Details
The brief called for a mixed-use development consisting of an informal traders' storage facility, light industrial space utilized by local business owners, a daycare centre for preschoolers, facilities management offices as well as rentable office space, customer services, parking, retail, informal trading, and an art component.
The 3850m2 site is situated in the bustling Isipingo district , South of the Durban CBD.
The site is contained on three sides by roads - Inwabi Road, Bally Road and Gopalsingh Road hence a complete analysis of traffic and pedestrian movement was undertaken which informed the chosen access and vehicular entry and exit points.
The various zones of the 2900m2 building are linked together to form a footprint that hugs the perimeter of the site which in turn creates an internal courtyard space for parking and seating.
The retail and informal trading components were positioned along Inwabi road thereby activating the ground floor zone and creating valuable pedestrian experiences along the street. Directly above this sits the office component offering a sense of surveillance onto Inwabi Road. The light industrial manufacturing component sits along the rear site boundary while the daycare centre is positioned adjacent to the main entrance for convenience and ease of access. The double volume entrance foyer is a celebration of the corner and serves as both the vertical circulation point as well as a customer services facility for the public.
The architectural language is uncomplicated and is reflective of FORM & FUNCTION theory - it is a product of responses to the site context and function.
A restrained palette of materials was adopted - facebrick at the mini-factories, off shutter concrete and breeze blocks to the retail and office components and accent coloured paint to the daycare centre.
Energy efficiency with regards to orientation and clearstory lighting, green roofs and cross ventilation have been implemented.
The art component is envisaged to be an integral element in the development - mosaic artwork to the external seating area floor to replace the more traditional paving solution, helping to bring this gathering space to life.
The interesting mix of functions combined with the identity and image of the design provided an exciting opportunity for the development to become both an attraction and a destination.
The brief called for a mixed-use development consisting of an informal traders' storage facility, light industrial space utilized by local business owners, a daycare centre for preschoolers, facilities management offices as well as rentable office space, customer services, parking, retail, informal trading, and an art component.
The 3850m2 site is situated in the bustling Isipingo district , South of the Durban CBD.
The site is contained on three sides by roads - Inwabi Road, Bally Road and Gopalsingh Road hence a complete analysis of traffic and pedestrian movement was undertaken which informed the chosen access and vehicular entry and exit points.
The various zones of the 2900m2 building are linked together to form a footprint that hugs the perimeter of the site which in turn creates an internal courtyard space for parking and seating.
The retail and informal trading components were positioned along Inwabi road thereby activating the ground floor zone and creating valuable pedestrian experiences along the street. Directly above this sits the office component offering a sense of surveillance onto Inwabi Road. The light industrial manufacturing component sits along the rear site boundary while the daycare centre is positioned adjacent to the main entrance for convenience and ease of access. The double volume entrance foyer is a celebration of the corner and serves as both the vertical circulation point as well as a customer services facility for the public.
The architectural language is uncomplicated and is reflective of FORM & FUNCTION theory - it is a product of responses to the site context and function.
A restrained palette of materials was adopted - facebrick at the mini-factories, off shutter concrete and breeze blocks to the retail and office components and accent coloured paint to the daycare centre.
Energy efficiency with regards to orientation and clearstory lighting, green roofs and cross ventilation have been implemented.
The art component is envisaged to be an integral element in the development - mosaic artwork to the external seating area floor to replace the more traditional paving solution, helping to bring this gathering space to life.
The interesting mix of functions combined with the identity and image of the design provided an exciting opportunity for the development to become both an attraction and a destination.
