Cabinda Mall, Angola

Approached by a long standing client; our award-winning retail architects were tasked with the design and management of construction on Cabinda Mall, Angola.

In keeping with the clients vision of serving Africa as a whole, the brief dictates the need for a self sustaining centre of standardized construction methodology ensuring a community first approach/product.

Designing to meet, and exceed, all environmental, site specific, community and monetary concerns and conditions whilst maintaining a well defined architectural integrity and feel is thus the broad informant and point of departure on this project.

The retail centre is 5 200m² in total and is comprised of a anchor tenant (supermarket) supported by numerous line shops inclusive of banks, a pharmacy, clothing outlets, restaurants and various smaller shops catering for local tenants i.e. tech (cellphone) stores, coffee shops, boutique clothing outlets etc. The anchor tenant consists of a trade-floor, administrative offices, service departments (bakery, butchery, deli and fish shop), bulk-store, back of house, staff facilities and external yards and service areas.

The development further makes provision for covered walkways and seating areas in line with universal access design requirements and include large landscaped areas to further enhance the aesthetic appeal and experienced ambiance around the main structure. In order to best serve the community within which the centre is located, a balance is struck between vehicular parking, pedestrian access (walkways) and a taxi drop-off dictated by the clientele demographic.

Construction

Material and methodology in construction is well considered to ensure maximum use of local product whilst minimizing imports. Structures combine the use of steel, concrete and masonry to shorten construction time and minimize cost.

Sustainability

A state of the art water treatment and waste water treatment plant as well as diesel generators, air-conditioning and refrigeration plants ensure the fully autonomous operation of all facilities at all times as many areas do not enjoy well developed or maintained infrastructure in Angola.

The centre is furthermore designed to allow future expansion of ±600m² ensuring continued service to an expanding community.