Architectural and Landscaping Design Report

08020-024 Revision A
PCL Prattcorp
Croydon Central Shopping Centre
Architectural and Landscape Design Report
Town Planning Submission
Demaine Partnership Architects
Demaine Partnership Architects
Santel Architects
Eugene Gilligan, Landscape Architect
c/- 17 Madden Grove
Richmond 3121
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03 9428 3030
03 9428 3033
[email protected]
www.demaine.net
PCL Prattcorp
Croydon Central Redevelopment
Architectural and Landscape Design Report
Contents
1.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 4 2.0 The Site ................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Site Characteristics.............................................................................................................................. 4 2.2 Easements ........................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................. 4 2.4 Site topography ................................................................................................................................... 4 2.5 Zoning and Planning Controls. ........................................................................................................... 4 2.6 Commercial Conditions....................................................................................................................... 5 3.0 Design Parameters ............................................................................................................................... 5 3.1 Overview .............................................................................................................................................. 5 3.1.1 The Character of Croydon .............................................................................................................. 5 3.2 Functional Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 6 3.3 Strategic Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 6 3.4 Urban Design Response ..................................................................................................................... 6 3.4.1 Western end of site ......................................................................................................................... 6 3.4.2 Toorak Avenue Frontage................................................................................................................. 7 3.4.3 Wicklow Avenue Frontage............................................................................................................... 8 3.4.4 Wicklow Kent Avenue Corner .......................................................................................................... 8 3.4.5 Northern Frontage (Kent Avenue) ................................................................................................. 10 3.5 Interior Design ................................................................................................................................... 11 4.0 Design Language and Materials ......................................................................................................... 12 5.0 Landscape Design .............................................................................................................................. 14 5.1 Western Interface .............................................................................................................................. 14 5.2 Southern Interface ............................................................................................................................. 14 5.3 Eastern Interface ............................................................................................................................... 15 5.4 Northern Interface.............................................................................................................................. 16 5.5 Planting Selections ............................................................................................................................ 17 6.0 Future Connectivity ............................................................................................................................. 21 7.0 Environmental Design ......................................................................................................................... 21 8.0 Traffic Access...................................................................................................................................... 22 9.0 Technical Issues ................................................................................................................................. 22 9.1 Acoustic Issues ................................................................................................................................. 23 9.2 Structural Engineering ....................................................................................................................... 23 9.3 Civil Engineering ................................................................................................................................ 23 9.4 Lighting Strategy ............................................................................................................................... 23 9.5 Arborist's report ................................................................................................................................. 23 9.6 Staging .............................................................................................................................................. 23 10.0 Conclusion 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FIGURES
Figure 1. Western Interface (preliminary concept) ....................................................................................... 7 Figure 2. Toorak Avenue Frontage............................................................................................................... 7 Figure 3. Wicklow Avenue Frontage ............................................................................................................ 8 Figure 4. Kent and Wicklow Avenue Corner: Existing .................................................................................. 9 Figure 5. Wicklow and Kent Avenue Corner: Proposed ............................................................................... 9 Figure 6. Proposed Kent Avenue elevation ................................................................................................ 10 Figure 7. concept)
Detail of Kent Avenue Frontage: Food and Drink Premises with outdoor terrace (preliminary
10 Figure 8. Design Mood and Character Images: Natural Light, natural materials, external views............... 11 Figure 9. The natural Environment of the Yarra Ranges and artistic interpretation of this environment ..... 12 Figure 10. Layered treatment of eastern part of Toorak Avenue facade ...................................................... 13 Figure 11. Facade layering with landscape ................................................................................................. 14 Figure 12. Vertical planting Climbers on frames to facades ........................................................................ 15 Figure 13. Typical hedged planting to Wicklow Avenue frontage and balconies......................................... 15 Figure 14. Typical Stone and washed aggregate surfacing to entry points and terraces ............................ 16 Figure 15. Contoured planting to Kent Street frontage, contrasting trunk colour to stands of trees ............ 16 demaine
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1.0
Introduction
This report addresses the architectural and urban design aspects of the proposed redevelopment of the
Croydon Central Shopping Centre. Issues relating to Town Planning, Traffic and Acoustics are dealt with in
separate reports from specialist consultants as part of the overall submission. These areas are addressed in
this report to the extent that they have a bearing on the detailed design response.
