Mall of the North to blend with surroundings

Artist's impression of the Mall of the North interior.

The 75000m² centre, owned and developed by Resilient Property Income Fund, Flanagan & Gerard and the Moolman Group, aims to reflect the essence of Polokwane by incorporating elements of natural design, texture and local materials.

“Mall of the North will serve the needs of the region, with anchor tenants that include two supermarkets in excess of 5000m², Pick n Pay and Checkers, joined by Edgars, Woolworths and Game,” says Patrick Flanagan, of Flanagan & Gerard.

The centre has concluded a leasing deal with Dischem Pharmacies to open a mega-pharmacy, its first in Limpopo.

Designed by MDS Architecture, the double-level centre is located at the junction of the R81 and N1 bypass.

“The most important aspect for us was to integrate the building into the landscape. Limpopo is characterised and known for its wildlife and bush atmosphere. This was to be emphasised, rather than overshadowed by the centre,” says Pierre Lahaye of MDS Architecture.

“We drew inspiration from the surrounding forests and mountains, and have placed a strong emphasis on texture and colour. We also stressed the importance of being environmentally respectful, and have reused as much as possible from the site” he says.

Lahaye says the colour palette for Mall of the North has its roots in earthy and neutral hues, with the architects exploring the blue grey tones of the surrounding stone and mountain range. The mall will blend seamlessly into the terrain and background.

The external finishes will consist of dry packed natural stone. The main focus will be on the use of texture, light and shadows.

Visitors will be welcomed by a cliff-face waterfall at the entrance. Natural vegetation will be incorporated, with trees used densely in the open parking area that surrounds the centre. The aloes from the site will be replanted to fortify the tactile element.

“We wanted to create the feeling of an oasis as you enter the centre,” says Jannie Moolman of Moolman Group. “It is quite a large building, and to break the scale ... we introduced diagonal lines similar to how a tree grows. We needed to make this hub visually appetising as it will be visited often, serving a catchment area that includes Botswana and possibly Zimbabwe,” she says.

Green elements include energy-saving lights and air-conditioning, solar geysers and reused waste. Rather than sending waste from the site to a landfill, the earth, stone and vegetation has been re-incorporated. Natural crushed stone from the site has been used to create gabions in and around the centre.

Source: Business Day

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