Kagiso Mall in Krugersdorp won in the category for new centres smaller than 20 000m2.

Middelburg Mall, Sandton City, Kagiso Mall, Tribeca Standard Restaurant at Lynnwood Bridge and Hackett London at Sandton City all won top honours at the annual South African shopping centre industry awards.

Winners of the retail design and development awards (RDDA) 2012, a South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) initiative, were announced at the SACSC’s recent annual congress, held in Durban.

The RDDA awards are sponsored by Nedbank Corporate Property Finance and recognise exceptional shopping centre design, and economic success in the South African property industry.

Amanda Stops, general manager of SACSC, says that retail plays an essential role in the South African economy and shopping centres are the bases for this significant economic activity. Furthering excellence in retail is of wide benefit. The competitive display of entries received this year is a first-rate sign of retail sector innovation and business strategy. It also shows the industry holds the hotly-contested RDDA awards in high esteem.

The adjudicators, a panel of recognised and respected retail and property professionals, were challenged to select the best-of-the-best from developments of the highest calibre in the SA retail property industry. They approached the task by looking at the complete package: excellent design resolution, overall development objective, response to environment and market, innovative solutions and sustainability.

Saluted for its outstanding design and function, Middelburg Mall in Mpumalanga won the RDDA award for a shopping centre larger than 20000m2, to the credit of architect MDS Architecture and developers Flanagan & Gerard and Moolman Group. In this category, judges also commended Greater Edendale Mall in KwaZulu-Natal, developed by McCormick Property Development with MDS Architecture.

Victory in the category for new centres smaller than 20 000m2 went to the redeveloped Kagiso Mall in Krugersdorp, developed by Old Mutual Property and designed by KMH Architects.

Taking the crown in the retail centre expansion or renovation category was Sandton City’s repositioning phase one. The developers are Liberty Group Limited and Pareto Limited with MDS Architecture and MMA Architects.

Two commendations were declared in this category: the extension and alteration of Liberty Promenade in Gugulethu by Liberty Property Developments and Vivid Architects, and Ballito Lifestyle Centre Edgars extension by developers LAHAF (Pty) Ltd T/A Lifestyle Centre Ballito and Evolution Architects.

For the design of a shop or restaurant in a shopping centre, the quality of entries left judges hard-pressed to select a single champion. Instead, they pinned stars on two winning designs: Tribeca Standard Restaurant at Lynnwood Bridge designed by Braam De Villiers and Hackett London at Sandton City, designed by Michael Carey.

Frank Berkeley, managing executive of Nedbank Corporate Property Finance, says the bank’s funding criteria for the retail sector looks beyond the numbers, as it takes into account the level of detail and consideration that has gone into the design, amongst others.

“The amount of effort that goes into this aspect is evidenced in the hard time that the judges had in deciding on winners,” says Berkeley.