2.0
The Site
2.1
Site Characteristics
The site is defined by the bounding roads Wicklow Avenue, Toorak Avenue and Kent Avenue.
The site is comprised of 4 titles, as follows:
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Volume 09524, Folio 179 (Primary Shopping Centre site)
Volume 10931, Folio 690 (Wicklow and Kent Street corner, Aldi Supermarket site)
Volume 08271, Folio 100 (Vacant allotment at the south west corner of the site, on Toorak Avenue)
Volume 10989, Folio 757 (Former Police Station site, Kent Avenue)
The overall site dimensions are approximately 353 metres, by 131 metres, with a site area of approximately
4.5 hectares.
2.2
Easements
The site is subject to a drainage easement. This contains a stormwater drain serving properties to the west
of the site. This pipe was re-routed as part of the development of the existing Aldi Supermarket. It is
proposed that the drain and drainage easement be relocated as part of the works.
2.3
Existing Conditions
The site is occupied by a shopping centre with a gross area of approximately 9000 square metres. The
centre is located centrally to the Kent Avenue frontage and fronts Toorak Avenue with a minimal setback.
The primary access points are via the Kent Avenue and the Wicklow Avenue carparks.
The centre is anchored by a Coles Supermarket of approximately 4500 m2. This is adjoined by a sloping
shopping mall containing 30 specialty shops. An Aldi Supermarket is located on the Kent Avenue frontage.
This is a freestanding building and is not integrated into the centre. The centre is surrounded by on grade
carparking for approximately 750 cars, fronting Kent Avenue and Wicklow Avenue.
2.4
Site topography
The site has a substantial slope, grading upwards 17 metres from east to west.
2.5
Zoning and Planning Controls.
The zoning and planning controls are dealt with in detail in the town planning report. From a design
standpoint, the critical issues are that:
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The existing retail areas are zoned Business 1.
The western end of the site is zoned Mixed Use, and the schedule to the zone does not allow for
retail uses.
The site is part of the Croydon Town Centre precinct and is categorized as a Major Activity Centre.
Development providing increased retail, commercial and high density residential uses is generally
supported within this precinct.
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2.6
The Structure Plan for the Croydon Main Street retail precinct envisages improved integration of the
retail precincts surrounding Main Street, the Croydon Central Shopping Centre, and the Arndale
Shopping Centre. The structure plan identifies opportunities for connections across the rail line and
train station that presently divides Croydon Central from Main Street. The Plan makes specific
recommendations around Croydon Central site including activation of street frontages, exploitation
the views surrounding the site, avoidance of visible ground level carparking, articulation of building
forms, use of effective landscaping, creation of outdoor areas with aspect to the surrounding
mountains, and improvements in pedestrian pathways through the site.
The planning policies applying to the residential areas to the west of the site identify the desire to
maintain the low density residential character of these areas, with houses set in verdant
surroundings.
The planning controls for the area to the east of the site identify the opportunity to create a more
robust and vibrant commercial urban environment along Wicklow Avenue opposite the site.
Commercial Conditions
The commercial conditions surrounding the project are dealt with in detail in the report by Deep End
Consultants. The issues relevant to the design of the centre are that:
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The commercial precinct in and around Main Street is facing significant commercial pressures, with
competing centres at Ringwood and Chirnside Park providing a broader range of retail offerings,
and drawing customers away from the Croydon town centre.
There is a need to broaden the retail offering in the precinct to hold onto local custom and to allow
shoppers to combine grocery and fresh food shopping with convenient access to a range of
specialty and discount department store offerings, as well as services and food and drink offerings.
A critical mass of retail offerings is required to create a full range centre. This requires a significant
increase in retail floor area. A smaller centre is unlikely to provide the critical spread of shops and
services, that will create a compelling offering to reduce the ongoing drift of custom to surrounding
retail centres.
Key existing tenant Coles has indicated a desire to redevelop the supermarket with a new style large
format store, incorporating an increased grocery offer combined with enhanced fresh food and
some lines more typically associated with discount department stores (small appliances, mobile
phones, apparel etc). This would be a flagship store for this region.
