vehicular routes and the site is
well serviced by minibus taxi routes on William Nicol.
Materials
A carefully considered palette of materials has been
used. The white two storey plastered blocks which
form the square are modern and light with glass
balustrades and floating steel roofs. Between the
blocks, the grand steel and glass canopies clearly
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