SPECIAL REPORT: MORNINGSIDE

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ElEgant and contEmporary

shopping convEniEncEBy Bev Hermanson

The recently completed Morningside Shopping Centre boasts

some 80 handpicked retailers with an interesting mix of personally

owned and operated stores that offer the things that people want

most on a day-to-day basis.

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Morningside Pharmacy

Designed by MDS Architecture for developers Flanagan & Gerard Property Development and the Grapnel Property Group, the Morningside Shopping Centre, located on the corner of Rivonia and Outspan Roads in Johannesburg’s affluent northern sub-urbs is the epitome of minimalist, timeless design. A highly popular convenience centre, it has a pres-ence that is nevertheless chic and upmarket.

“The main aesthetic vision for the centre was to create an elegant and modern location that would suit its surroundings and cater for the upmarket patrons in the area”, notes Patrick Flanagan of Flanagan and Gerard Property Development and Investment. “We wanted to move away from the conventional shop-ping centre look. Various interior elements were taken into consideration, as well as the use and application of environmentally responsible practices where possible.”

Built on two levels, the 10 500 sq metre centre is dominated by a spread of eateries facing the open car park area. Here, you can relax at Tashas, Tsunami, Pomodoro, Green Peppers, Fego and other delec-table spots that all offer that open air ambience. One of the most distinctive aspects of this eastern perspective is the separate structure with its lower roof that allows light to filter in from above into the external covered seating area. The lounges are an extension of Jo’burg’s typical pavement style eating tradition that has been enjoyed for generations around the city.

Essential a dumpy u-shape in its layout, the upper level has an entrance on each side, leading from the open air parking area. Wide walkways and the double volume atrium dissected by a bridge, washed in natural light from the clerestory windows, impart a sense of space and effortless luxury.

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The finishes exude quality. White porcelain tiles, frameless glass shopfronts and stainless steel accents allow the tenant offerings to take centre stage. These are softened only by selected plant-scaping and understated signage which has been restricted to white branding on charcoal bulk-heads above the stores.

The focal point is a cluster of five enormous spherical lights that hang playfully over the atrium. Made by well known Cape Town designer, Heath Nash, the lights are a collection of recycled milk bottles that have artfully been pieced together to make the spheres.

On the opposite side of the upper level, the more formal Signature Restaurant takes in the beautiful views of Morningside and surrounds from the west elevation. Voted the Leisure Options best new res-taurant for 2009 and recipient of the Diners Club Platinum Award for its wine menu, Signature has a plush interior that was created by interior de-sign diva, Deborah Witkin. The colours were cho-sen to complement the view as it is seen at dusk – deep purples, browns, golds, elements of blue and pink. The bold tree patterns on the wallpaper are complemented by the bare branch shapes of the chandeliers. A selection of carefully sourced photographs of celebrities and state leaders, all in the act of adding their signature as autographs or his-tory-making contracts, are displayed as black and white canvasses in the ‘shop front’. Fortunately there is a separate lounge with a fully stocked bar for those that merely want to stop by for a drink, as this gastronomic venue is booked out every night.

The lower level, which is linked by a single set of escalators on the one side and lifts on the other, is shaped like a staggered cross, with an entrance from the covered parkade on the eastern side and an off-street entrance from Wagon Street in the west. In contrast to the neutral colour palette prescribed for the building, a large expanse of vibrant colour has

The understated signage has been restricted to white branding on charcoal bulkheads above the stores.

Five enormous lights made from recycled milk bottles provide a playful dimension to the atrium.

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been added in the form of a fabric artwork created by Lemon Décor. Conceptualised digitally and then printed on to fabric and framed in aluminium, it adds an extra dimension to the space above the entrance to the Pick ‘n Pay. The frame structure allows the artwork to be changed, creating the opportunity to change the mood and ambience of the centre, from time to time.

“When you design a minimalist style building, every-thing must have a purpose,” says Pierre Lahaye, partner at MDS Architecture. “The inspirational style is about subtle sophistication and timeless design. The minimalist aesthetic makes form a key factor in the design. This has given this centre a sculptural quality that is enhanced by the textures and ma-terials that were used.”

Unlike so many larger shopping malls that com-prise a host of outlets from national chain stores, the emphasis at the Morningside Shopping Centre is on providing a useful selection of stores that are mostly personally owned and operated. The Pick ‘n Pay as anchor tenant, Exclusive Books and the Standard Bank are the more universally known brands that add strength to the convenience offering. Amongst the balance of the tenants, there is a range of diver-sions and specialist boutique-styled stores that make regular visits to the centre worthwhile.

“Morningside Shopping Centre has a distinct look, feel and ambiance which have been achieved by the seamless merging of the interior and exterior design, and the unique retailers. The response to the centre has been positive and the community has taken to the new stylish, yet unpretentious, environment, which fuses modernism and func-tionality beautifully”, says Flanagan.

The overall effect is a classy centre, with a few signa-ture interior pieces which offer a cool and revitalizing approach to the shopping experience. <

In contrast to the neutral colour palette prescribed for the building, a large expanse of vibrant colour has been added in the form of a fabric artwork created by Lemon Décor.

The plush interior of Signature Restaurant designed by Deborah Witkin.

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