Opinion
Retail architecture in South Africa is coming full circle
Urban landscapes worldwide have evolved over the years , and with them , retail architecture .
As small villages grew into larger communities all over the world , stores were conveniently situated close to where people lived . As the villages grew , more options became available and these areas became hives of activity , including both shopping and entertainment options . The high street paradigm became the norm .
Retail design in South Africa While this model was common across the globe , in South Africa there was a shift away from high streets . Shoppers moved to new malls which were being developed in outlying areas . One of the drivers for the shift was that land outside the prime areas was cheaper . In addition , South African developers and shoppers aligned with the US trend of large , inward-looking malls which contained everything shoppers could want .
The malls became big drawcards . Designed with the idea that shoppers would arrive by car rather than on foot , the buildings were generally surrounded by parking . The enclosed style meant that malls were often dark and the flow generally led shoppers through the mall to anchor tenants such as supermarkets .
The goal of what I call the casino mentality was to first entice the public to step into a different world and then , to be so focused on what was on offer that they would forget what was happening outside . This thinking led to themed shopping centre design , which is common among South Africa ’ s older shopping centres . One of the most unfortunate consequences of the approach was a complete lack of urban context . People saw a dated , decaying high street and malls on the outskirts of town and nothing in-between .
Lightening up Shoppers began to realise that dark , inward-facing buildings were not happy environments . Natural light was recognised as crucial in shopping centre design and architects incorporated clerestory windows and other design elements to let the light in . Instead of being dark and somewhat depressing , lighting in shopping centre design was important , so much so that even artificial lighting was designed to look like daylight .
In Europe , there is a difference in how shopping centres operate . With limited space , grocery shopping is not tied to leisure and lifestyle . People tend to go directly to the grocery store and leave right away , unlike in South Africa , where shoppers are led through the mall with their trolleys . Come to think of it , one of the drivers of this trend in Europe likely has to do with not wanting trolleys taking up precious space .
Entrenched layout and leasing strategies evolved as shopping patterns began to change in South Africa . Instead of closing shoppers in physically and experientially , developers found that consumers wanted more from the experience than just getting supplies and spending money . Woodmead Retail Park , which opened in 2008 , was designed with an abundance of natural light to create the feeling of walking down a boulevard for shoppers who explored the entire length of the walkway .
The key to encouraging shoppers to linger longer is a lifestyle component . People want an experience that is more layered than shopping and spending money , whether it is a small convenience centre or a large regional mall like Tembisa Mall . Retailers have also bought into the trend and are creating their own entertainment even within their retail stores . They want shoppers to engage and enjoy the experience .
More and more , we are moving back to the village concept in retail design , complete with village square-
4 Opinion