Building Design The original shopping centre was built in a horseshoe shape , with a parking infill pocket between the Eastern and Western wings of the centre . The horseshoe was opened up by the demolition of a part of the existing centre , providing better visibility onto the shop fronts , as well as the main parking pocket between the two main wings of the centre .
Further , the corner portion of the building facing Waterkloof and Main Road , has been demolished to make space for a ‘ signature ’ building , quickly referred to by the project team as ‘ the egg ’ ( due to its oval shape ) which , thankfully , became ‘ the nest ’ ( because of its criss-cross structure )!
The balance of the building was given a lift by the addition of colourful ‘ boxes ’ framing shop fronts and showroom windows . These boldly coloured boxes are scattered around the building , together with I-beam signage clips that , together with the use of colour , give the building a lively contemporary feel .
Tenants Great consideration was given to the tenanting of the building , due to the location , the captive market in the area and the discerning nature of the user . Existing tenants that became a household name in the area remained .
The centre is anchored by SPAR , which received a facelift in its own right , as well as Q-Photo which became an institution in this area , catering for local photographers , architects and students alike . Other existing tenants that remained are Picasso Paints , Oi ! Clothing , The Flower Bucket and a local favourite , Leipoldt ’ s Coffee Shoppe , with a traditional familiar flavour , frequented by locals and familiar faces .
Additions to the centre include Isabella ’ s ( coffee shop ), Country Living , Yamasaki Sushi , Roots Art Gallery and Ganache to name a few .
The tenant earmarked for ‘ the nest ’ is a restaurant that will occupy the entire space , which should be a great success due to its prominent position and dramatic space .
Waterkloof Corner 329