SA’s 2016 best retail developments and designs recipients honoured

Mall of Africa in Midrand, Gauteng, was named the winner of the sought-after Spectrum Award for the best retail development in South Africa.

SA Council of Shopping Centre’s (SACSC), on Wednesday, announced the 2016 top retail developments and designs awards during the first day of their 20th annual shopping centre congress held in Sandton.

Mall of Africa in Midrand, Gauteng, was named the winner of the sought-after Spectrum Award for the best retail development, becoming an icon of the real estate development landscape at the Retail Design and Development Awards (RDDA).

Sponsored by Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (NCIB), the awards celebrate exceptional shopping centre designs of retail development projects within the South African property industry, together with their economic success.

They include new shopping centres and the redevelopment and refurbishment of existing centres, as well as the design of retail stores and restaurants.

Amanda Stops, CEO of SACSC, says: “The development and design of shopping centres is a multidimensional and sophisticated discipline. It’s a creative, technical and commercial discipline that brings architecture, interior design, retail principles, consumer dynamics, environmental innovation and technology together in the conception and construction of retail space. There is much more to retail design than first meets the eye.”

The awards consider the entire development package, including excellent design resolution, achieving a clear overall development objective, responding positively to the market and surroundings, adopting innovative design and construction solutions, and embracing environmental techniques.

Mall of Africa delivered on all these points and won the category for new regional and super-regional shopping centres above 20,000sqm in size, to qualify to take top honours overall. The centre is 130,000sqm and developed by Atterbury Properties and designed by MDS Architecture.

Finalists in this category also included Baywest Mall in Port Elizabeth, developed by Abacus Asset Management and designed by dhk Architects, as well as Watercrest Mall in KwaZulu-Natal, developed by Growthpoint with Tom Hattingh Architects. A commendation was also given to Mall of the South in Johannesburg, which is developed by Zenprop and designed by Vivid Architects.

In the category for new neighbourhood and convenience shopping centre smaller than 20,000sqm in size, Dainfern Square scooped the top award. Located in Gauteng, the centre is developed by Abacus Asset Management with dhk Architects.

Finalists in this category include Mascam Mall in Vredendal, Western Cape, which was developed by Harry Viljoen Properties and designed by Smith Architects, and Blue Hills Shopping Centre in Midrand, developed by Retail Africa with Skyscape Architects.

The winner chosen in the hotly-contested category for the renovation or expansion of an existing shopping centre was Riverside Shopping Centre, in Bryanston, by developer Moolman Group with MDS Architecture.  Showing its expertise in this area, Moolman Group with also the developer of two other finalists, Lephalale Mall in Limpopo with Boogertman + Partners Architects and Meadowdale Mall in Gauteng with ARC Architects. In addition, Greenacres Mall, developed by Growthpoint and designed by SVA International, was also a finalist in this category.

The calibre of South African retail property development and design continues to enjoy growing international esteem, and the country’s developers, designers, professionals and investors are increasingly active internationally. In recognition of this, the SACSC RDDAs include a special category for international shopping centre developments in which South Africans play a major role. 

Achimota Retail Centre in Accra, Ghana, took the trophy for top shopping centre developed outside South Africa by our local experts. It is developed by Atterbury and designed by Boogertman + Partners Architects.

Checkers Hyper in Mall of Africa, owned by Shoprite and designed by TDC & Co, won the category for the best shopping centre store larger than 1,000sqm. Also at Mall of Africa, Woolworths received a commendation in this category for its design by the Woolworths team.

This Way Out – Cape Town, owned by Abrie Botma and designed by Plan It Design, won the category for the best shopping centre store smaller than 1,000sqm.  Tread+Miller at Canal Walk Shopping Centre, owned by Cape Union Mart and designed by Dakota Design, received a commendation in this category.

Tasha’s in Nelson Mandela Square topped the category for best restaurant design, created by nd Design in for Natasha Sideris. Finalists in the category also included Nando’s at Richards Bay Town Square, delivered by Nando’s and Egg Designs, and Casa Bella at Grand West Casino, owned by The Spur Group and designed by Dakota Design. Two Mall of Africa eateries were finalists in this category, being Lucky Bread Company, created by Braam de Villiers and Earthworld Architects and Interiors, and Zuri, owned by Lakama and designed by MDS Architecture.

A panel of recognised and respected retail and property professionals judge the RDDAs. They are challenged to select the best-of-the-best from developments of the highest calibre in the South African retail property industry, and this year selected the winners from the over 70 entries that streamed in for the awards.