3.0
Design Parameters
3.1
Overview
3.1.1 The Character of Croydon
Croydon is frequently referred to as a 'gateway to the Yarra Ranges'. The area has a distinctly more verdant
character than adjoining suburbs such as Ringwood, and benefits from a rolling topography that affords
views to the mountains that contain the north eastern vista from the town centre. However the urban
environment around the town centre is visually 'tough'. The rail line and surrounding carparks and
infrastructure dominate views at street level from Wicklow Avenue, and the existing Croydon Central
Shopping Centre mirrors this character with large, open on grade carparking areas. These areas are
minimally relieved by low grade landscape, and there is little or no activation of the street frontages.
In contrast, the Toorak Avenue frontage is a treed, generally low density residential environment, further
softened by the sloping topography. The Kent Avenue frontage is also dominated by the landscape of the
adjoining Primary School and reserve.
The site therefore sits at a point of transition between tougher Wicklow Avenue environment and the more
verdant character of Kent and Toorak Avenue. The objective of the proposal is to mediate these competing
influences. If the facades of the current application are considered as an unfolded diorama, they commence
with a landscaped frontage supporting a future residential and mixed use interface at the top end of Toorak
Avenue, progressively developing as a landscaped interface along Toorak Avenue, then extending to form
an active retail frontage on Wicklow Avenue, then gradually softening as the building form extends up the hill
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of Kent Avenue, culminating in a low scale interface to the Scout Hall and residences at the top of this
frontage.
The objective of the design is to express the nature of the transition from a natural to an urban influenced
environment, with facades that are layered with landscape, articulated facade surfaces and a sophisticated
approach to form and massing. The design seeks to conceal carparking and service areas within this
perimeter facade and landscape, and to create attractive street interfaces on all frontages. The design
constructs a new active retail interface at street level on Wicklow Avenue, facilitating future repair and
connection of the urban fabric in the area between the site and Main Street. The design envisages and
enables the connection of the Croydon retail environment foreshadowed in the Croydon Town Centre
Structure Plan.
The key objectives of the design are as follows:
3.2
Functional Objectives
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3.3
Strategic Objectives
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3.4
To create a modern retail environment with broad range of retail offerings supported by services and
food and drink premises
Provide a high quality, weather protected retail environment with the main retail mall on one level,
without ramps or other transitions, providing safe pedestrian movement throughout the site
Provide a conveniently accessed, undercover and appropriately laid out carpark, concealed from
the surrounding streets
To conceal all service areas such as loading docks, rubbish collection areas and service
infrastructure, and to prevent conflicting pathways between centre patrons and vehicles servicing
the site.
To allow the existing Coles and Aldi Supermarkets to continue trading during the development, by
providing a first stage development that provides for new store for each of the supermarkets, and
decanting of these prior to demolition of the existing stores and development of the balance of the
site.
To provide a temporary carparking area to the roof of stage 1, allowing ongoing carparking for the
duration of the project.
To allow completion of the complex in Stage 2, including the construction of the majority of the mall
area, associated specialty shops, food and drink premises, Discount Department Store and Food
Court
Urban Design Response
The design responds to the town planning policy settings for the area as follows.
3.4.1 Western end of site
The retail functions in this area are located below the level of the upper end of the Toorak Avenue frontage,
to allow a platform to be established over the retail areas. This platform will provide the basis for the future
development of residential and mixed use functions. This platform is to be at a level of RL 27.8. No retail
functions will be provided above this level.
Outcome: retail centre will be largely concealed as viewed from the residential interface at Toorak Avenue.
The future development above RL 27.8 will be compatible with the residential environment.
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Figure 1. Western Interface (preliminary concept)
3.4.2 Toorak Avenue Frontage
The existing frontage consists of a chain mesh security fence preventing access to an extensive metal deck
roof over the existing covered carpark and the existing shopping centre. The eastern parts of this frontage
are characterized by a narrow landscaped strip in front of the south wall of the existing Coles Supermarket
and adjoining shops.
The current proposal replaces this interface with a configuration that provides opportunities for residential
development at the western end of the frontage. The design allows for the future development of
townhouses facing Toorak Avenue behind a suitable landscaped interface, and provides a boundary to
further residential development behind this frontage. It provides a layered design with tiered patterned
facades set behind a new landscaped zone concealing the retail service road to the middle and eastern part
of the frontage. These facades also serve an acoustic function to prevent sound break out from the loading
docks and service road. The high embankment opposite the site on Toorak Avenue places the residential
properties in this area significantly higher than the subject site. The design of the current proposal results in
minimal obstruction of views from these properties, across the retail elements of the site.
