Africa . The cladding used for the radial beams of the roof and the bifurcating columns is made from a polystyrene product covered in polyurea . This is a strong , durable and lightweight material that can be manufactured in a variety of different finishes , including extremely high gloss . Kanakakis says that it provided the perfect finish for the 12 main supporting bifurcating columns in the court , as well as lightweight cladding for the roof radial beams and radial gutter beams .
Improving Customer Flow & Movement Structural modifications aimed at improving customer flow and movement were implemented by connecting the entire existing mall with the new , completing the loop between Woolworths at one end and Edgars at the other end of the centre .
“ As Sandton City grew , it had become quite complex for shoppers to find their way around and people could quite easily become disorientated in the previous L-shaped design of the mall if they were unfamiliar with the centre ,” explains Kanakakis .
Initially , the idea was to loop the mall on the upper level only , because there were challenging ground conditions to deal with and deep excavations would be necessary to link the lower shopping level . Extensive excavation through granite was required , with lateral supports and bulk earthworks . But there was no question that a loop on both levels would be far better in terms of shopper flow and circulation . Kanakakis credits Liberty Properties and Pareto for having the foresight to give this massive project the go-ahead .
As a result , connections between upper and lower levels are more streamlined , access and shopper flow are improved and the complex is better integrated with the Sandton Convention Centre , Nelson Mandela Square and the broader Sandton area .
Whereas bulk earthworks can typically take three months on a large project , Sandton City ’ s excavations took eight months - an indication of the complexity of the works . The deepest point ( on the corner of Sandton Drive and Rivonia Road ) went down 18 metres . More than a third of the ground condition was rock . Even when it was blasted to loosen it , the pieces had to be broken down further before they could be removed off site . “ It was quite an engineering feat !” says Kanakakis .
Lighting The massive roof light introduces substantial natural light into the centre , a feature that was carefully considered as one of the key new elements of the design .
The lighting design ensures that the design intent is tangible when the space is experienced
348 Sandton City