precinct generally, and the shopping centre specifically, variations of which will be rolled out as additional phases are developed.
The design for Groot Phesantekraal View, however, deliberately distinguished itself from the references to Cape vernacular architecture typical of developments in this heritagerich area. Instead of imitation, Boogertman + Partners pursued a contemporary approach inspired by the landscape and the way in which picturesque Cape Farm buildings nestle in their context, abstracted and reinterpreted in a fresh design language.
The influence of the rolling hills and layered horizons of the surrounding landscape manifests architecturally in the undulating curves in the building form and façade geometry. Similarly, the perimeter of the site is articulated with curves that allow the built form to merge with the natural environment, incorporating a landscaped edge as a buffer between the shopping walkway and the parking area.
The façade design incorporates several steel portal structures that frame prominent entrances based on a contemporary interpretation of the farm shed archetype. These elements, together with landscaping, embed the centre in its setting through a contemporary response to the rural context rather than pastiche or historical imitation.
Materials, too, were selected to harmonise with the setting, drawing on a natural palette including face brick( and bagged brick in other areas) composite timber, terrazzo tiles, Marmoran and terracotta pavers. A variety of bricklaying techniques and bond patterns have been employed, creating visual richness and architectural expression while also supporting on-site skills development.
A faceted, geometric copper-coloured ribbon of cladding on the central façade near the main entrance stands as the key focal point and identifying feature of the centre’ s architectural profile. The copper sheet features perforated patterning in another reinterpretation of the distant mountain range: an abstracted, pointillist rendition of the area’ s defining geological features. This
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