PROJECT Abcon Developments and Dorpstraat
Some of the initial challenges we identified with the existing centre were:
• Hidden and challenging access to the centre
• Disjointed parking
• Poor centre layout
• Unattractive tenant mix
• The perceived overtraded nature of Fourways / Lonehill
The strengths identified were:
• The shopping centre is well-located on a prominent arterial road with good visibility from Winnie Mandela Road.
• It is a“ gateway” site, attracting shoppers on their homeward route as well as passing traffic.
• Overall, the centre was well-positioned to be the dominant convenience retail centre in the area, but it needed significant investment in redevelopment.
Redevelopment strategy
We understood that the node was well-traded, with several competing shopping centres located nearby. To compete, the shopping centre would need to either differentiate itself from the competition or dominate them. We chose the differentiating route and aimed to position Leaping Frog as the go-to centre for convenience shopping. Furthermore, we sought to create a new‘ heart’ for the centre by designing a new‘ people ' s space’. This sense of place was formalised in the new piazza, a place
www. sabuildingreview. co. za to play, entertain, and connect. The new piazza area links the centre together, creating a communal space for the community to meet. From the outset, our concept ideas focused on creating a new heart for the centre, enabling it to establish a new identity.
Restaurants can now spill out into the new piazza, enhancing the people-friendly space with a variety of dining options. Some additional key design aspects include:
• Increasing the size of Checkers
• Making the walkways more usable
• Improving the parking layout in terms of flow and levels
• Redesigning and refurbishing the existing parking areas to enhance access, traffic flow, and parking capacity
• Providing ample parking that is easily accessible and visible to passing customers
• Replacing old and stale tenancies with fresh convenience retail options
• Emphasising easy and visible parking and access
• Creating a vibrant“ people space” through the restaurant and piazza area, increasing dwell times
• Enhancing visibility of access to the centre
• Designing a strong visual entrance for the anchor tenant, making the centre easy to navigate
• Opening up the centre to connect the main entrance with the rest of the centre.
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