Accessible Urban Space The architects placed a great premium on harnessing the opportunity the development offered to create accessibility and open up the public realm . Van Bebber says they went to considerable lengths to design “ accessible urban space with no barriers ” around the precinct while ensuring safety and functionality .
On street level , between the 6.5-storey basements and the commercial space in the towers above , is a two-story retail level . Apart from providing a shopping destination , this retail podium level activates the precinct on street level , integrates the complex with coherent pedestrian movement routes through Sandton ’ s commercial node and maintains connections to the adjoining hotels .
Van Bebber argues that it was “ very important that we achieve on-grade pedestrian access off both Maude and Rivonia ” to create easy pedestrian access . The natural fall of the site required an urban staircase from the Rivonia and Maude Street intersection , but for the rest , access is completely unimpeded . This was another reason for the arrangement of the towers . While the Jewel has presence , the tower connects at street level opening up considerable public space .
The generous pavements , public benches , public sculpture and soft landscaping bring human scale and appeal to the streetscape around the precinct , and the visible street frontage of the shops and restaurants and pedestrian accessibility draw office-dwellers out from the surrounding commercial buildings and onto the street .
Retail Component The retail level , while fairly small and bespoke in its offering , is characterised by transparency and visibility . Overhead skylights help to flood the interiors with natural light and blur the distinction between interior space and exterior urban environment , conceptually linking the retail space with the landscaped podium outside . The movement routes through the interior are articulated with friendly curves and organic shapes .
Moreover , the subtle erosion of the boundaries between individual shops and mall space , achieved through the transparency of the glazing lines and curved glazing on the retail shopfronts ,
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