MALVERN CENTRE RETAIL REFURB

PROJECT DESCRIPTION each level of the revised retail areas. This would permit the creation of additional retail floor area along the west boundary with a central circulation route serving all areas. The adjacent land parcel was purchased and added to the development to contribute bulk and allow design efficiencies to be reached, once consolidation on the 17 existing land parcels occurred.

Originally built in the 1970s, the existing Malvern Centre has been expanded and renovated multiple times over the decades. This resulted in a sprawling, disconnected retail and parking structure that could not take advantage of the allowable development rights permitted by the site. The Public Investment Corporation, the investment arm of the GEPF as the largest pension fund in South Africa, was mandated to redevelop the centre to achieve the maximum economic potential. A competition for the scheme was announced in 2016 which TC Design was awarded for which the author was directly responsible. Part of the brief was to retain as much of the existing centre as could be without compromising the future design, the need to resolve the interconnections within the site and achieving maximum bulk.

The proposal looked to remove the single level parking areas across the site and consolidate these into a multi-level structured parking zone, connecting to

This spatial principle was followed through design development until investigations into existing structure showed insufficient bearing weight for the planned design. At the client’s behest, the design was revised to achieve even larger floor areas with the caveat that 75% of the existing structure was to be demolished.

The existing main retail anchor was to remain with two additional anchor tenants and over 50 line tenants to be added to the centre. Infrastructural and logistics improvements had to be made to accommodate the large increase in project size and parking requirements.

Construction commenced in June 2021 with demolitions, bulk earthworks and piling running until December 2021. Due to the existing anchor’s requirement to remain trading during construction, the project had to be phased into three areas of work. Phase 1 dealt with the full parking structure and east anchors and loading yard. Phase 2 comprised the western retail edges with Phase 3 dealing with the main anchor store expansion and central piazza completion.

Lead project and design architect. Compiled winning design submission, project analysis and write-up, all graphics and renderings. Managed project from inception, sketch plan and design development phases. Oversaw development of tender and construction documentation, tracked program for deliverables, cost engineered design in line with budgetary restraints, attended site meetings and subcontractor briefings.

The existing 15 storey residential tower with ground level retail provides a dedicated user population to this centre but also brings additional concerns and considerations. Thus between the tower and parking zones, large planted walls create a pedestrian sensitive outdoor transition and circulation zone, usable by residents during closed times as garden and rest spaces. These green walls continue along the main road edge to further temper the hard street surfaces. The parking deck was reduced to two storeys from three to minimise the shading impact to lower tower residents

Construction is ongoing and due to be complete in July 2023.

Analysis of existing structures, required demolitions progressing to final spatial layout