African project Riverside Shopping Centre
“ The floating roof was mindfully not enclosed to ensure that maximum natural light permeates the walkway underneath it . As a result , sunlight illuminates the walkway during the day . This is further enhanced by a new floor treatment of tiles in a lighter colour palette and texture creates additional interest ,” explains Pearce .
Destination stores have been relocated upstairs in Riverside and a vibrant open square has been created by removing a portion of the previous parking area . “ The harshness of the parking area was softened and in its place , we now have a pleasant , private and open space with a lovely ambience for restaurants ,” explains Pearce .
Once the square was completed , Woolworths expanded its store from 420m 2 to 1 650m 2 and now offers a deli , bakery , fishmonger and a coffee shop .
Exterior Parts of the original facebrick building were bagwashed in places to maintain the village feel . It also boasts a contemporary exterior cladding to create a more modern aesthetic while concealing previous inconsistencies and unsightly infrastructure . “ The exterior cladding is a fibre cement board applied to a lightweight steel screen . It simplified the alteration and had a massive impact on modernising the centre ,” explains Pearce .
The square is now a vibrant space , complete with an animated and illuminated clockface on the wall facing the square . The clock feature can change in colour , which creates interest in the square . Stonework on the square and at the entrances to Riverside helps to evoke feelings of village squares and adds to the all-important textural aspect of the refurbishment . Landscaping provides much needed greenery and softens the area around the square and the perimeter of the shopping centre . Signage at Riverside Shopping Centre has been kept monochromatic for an elegant and understated look .
Construction challenges The design challenge centred on finding ways to retain what customers loved about the building while creating a contemporary new look . “ It can be quite a balancing act to make changes without going too far and losing the essence of the space , all the while keeping an eye on the developer ’ s budget .”
Refurbishing a trading shopping centre will always have its trials and there are bound to be some surprises on an existing building . There were some disruptions for the tenants and shoppers during the construction phase . Woolworths suspended trading for a time to complete its refurbishment and extension – only the second time it has done so in South Africa .
A new classic The wider walkway in the existing centre , coupled with white bulkheads , LED cove lights and elegant signage have created a new feel at Riverside . The existing shopfronts feature more glazing . “ By pulling the bulkheads back and introducing cutouts to the upper level , the existing shopfronts were modernised . The main walkway was widened by pulling back the line of the shopfront bulkheads , thus giving the appearance of more space and light . The original shopfronts have been transformed into boxes which protrude into the walkway .
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