T H E   G A L L E R I A 

Bellville, Western Cape

2009

 

The Galleria project is a proposal for a vast and substantial mixed use precinct.

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The precinct, situated adjacent to major access roads, includes the 1990’s Velodrome Stadium, sports facilities, open land and numerous linkages to the ever encroaching and expanding surrounding built fabric consisting of many building types and descriptions.

 Envisaged uses include : re modelling of the existing Velodrome facility, commercial office space, residential, hotels, retail, public and private open space and circulation – all massed upon a multi level parking structure.

 

The design strategy commenced with developing further the Urban Design Framework studies commenced by Henrie Comry and continued by Rob Meek of GAPP Architects and Urban designers. The studies proposed ‘build to envelopes’ and ‘use zones’.

The holding idea of the Galleria project is the central ‘spine’, (Galleria), which orders the layout of the entire precinct and around which the numerous mixed use building types and spaces are arranged.

 

The proposal is presented as a ‘visionary picture’ of the project. To progress this, the team dissected the overall and proposed Urban Design Frameworks into parts and individual buildings. Each building underwent a ‘sketch proposal process’ – but relevant to its location and intended use in the overall layout. Proposed open space – roads, courts, squares and gardens were dissected in the same manner. Thereafter, and with reference to the Urban Design Frameworks and the holding idea for the project, the parts were reassembled and the three dimensional views to produce the visionary picture of the precinct were created.

 

Thereafter, the 3D model itself was dismantled again, and using base diagrams, sketches for all the building types and spaces, building footprints were produced for further brief and space analysis, measurement and estimating of costs, structural and services resolution.

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VDMMA in association with R + L