THE rapid expansion of the Sunningdale/Parklands area has prompted owners Garden Cities to develop a convenience centre to serve the area. 

Project facilitators/developers, Retail Africa, commissioned dhk Architects to design the centre, known as 'West Coast Village', which is located at the intersection of the West Coast (R27) and Sandown roads, a major link between Parklands, Sunningdale and Sunningdale North. The site is also easily accessible from Bloubergstrand, West Beach and Bloubergsands. 

dhk Architects has designed a 6 500m2 centre incorporating a West Coast vernacular including elements such as a courtyard, a roofed fresh air pedestrian street and the convenience line shops. 

James Wilkinson, dhk Architects' project architect, says that the courtyard was designed to create a place for coffee shops to spill into and will be landscaped with trees, vines for dappled shade and a fountain, to add to the village character. 

It was also planned to be protected from prevailing winds. 

Other architectural components such as pitched roofs, long barn-shaped buildings and the use of robust materials like timber, masonry, stonework, cobbles, quarry tiles and natural stone will complement the West Coast architecture. 

Derick Henstra says that retail trends in South Africa are rapidly changing and that their design embodies a response to this trend for smaller, more personal convenience centres. The centre has been conceived in collaboration with Retail Africa to appeal to surrounding families and home owners. 

It will be young, fresh and user-friendly and is intended to landmark the centre with a windmill, a familiar sight along the West Coast Road. 

Anchor tenants will include Pick & Pay (3 000m2), Woolworths Foods (400m2) and Clicks (450m2). In addition there will be approximately 40 speciality shops and convenience outlets. 

WBHO Construction, the main contractor, has commenced work and the anticipated completion date is July 2003.