IRENE
VILLAGE MALL
IRENE VILLAGE MALL Irene , Gauteng
CLIENT & DEVELOPER Retail Africa
ARCHITECT Boogertman + Partners
DESIGN ARCHITECT Jan Loubser
PROJECT ARCHITECT Johann de Wet R & L Architects ( Woolworths ) Bentel Associates International ( Pick n Pay )
PROJECT MANAGER MDSA Project Management
QUANTITY SURVEYOR NWS Quantity Surveyors
STRUCTURAL & CIVIL ENGINEER Sutherland
ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Watson Mattheus
MECHANICAL ENGINEER WSP in Africa
WET SERVICES Sutherland
TRAFFIC ENGINEER ITS
FIRE CONSULTANT Specialised Fire Technology
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Baumhaus
MAIN CONTRACTOR GD Irons
PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy of Boogertman + Partners
Irene Village Mall was conceptualised as a village-street retail scheme , with a distinct character and nature to complement the existing Irene vernacular and indeed become the “ village centre ” of the Irene area . The Mall lies on the western side of the R21 freeway . The design development incorporated climatic considerations , building mass , scale , material usage and the articulation of the scheme . The main entrance fronts onto the existing Irene Farm Village single storey residential area , thus the contrast with the solid built mass which fronts onto the freeway – for functional , visual and acoustic reasons .
The architecture reflects the rich history of Irene , reminiscent of the old Transvaal architecture , which further underwrites and emphasises the farm atmosphere .
ARCHITECT ’ S REPORT The traditional Irene architecture is defined by the use of corrugated sheet metal roofs in grey and farm-implement red . Walls are generally of plaster and paint in colours ranging from off-white to darker coffee tones . Wall plinths and boundary walls are constructed of rock found in the Irene region . The rock walls are the defining element in the existing town .
All of these elements are interpreted in the shopping centre to a large extent . Prevalent on the original farm holdings were the galvanised , corrugated water reservoirs , for the collection of rainwater . These were generally supported at a higher level to provide water pressure for gravity-fed irrigation systems . When a reference was sought for the tower element in the square , no single feature was more appropriate , and there was no need to look for further reference .
The traditional Irene architecture is defined by the use of corrugated sheet metal roofs in grey and farm-implement red
194 Irene Village Mall