The service road is below ground level at the south west corner of the site. This provides protection against
visual and acoustic disturbance to adjoining properties at this end of the site.
Outcome: This frontage is designed to allow creation of a compatible residential interface, and a passive
landscaped interface to the back of the retail facilities.
Figure 2. Toorak Avenue Frontage
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3.4.3 Wicklow Avenue Frontage
The facade treatments to the Toorak Avenue frontage wrap around onto the upper facade of the Wicklow
Avenue frontage. However, these develop to create a series of articulated forms at various levels, and
creating active retail frontages to the street. This retail frontage conceals two levels of carparking beyond.
The frontage is set back from the title boundary to allow generous space provision for street planting, and
footpaths, and for angled carparking. The lower facades are transparent glazing providing good vistas into
the retail frontages. This model of a retail/commercial street interface reflects characteristics of the Croydon
Main Street retail environment, and is intended to provide a template for future development of the opposite
side of this street. Existing power lines will be relocated underground.
Outcome: This frontage transforms the existing frontage from an open carpark into an active and attractive
retail frontage with good quality street level landscape and street furniture.
Figure 3. Wicklow Avenue Frontage
3.4.4 Wicklow Kent Avenue Corner
The proposal creates a strong urban statement on this corner, with a transparent facade treatment providing
aspect into an active two storey retail/commercial tenancy. Above this, deep balcony areas open off the
food court area at mall level. These balconies again activate the streetscape and provide commanding
views to the Yarra Ranges beyond. The facades are set back to allow space for the canopies of existing
street trees.
Outcome: This corner is defined with strong architectural forms and the street is activated by entry points and
the transparency of the building facades, to create a strong urban statement at this frontage.
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Figure 4. Kent and Wicklow Avenue Corner: Existing
Figure 5. Wicklow and Kent Avenue Corner: Proposed
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3.4.5 Northern Frontage (Kent Avenue)
The retail functions at western end of this frontage are largely underground. A ramp at the north western
corner provides access to a service road running around the back of the facility. A ramp adjoining the
service road provides access up to a rooftop deck carpark which will serve the requirements of the first
stage of the development.
The frontage slopes such that the main entry to the mall is at street level at a point 100 metres from the north
western corner of the site. This entry point is marked by a projecting canopy and signage pillar,
complemented by landscaping and a water feature. The entry point is provided with short term carparking
and a porte cochere style drop off point. Pedestrian access is available directly from the Kent Avenue
footpath without crossing vehicular circulation areas.
At a point 125 metres from the north west corner of the site, the level of the frontage allows access via a
shallow ramp to the upper level of the basement carpark.
East of the carpark entry, a sloping landscaped area provides a foreground to a cafe with outdoor eating
areas and an outlook to Kent Avenue and the Yarra Ranges beyond.
Figure 6. Proposed Kent Avenue elevation
Figure 7. Detail of Kent Avenue Frontage: Food and Drink Premises with outdoor terrace (preliminary concept)
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3.5
Interior Design
The proposal differs from typical retail mall design in key areas. Malls are often characterized as windowless
boxes with no active external interfaces apart from entry points and in some cases token food and drink
premises adjacent to those entry points. The surroundings of the malls are dominated by either large
expanses of on grade parking, or perimeter multistorey carparking buildings. The external facades are
typically bland backdrops for generic illuminated retail signage. The poor quality of the surrounding
environment precludes visual connections between the mall spaces and the surrounding settings, and the
mall environment becomes introspective.
The Croydon Central development differs from these progenitors in the following areas:
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The carparking is located under and above the retail areas and is entirely concealed within the
building form.
The Service road allows all loading and waste management areas to be concealed.
The facility provides connections to the site boundary at the critical Wicklow Avenue frontage,
providing an active street frontage and transparency to tenancies within the complex, activating the
surrounding urban environment.
The mall is structured to allow vistas through perimeter windows to the surround environment, at the
Kent Avenue mall entry, the cafe tenancy overlooking Kent Avenue, the eastern end of the mall
facing towards Main Street, and the north eastern aspect across the Food Court, providing aspect
to the surrounding Yarra Ranges. In this way, the centre will connect to the setting both through
these views out from the interior, and through the transparency of the facades at key points allowing
views into the centre from the surrounding streets.
