Waterfall Corner in Midrand, Gauteng, has been named the winner of the sought-after Spectrum Award for the best retail development, making a splash at the in the South African Council of Shopping Centre’s (SACSC) Annual Retail Design and Development Awards (RDDA).
The results of the prestigious awards were announced on the first day of the 19th Annual SACSC Congress, which is underway at the Durban ICC for the rest of this week. Property Finance at Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (NCIB) is the main sponsor of this influential event, as well as being sponsor of the awards.
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: “There is much more to retail design than first meets the eye. It goes beyond creating engaging stores and attractive malls. 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.”
Robin Lockhart-Ross, Managing Executive of Property Finance at Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking comments: “As financier to the retail sector, we are continuously inspired by the high level of expertise that goes into shopping centre design, which ultimately creates an environment conducive to a pleasant shopping experience, thus encouraging repeat visits and shopper loyalty. Our support of the RDDAs is a reflection of our commitment to the industry holistically which goes beyond providing funding.”
For this reason, 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.
Waterfall Corner delivered on all these points and won the category for new shopping centres below 20,000sqm in size, to qualify to take top honours overall. JSE-listed capital growth fund Attacq owns Waterfall Corner, which was developed by Atterbury Property Development and designed by architect Bentel Associates International.
Matlosana Mall in the North West Province took top honours for shopping centres over 20,000sqm. The 65,000sqm regional mall is owned and developed by JSE-listed SA REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) Redefine Properties, with architect SVA International. Finalists in this category also included Forest Hill City Mall, owned and developed by Billion Property Group and designed by LYT Architecture, as well as Newtown Junction, owned by Attacq and developed by Atterbury Property Development with architect DHK.
Two winners were chosen in the hotly-contested redevelopment and refurbishment category – Rosebank Mall and The Watershed at V&A Waterfront. JSE-listed retail REIT Hyprop Investments is the owner and developer of Rosebank Mall, with MDS Architecture undertaking the design. The V&A Waterfront is owned in equal parts by South Africa’s largest JSE-listed REIT Growthpoint Properties and the PIC on behalf of the Government Employees Pensions Fund, and The Watershed redevelopment was designed by Wolff Architects. Finalists in this category also included Cresta Shopping Centre, owned and developed by Pareto and designed by LPA/Afritects, as well as Cape Town’s The Point Mall owned by Permasolve Investments, developed by Hoskens Consolidated Investments and Berman Brothers and designed by Robert Silke with Louis Karol.
Further demonstrating the high standard of design in the South African retail property sector, two winners were also chosen in the store design category. Relay Jeans in Westgate, Gauteng, and Cotton On in Gateway Theatre of Shopping, KwaZulu-Natal, shared top spot in this category. Relay Jeans is part of TFG and the store was designed by TDC&Co, while the Cotton On store design is by the Cotton On Group. Other finalists in this class included the Anatomy sneaker and streetwear store on Juta Street in Braamfontein created by TFG and designer The Bread.
Nando’s in Maponya Mall topped the category for best restaurant project, created by Design Partnership in collaboration with Nando’s. Finalists in the category also included Nando’s at Blue Hills Shopping Centre, delivered by the same team, and Rocomamas at Pineslopes Shopping Centre, created by Spur Group and Itis Design.
The calibre of South African retail property development and design has enjoyed growing international esteem in recent years, 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. Delta Mall in Nigeria won this category. It is owned and developed by Resilient Africa, which is owned by SA REIT Resilient Properties and Standard Bank, and Baysol Development, and designed by LYT Architecture. Other finalists considered in this class included West Hills Mall in Ghana, owned by AttAfrica, which is a company held by Atterbury Group, Attacq and Hyprop, and designed by ARC Architects Pretoria, as well as Pacific Mall in Dehradun, India, owned and developed by Pacific Development Corporate Ltd with architect Bentel Associates International.
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 40 entries that streamed in for the awards.
Stops remarks: “The annual RDDAs continue to showcase the world-class creativity, innovation and retail knowledge and the excellent level of retail development and design within South Africa. We can all be incredibly proud of these achievements.”