African Design Magazine ADM #41 June 2018 | Page 23

MATOLA MALL
From a design perspective, a number
of elements are particularly impactful.
These include the internal volume of
the spaces with the recessed ceiling
bulkheads and concealed LED lighting,
which follows the volumes within the
building, as well as the placement of
strip lighting and task lighting, which all
combine to add to the spatial awareness
and complement the visual experience of
the architecture.
Challenges
According to Truter, the biggest challenge
was to make the building fit within the
given height restriction. Furthermore,
it was difficult to place a large building
comfortably inside a predominantly
residential fabric. The roofscapes,
which are flat and expansive, needed
to not only hide the vast amount of
services needed to ensure the required
comfort levels inside a building of this
size, but also had to be sensitive to the
surrounding residential area.
SLTA overcame these issues by sloping
the roof sheeting away from the main
façade parapets towards the centre of
the building. A large gutter beam, which
spans the entire length of the building,
was also introduced. Smaller plant slabs
branching off from this beam provide
space to hide the services from the
public eye.
Sustainable initiatives
Energy consumption was reduced by
adding roof insulation to the entire
building thus reducing heat gain and
allowing the HVAC system to operate
optimally. Automated revolving doors
were installed to limit the loss of cool air.
The use of LED lighting throughout the
building also adds to energy efficiency
and results in substantial cost savings.
AFRICAN DESIGN MAGAZINE © | JUNE 2018
23