Figure 8. Design Mood and Character Images: Natural Light, natural materials, external views
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4.0
Design Language and Materials
The concept of transition between the natural and urban environments is synthesized in the facade
treatment. The patterning of the wall surfaces is derived from artistic expressions of typical Australian forest
environments. This expression is abstracted into a layered composition comprising the wall surfaces, the
patterning of these wall surfaces, overlays of trunk-like metal frames, and a foreground of layered landscape
treatment.
The materials used are patterned and coloured concrete, metal detail in contrasting dark grey and off white
finishes, sandstone facade cladding, dark coloured metal panel cladding, and the use of natural timber
finishes at contact points and at street level. Paving at street level will be a mix of stone, tile and washed
aggregate finishes. This simple palette is oriented towards natural tonings and will be set off by a concise
palette of landscape planting.
Figure 9. The natural Environment of the Yarra Ranges and artistic interpretation of this environment
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Figure 10.
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Layered treatment of eastern part of Toorak Avenue facade
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Figure 11.
5.0
Facade layering with landscape
Landscape Design
The landscaping of the site is considered as an integral part of the design solution. The landscape is
designed to respond to the particular characteristics of the key site frontages, with a concise planting
palette. All planting is native Australian vegetation, with a limited selection of indigenous planting. This
includes the Acacia Leprosa, Poa Labillardierei, and Corea Alba species. The trees and shrubs have been
selected to achieve colour and textural contrasts complementary to the building colouring and articulation.
5.1
Western Interface
This frontage provides a technical role in screening the adjoining residential properties and the scout hall.
The landscape replaces existing trees with canopy tree planting to provide scale and underplanting to
provide effective screening between the properties. The planting is arranged in two tiers adjacent residential
properties on Toorak Avenue. This is achieved by creating a deep planter over the lid to the service road,
creating a greater visual depth of planting at this interface.
5.2
Southern Interface
The landscape provides for clusters of taller trees with underplanting and ground covers. The planting
screens the fenceline along this frontage, and the screen wall to the service road. The colouring of the
foliage and trunks are selected to complement the colouring of the facade. Some species are selected to
climb over wall frames to further soften this interface.
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Figure 12.
5.3
Vertical planting Climbers on frames to facades
Eastern Interface
The Wicklow Avenue frontage is primarily an urban interface. The primary landscape will be provided by
street tree planting. The extent and species of planting is to be agreed with the local authority.
Low ground cover and hedged planting is provided to planters at the mall entry, planters at the Wicklow/Kent
Avenue corner and the balcony to the food court.
Figure 13.
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Typical hedged planting to Wicklow Avenue frontage and balconies
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Figure 14.
Typical Stone and washed aggregate surfacing to entry points and terraces
Figure 15.
Contoured planting to Kent Street frontage, contrasting trunk colour to stands of trees
5.4
Northern Interface
The Kent Avenue frontage is provided with a setback of between 7 and 19 metres. An embankment to the
east of the carpark basement entry is planted with ground covers and hedged planting with contrasting
foliage colouring in a wave pattern. The hedging will be maintained to achieve a three dimensional
contoured effect, contrasting with stands of white trunked snow gum trees. These are complemented by
retained trees adjacent to the carpark entry.
The planting theme is continued to the balance of the frontage, with a water feature provided at the main
mall entry point. Paving to this area is a mixture of washed aggregate concrete paving and stone inlays.
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5.5
Planting Selections
The following are images of plants selected for the landscaped areas of the site. This should be read in
conjunction with the landscape plan.
Left to right, to to bottom: Acacia Leprosa, Banksia 'Birthday Candles', Brachyscomemultifida, Clematis
Aristata, Corea Alba, Clematis Aristata (general view).
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Left to right, top to bottom: Correa Alba (hedged), Corymbia ficifolia, Eucalyptus pauciflora (3 views).
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Left to right, top to bottom: Grevillea Poorinda Royal, Grevillia Superb, Hakea Salicifolia, Leptospernum
Copper Sheen, Leucadendron Safari Sunset, Leucandendron Safari Sunset (general view), Myoporum,
Pennisetum.
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Left to right, top to bottom: Poa, Poa (close view), Westringia.
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6.0
Future Connectivity
The Croydon Town Centre Structure Plan identifies the objective of achieving better integration and
connectivity of Main Street and the Croydon Central site:
... Despite the importance of the Croydon rail station as a rail-bus interchange, the benefit of the
interchange to the surrounding retail and commercial uses is limited by poor linkages between the
Croydon Market and Main Street precincts. Pedestrian accessibility from the station to both precincts is
poor and there are few active frontages onto the rail station.'
