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La Lucia Mall
La Lucia Mall
Durban, South Africa
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Other Projects by Bentel Associates International
La Lucia Mall
Durban, South Africa
BRIEF
Originally constructed in 1974 with several additions over the decades, the brief received was to transform a dark, dated and secular interior into a light flowing contemporary public space. The Landlord’s intention with the refurbishment of the mall was to re-establish the malls relevance within an extremely competitive retail environment and transform its brand and public image. The toilet facilities were to replicate a ‘’spa’’ environment and provide its users with a sense of style and luxury.
LOCATION
La Lucia Mall is conveniently located off the M4 highway to Durban in the leafy coastal suburb of La Lucia, Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa.
ARCHITECTURE AND USE OF SPACE
We believe the purpose of a mall refurbishment is not only to replace outdated cosmetic finishes with new, but to bring about positive change that enhances the operations as well as the shopping experiences for all.
In addressing this objective, key elements were focused on to bring about the greatest impact. Firstly, great attention was placed on the mall entrances, replacing the old with tall contemporary structures which stand proud and are easily visibly from the various parkades. The new entrance structures provide improved comfort by design that serves as better protection from the external elements.
Traffic flow around these entrances was also altered to accommodate drop off and collect zones which better serve customers arriving by public transport, by uber or by foot.
It was important to achieve an aesthetic that allowed for a sense of a brighter space and increased height within the mall. This was achieved by installing full height shopfronts, lifting ceiling heights and a light colour palette that was introduced in the floor and wall tiles as well as much improved lighting.
The refurbishment of the public toilets provides for a creative and luxurious space. Facilities were improved with the introduction of dedicated Baby Change, Family Assisted and Disabled rooms. These were all fitted with high end fixtures, improved lighting and light boxes which contribute toward the ‘’spa’’ like aesthetic.
With the mall designed on two levels we attempted to improve transparency and sight lines between the two levels. The atrium areas were treated as central features with organic natural slatted timber and warm lighting. The light colour palette and clear glazed balustrades go a long way to declutter the spaces.
Pulling all these factors together was the introduction of new mall way finding signage that was designed to complement the malls new band image. The way finding signage is crisp and clean in its design, entrances are highlighted by oversized numbers and imbed the new brand of the mall. Clearly lit oversized male and female forms assist in the easy location of the public toilets.
APPEARANCE AND FINISH:
The most important design intention was to lean towards clean, cool designs that would allow the shops themselves to be the centre of attention. It’s a step away from the baroque extravagance of La Lucia Malls old interior and a step towards neutral elegance to provide a more tranquil experience for both the retailers and the customers. Warmth, material and various textures have been used in the palette, but it’s executed in a way that’s quite restrained, to allow the retailer, the shop front to shine.
The flooring is a mix of a subtle warm grey palette of varying sizes combining the versatility of porcelain stoneware with the warmth and stratification of natural stone.
The pattern of the floor tiles recurs in the ceiling design where the bulkheads are splayed to match the patterns on the floor.
Rounded slatted timber ceilings and seamless glass balustrades give the space a flowing appearance and emphasize its verticality and transparency. The monochrome colouring of all public areas adds a note of elegance. The lack of colour also deliberately avoids visual competition with individual shop façades.
The main elliptical atrium with the corian clad columns enhances the volume of the space and amplifies the lighting filtering through the skylight. The peripheral edge of the atrium is softened and unified by striated Xanita panels, coloured in a soft hue of grey. Black light channels set into the ceiling and the curved bulkhead support this effect by circumscribing the spatial apertures.
A handbook for store façade design was developed to ensure a cohesive look throughout the mall’s interior.
SUSTAINABILITY:
With a conscious awareness of the value of sustainable design we introduced numerous initiatives both in the finishes we selected finishes and the products we specified.
The refurbishment of the public toilets included the introduction of the Hygizone system which creates healthier and more hygienic bathrooms by limiting the spread of infection. The Hygizone system removes harmful odour and bacteria directly from the toilet bowl before this can contaminate the surrounding breathing space.
The introduction of waterless urinals eliminates the need for wasteful flushing and conserving the precious natural resource of water.
Lighting throughout the mall and parking areas was replaced with more efficient LED lighting. The use of motion sensors also reduces the malls power usage.
In addressing the large volume of existing bulkheads within the atrium, a lightweight slated feature was incorporated into the design. These slats were manufactured by Xanita. The product is an engineered fiberboard and is produced from previously used cardboard boxes and finished to the client’s requirements.
We ensured that our selection for the natural timber slats as the key feature to the organic ceiling detail to the atriums was a sustainable timber that met with the design criteria. We selected Merati as it is not listed in the CITES Appendices and if offers the most beautiful warm varying hues.
