Construction World December 2018

Architects

SPECIAL MENTION

PROJECT INFORMATION

• Company entering: Bentel Associates International • Client: Investec Property • Project value: R850-million • Start date: 1 February 2016 • End date: 26 September 2017 • Main Contractor: WBHO Construction • Architect: Bentel Associates International • Principal Agent: SIP Project Managers • Quantity Surveyor: Brian Heineberg and Associates • Consulting Engineer: Pure Consulting

CORNUBIA MALL Due to its scale and size, Cornubia Mall was

Construction innovation technology Due to its scale and size, Cornubia Mall was conceived as a typical regional shopping centre, offering more than 60 000 m 2 GLA retail area, however it was enhanced by a variation in the traditional theme and layout in providing a perimeter layout of stores surrounding a central parking area which merges the scale of a regional retail offering with the accessibility of a convenience centre. By allowing visitors to park in close proximity to the various retailers, the layout stimulates easy walking with visual connection throughout. This encourages visitors to explore and be enticed by eye-catching stores as well as features of the development such as the public square, cycle track and a beautiful preserved 112 year old Natal Fig tree, serving as place of congregation and reflection. The high visibility of all stores, ease of access and convenience makes this a centre of choice for locals, offering quality of experience and an abundance of recreational amenities. Furthermore, the design has been specifically devised to accommodate flexibility of expansion and reconfiguration within its own footprint without disruption to trading, visual impact of the centre or surrounding ecology. Maxi bricks, which were locally manufactured, were used in the construction. They were larger than normal, with the aim in achieving larger volumes of facades built in less time. Corporate Social Investment The design of the centre was aimed at labour intensive solutions to ensure a maximum amount of jobs were created and that these jobs were sourced fromwithin Cornubia’s Ward 103. Investec Property hired a training company to ensure unemployed residents had exposure to job ready programmes. The Cornubia Mall Trust was created to assist with conceived as a typical regional shopping centre, offering more than 60 000 m 2 GLA retail area. It was enhanced by a variation in the traditional theme and layout in providing a perimeter layout of stores surrounding a central parking area which merges the scale of a regional retail offering with the accessibility of a convenience centre.

ongoing community needs focusing on education and entrepreneurship. The community showcased their skills and businesses to the malls’ retailers at Tenant meetings, hosted by Investec. Many community members reinvented themselves to tailor their offering to specific needs of the retailers. Design Innovation The design concept of Cornubia Mall is intended to create a retail centre which provides a unique experience to the retail offerings in the area. Cornubia Mall was also envisaged as the centrepiece of the new planned Cornubia Mixed-Use precinct, a large integrated mixed-use human settlement project situated north of Mount Edgecombe and to the west of the N2 Highway and Umhlanga Town Ridge Centre. Cornubia offers a destination of retail convenience, outdoor living and recreational value that seamlessly blends with lifestyle of the surrounding populace it serves. This ultimately sets it apart from other surrounding shopping centres in the vicintiy. While the trend in regional shopping centres in tropical climates has long been to offer large air-conditioned enclosed malls, the design strikes a perfect balance between a regional shopping centre comprised of large national tenants and an outdoors lifestyle experience. This is typified by expansive shaded exterior walkways and pause areas, interlaced with indigenous vegetation, an open air public square and even an integrated cycle track through the centre that links all the way through to the King Shaka Airport, more than 20 km north of the centre. The design focuses on lifestyle with interconnected public spaces where people can interact, be entertained and shop. The two oval- shaped precincts create a ‘figure of eight’ layout and differentiates this design from other centres by allowing the main vehicular access to the heart of the development, offering maximum convenience while shops and activity nodes enjoy total visibility. Public space are characterised by the retail anchors of the development as well as lifestyle, fitness and entertainment activities. The elevated walkways were designed to separate the vehicle, whilst giving prominence and priority to the

2 18 BEST PR O JECTS

Construction WORLD

66