VISION 26 — BRONZED AUSSIE
Vision spoke with project leader Mark Kozakiewicz
about a retail precinct with a quite bespoke glass and
steel presence:
PH
How challenging was it to introduce good design
to development where the value of real design
is not always recognised or appreciated?
MK Because you may not know the constraints, or tenant,
you can’t always anticipate occupant’s needs. It’s very
difficult to produce a neutral design that is fully adaptable
to everyone in every circumstance, so it is difficult, yes.
How strong is the temptation to produce the generic,
proven and therefore safe concept? Your design has
an attitude about it that provides a real edge.
Times are changing and you need to compete against
other centres, so it can no longer be boring and safe.
It needs to be comfortable with a degree of design
that attracts, in many cases, sophisticated tenants.
How strong is the demand from tenants for
a design-led response to help attract the punters?
Tenants are now pretty on top of the game because
they are using design that is necessarily deliberate.
They know what works, what has worked in the past,
and what doesn’t work.
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