Originally constructed in 1974 with several additions over the decades, the brief received was to transform a dark, dated and secular interior into a light flowing contemporary public space. The Landlord’s intention with the refurbishment of the mall was to re-establish the malls relevance within an extremely competitive retail environment and transform its brand and public image. The toilet facilities were to replicate a ‘’spa’’ environment and provide its users with a sense of style and luxury.
LOCATION
La Lucia Mall is conveniently located off the M4 highway to Durban in the leafy coastal suburb of La Lucia, Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa.
ARCHITECTURE AND USE OF SPACE
We believe the purpose of a mall refurbishment is not only to replace outdated cosmetic finishes with new, but to bring about positive change that enhances the operations as well as the shopping experiences for all.
In addressing this objective, key elements were focused on to bring about the greatest impact. Firstly, great attention was placed on the mall entrances, replacing the old with tall contemporary structures which stand proud and are easily visibly from the various parkades. The new entrance structures provide improved comfort by design that serves as better protection from the external elements.
Traffic flow around these entrances was also altered to accommodate drop off and collect zones which better serve customers arriving by public transport, by uber or by foot.
It was important to achieve an aesthetic that allowed for a sense of a brighter space and increased height within the mall. This was achieved by installing full height shopfronts, lifting ceiling heights and a light colour palette that was introduced in the floor and wall tiles as well as much improved lighting.
The refurbishment of the public toilets provides for a creative and luxurious space. Facilities were improved with the introduction of dedicated Baby Change, Family Assisted and Disabled rooms. These were all fitted with high end fixtures, improved lighting and light boxes which contribute toward the ‘’spa’’ like aesthetic.
With the mall designed on two levels we attempted to improve transparency and sight lines between the two levels. The atrium areas were treated as central features with organic natural slatted timber and warm lighting. The light colour palette and clear glazed balustrades go a long way to declutter the spaces.
Pulling all these factors together was the introduction of new mall way finding signage that was designed to complement the malls new band image. The way finding signage is crisp and clean in its design, entrances are highlighted by oversized numbers and imbed the new brand of the mall. Clearly lit oversized male and female forms assist in the easy location of the public toilets.
APPEARANCE AND FINISH:
The most important design intention was to lean towards clean, cool designs that would allow the shops themselves to be the centre of attention. It’s a step away from the baroque extravagance of La Lucia Malls old interior and a step towards neutral elegance to provide a more tranquil experience for both the retailers and the customers. Warmth, material and various textures have been used in the palette, but it’s executed in a way that’s quite restrained, to allow the retailer, the shop front to shine.
The flooring is a mix of a subtle warm grey palette of varying sizes combining the versatility of porcelain stoneware with the warmth and stratification of natural stone.
The pattern of the floor tiles recurs in the ceiling design where the bulkheads are splayed to match the patterns on the floor.
Rounded slatted timber ceilings and seamless glass balustrades give the space a flowing appearance and emphasize its verticality and transparency. The monochrome colouring of all public areas adds a note of elegance. The lack of colour also deliberately avoids visual competition with individual shop façades.
The main elliptical atrium with the corian clad columns enhances the volume of the space and amplifies the lighting filtering through the skylight. The peripheral edge of the atrium is softened and unified by striated Xanita panels, coloured in a soft hue of grey. Black light channels set into the ceiling and the curved bulkhead support this effect by circumscribing the spatial apertures.
A handbook for store façade design was developed to ensure a cohesive look throughout the mall’s interior.
SUSTAINABILITY:
With a conscious awareness of the value of sustainable design we introduced numerous initiatives both in the finishes we selected finishes and the products we specified.
The refurbishment of the public toilets included the introduction of the Hygizone system which creates healthier and more hygienic bathrooms by limiting the spread of infection. The Hygizone system removes harmful odour and bacteria directly from the toilet bowl before this can contaminate the surrounding breathing space.
The introduction of waterless urinals eliminates the need for wasteful flushing and conserving the precious natural resource of water.
Lighting throughout the mall and parking areas was replaced with more efficient LED lighting. The use of motion sensors also reduces the malls power usage.
In addressing the large volume of existing bulkheads within the atrium, a lightweight slated feature was incorporated into the design. These slats were manufactured by Xanita. The product is an engineered fiberboard and is produced from previously used cardboard boxes and finished to the client’s requirements.
We ensured that our selection for the natural timber slats as the key feature to the organic ceiling detail to the atriums was a sustainable timber that met with the design criteria. We selected Merati as it is not listed in the CITES Appendices and if offers the most beautiful warm varying hues.
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