Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa May/June 2014 | Page 47

The retail structure comprised mainly of suspended coffer slabs on a mixture of 10m and 8.4m grids incorporating the layering theme. With regard to the planning of the centre, it rigidly adheres to proven retail flows and layouts. To that end the two main retail plates are anchored in terms of flows and serviced by a consolidated parking deck with access to the retail levels on grade. The centre provides an open and friendly face to the passing road and three separate entrance opportunities. It thus goes to great  lengths to integrate with the surrounding fabric and existing community. Industry perception should find favour with the attempt to generate a very unique architecture in what could sometimes be seen as a highly regulated environment, which often results in a plethora of developments that essentially look and are experienced as ‘more of the same’. 47