'...A long standing goal of planning policy for the Croydon Town Centre has been the achievement of
greater integration of both the Croydon Market Shopping Centre and Main Street precincts with the
station precinct. This would not only promote higher public transport usage both to and from the centre,
but have benefits for traders who would have greater access to commuters as potential customers. At
present both precincts are poorly placed to serve commuters directly.'
The proposal creates an elevated mall level at the Wicklow Avenue frontage, and leaves the end of the mall
open to facilitate future connections to pedestrian linkages across the railway reserve. In addition, the
Wicklow Street frontage creates an active retail environment supplemented by a wide pedestrian footpath
and angled on street parking. This urban form provides a template for complementary development of the
east side of Wicklow Avenue to form a coherent retail streetscape at ground level, and the spacious design
of the main entry accommodates any ground level pedestrian linkages that may be established in the future.
The present design does not envisage any alteration to the pedestrian crossing points on Wicklow Avenue.
While offset in relation to the entry to the centre, moving the pedestrian crossing to a more central location
would be self defeating until the Rail Station and associated transport interchange is updated, since the
majority of the frontage to the rail station area is dominated by a park and ride carpark with minimal
allowances for pedestrian circulation. Maintaining the location of the existing crossing takes advantage of
the existing pedestrian pathways through the station carparks, and by quadrupling the width of the footways
in front of the Croydon Central Wicklow Avenue frontage, lateral movement from the crossing to the centre
entry point is greatly enhanced. In the longer term it is envisaged that overhead and street level linkages will
be optimized in parallel with any redevelopment of the transport interchange.
7.0
Environmental Design
Environmental design standards are regulated through application of the Building Code of Australia, in
particular Section J of the code. It is not possible or appropriate at the Town Planning stage to precisely
define the application of Environmental measures, prior to design development of the facility, which typically
takes place after the completion of the permit phase. Detailed and sophisticated simulation of
environmental conditions will be undertaken during the design development phase which will yield a more
precise understanding of the mix of measures that will deliver the best cost benefit for environmental
systems within the centre. In light of recent experience, the measures adopted within the centre will in many
cases exceed Section J requirements simply because, due to the long term commitment of PCL to this
investment, it is important to create a facility that is as energy efficient as possible in order to safeguard long
term competitiveness in the face of rapidly escalating energy costs.
However a general statement of environmental design has been prepared by engineers Umow Lai, as
follows:
The following has been prepared in order to provide an overview of the Environmentally Sustainable Design
(ESD) initiatives proposed for consideration for the Croydon Shopping Centre re-development.
The project team will take a holistic approach to sustainable building design and is committed to the
integration of sustainability principles in the planning and design of engineering services infrastructure,
building envelopes and building engineering services.
ESD initiatives are aimed at maximising energy efficiency, relating to the services in construction and
ongoing operation of the shopping centre.
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We will consider incorporation of various ESD measures, across all areas, some examples of measures
which may be utilised include:
 Selection and location of plant.
 Efficient equipment design, specification and selection, ensuring plant (such as pumps and fan
motors etc) draw as little energy as possible.
 Careful selection of construction materials and the subsequent impacts on environment.
 Utilisation of natural ventilation/ daylight where appropriate.
 Glazing selection.
 Systems promoting increases in Indoor air quality.
 Highly efficient lighting (indoor and outdoor).
Architectural measures to optimize the energy efficiency of the development are as follows:
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8.0
The mall is optimally oriented with roof light skylights and a roof light monitor, oriented north and
shaded to provide admission of natural light without undesirable heat gain.
The external walls and roof will be highly insulated.
The entry points will be provided with airlocks and door systems to minimize air and therefore
energy loss.
Artificial lighting will be selected and regulated to minimize energy consumption.
Fresh air will be admitted through the ventilation system to moderate internal temperatures, without
use of artificial tempering, when environmental conditions admit.
Equipment and systems will be selected to optimize overall facility efficiency.
Spatial allowance has been made for water retention on site for flushing of toilets and landscape
irrigation.
Solar systems including hot water and photovoltaic systems will be assessed for cost effectiveness
and practicality for inclusion in the overall ESD package.
