Rob Bray, a BAI senior director, is the design architect for the project.  His extensive experience in commercial and retail design includes the concept designs for the highly successful Pavilion Centre and the award-winning Clearwater Mall.

Greenstone Mall, a R700 million Sasol Pension Fund venture, is situated on a 21 hectare site acquired by the Fund in 2004.  The shopping centre is ideally positioned in the southwestern corner of the 4 200 hectare Greenstone Hill development on the site of the former AECI Modderfontein chemical factory. 

Greenstone Hill, a Heartland Project, is one of the largest mixed-use ventures in South Africa where commercial and residential zones surround the retail zone.  The Mall caters to the rising population densities and increasing spending power in the Hill’s primary catchment area that includes the upmarket Modderfontein residential area, Edenvale, Linksfield, Linbro Park and Lombardy East. 

The 75 000m2 development is rapidly becoming a preferred shopping destination with 260 000 shoppers reported during the opening week.  “The style of the Mall is contemporary, with sophisticated finishes and standards.  It has been designed to be a state-of-the-art facility providing the utmost shopper comfort levels and convenience,” says Bray.  “A ring road system with a large undercover component which reduces walking distances to the centre, ensures that the 4 500 parking bays are, on average, no more than 80m from any of the six entrances.”

There has been an excellent tenant response to this new retail space.  A Pick ‘n Pay hypermarket is the anchor at 12 000m2.  The 150 tenants include Woolworths, Game, Clicks, the Foschini Group, Truworths, The Hub and Pepkor.  The Mr Price Group has introduced a 2 033m2 Mr Price Sports outlet in the centre and with 2 500m2, the Greenstone Dischem is one of the largest in the country.  Fifty line shops, four major banks, an eight cinema Ster Kinekor complex, a bowling centre, restaurants, fast food outlets, and a wide range of services ensure that Greenstone is an exceptionally convenient mall catering to a wide range of shopping, service and entertainment requirements.  “The mall opened at a high level of completion with all public spaces clean and neat – unusual in this day of fast track programmes – a credit to BAI Director Brian Diack who led the professional team,” added Bray.

The two-level configuration of the Mall has dramatic, well-lit internal volumes.  Bray says that there are two unusual and defining aspects of the structure.  The design of a retail environment involves many interrelated features that improve the quality and efficiency of lighting, heating and cooling systems.  The envelope, or the structure of the building also forms part of these systems.  Bray says that the use of structure in a creative arrangement has created world-class interior spaces at very little extra cost.  “Your structure is a necessity so use what you have got ‘for free’ to create spaces.”

A design challenge, particularly in the retail environment, is balancing and controlling the light levels from various sources.  To create the most effective lighting levels Bray’s design has incorporated clerestory lighting and the exposure of certain light enhancing elements of the structure.  “It’s an expression of light in a very contemporary way,” he says.  “The design allows for indirect light which cuts down on the glare, minimizes heat and balances internal artificial illumination.”

Another interesting and unusual design aspect of Greenstone Mall is the synergy between the indoor and outdoor components.  There is an outside landscaped green zone which links horizontally with a centrally enclosed zone containing the restaurants and the entertainment and promotions court.  “The two components are separated by an impressive glass wall containing huge rotating doors which open and allow the two spaces to become one,” explains Bray.

The relatively new concept of home, work, shopping and play in the same area has proved successful in South Africa.  Extensive demographic studies confirmed the need for the development and it is expected that the aesthetically pleasing and well-designed Greenstone Mall will substantially contribute to the quality of life in the area.

Ideally situated with high visibility on the elevated crest west of the Edenvale CBD and serviced by a strong existing road infrastructure with easy access to the N1, it is expected that the Greenstone Mall will become the hub of retail and recreational activity in the Modderfontein and Edenvale areas as well as the future residential infill between the N3 and M1 highways to the west of the site.