Traffic Access
The traffic design is outlined in detail in the Traffic Engineer's report. The main features from an architectural
design perspective are as follows:
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Access points are provided to the retail carpark below the mall level at both Wicklow Avenue, where
the lower carpark level is close to natural grade, and from Kent Avenue, where the upper carpark
level is close to the natural grade at the centre of the Kent Street frontage.
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A secondary access is provided at the upper (western) end of the Kent Street frontage to the rooftop
carpark. This carpark will provide parking at the completion of stage 1 of the development, will in
large part be surplus to requirements after the completion of Stage 2 with the attendant basement
parking areas. The rooftop carpark will provide capacity for future residential and/or mixed use
development at the upper levels. The carpark will be provided with an exit only (left turn out) as a
short term measure during the construction of Stage 2.
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Angled convenience parking is provided on the Wicklow Avenue frontage.
A porte cochere and short term carparking is provided adjacent to the Kent Street pedestrian entry
point.
9.0
Technical Issues
Preliminary assessments have been completed with reference to the following areas:
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Arborist's report
Acoustic Assessment
Structural Engineering assessment
Civil engineering assessment
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9.1
Acoustic Issues
The proposed design allows for acoustic treatment of the service road to reduce break out noise required
levels. The height of the acoustic walls is determined by the acoustic engineers recommendations. Plant
locations have been addressed to control and contain potential noise issues.
9.2
Structural Engineering
Structural Engineering input has been sought to ensure that the structural grid is economically achievable,
and to assess the suitability of the retention of the site along Toorak Avenue. No issues have been identified
that would adversely affect the proposed design outcome.
9.3
Civil Engineering
9.4
Lighting Strategy
The existing drain that runs through the site will require relocation. Preliminary assessment indicates that this
should be feasible. Preliminary assessment has been undertaken in regard to control and management of
overland water flows. The assessment indicates a range of potential solutions to this issues, and that the
general arrangement of the building as shown is compatible with these solutions.
The lighting of the public areas of the centre will be developed to provide unobtrusive lighting for safety of
patrons and the general public within the areas surrounding and inside the centre. Lighting adjacent to
adjoining properties will be baffled to prevent light spill. Lighting to the Wicklow and Kent Avenue interfaces
will be configured to complement new on street lighting to be developed with the approval of the responsible
authorities. Lighting within these areas will include general low level lighting of pavement surfaces, soffit
lighting to overhanging canopies and building forms, borrowed light from retail tenancies adjoining the
street, and feature lighting highlighting facade elements, entry points and signage as appropriate. The
lighting design will meet the requirements of the applicable Australian Standards.
9.5
Arborist's report
9.6
Staging
The arborist's report identifies all trees on the site and their condition. The majority of trees are graded at
level 3 or below, and removal is considered reasonable. Some trees have been identified as suitable for
retention. However the generally approach taken is to develop a new landscape compatible with the design
concept. A net gain of 25 canopy trees, as indicated by the proposed new landscape plan, supports the
view that in the long term, a better overall result will be achieved by creation of an integrated landscape
solution at the outset of the project.
The development will be constructed in two stages, the first providing for the construction of the two
supermarkets and associated fresh food offer at the western end of the site, located to allow the existing
supermarkets to remain in operation during construction. Once Stage 1 is completed, the supermarkets will
decant into the new facilities, and will use the rooftop carpark to provide adequate carparking during the
construction of Stage 2. Stage 2 will consist of the demolition of the balance of the existing centre, and
construction of the balance of the mall areas, Discount Department Store, Food Court, Specialty shops and
Mini Majors, as well as the construction of the carpark areas.
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10.0 Conclusion
The proposed redevelopment of the Croydon Central Shopping Centre represents the largest retail
redevelopment proposal and investment in the Croydon Town Centre precinct in over 30 years. The
proposal provides a framework for achieving an integrated development solution that enables future
integration with Main Street, while also providing a starting point for the development of a comprehensive
residential interface to existing properties at the top end of Toorak and Kent Avenues.
We believe the proposal to be well considered, embodying an appropriate response to both written planning
policy, guide documents such as the Croydon Town Centre Structure Plan, and to input made by Council
during the pre-application consultation phases. The facility will enhance the commercial competitiveness of
the Croydon Town Centre area, fostering greater patronage of the area and will result in a significant
enhancement of the urban environment.
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