Page 13 - Landscape-Issue155

PROJECT

A giant chess board next to the play zone creates an opportunity for The children’s play zone next to the food court is a safe structure with an impact
discussion and social engagement. resistant surface. Colour and texture create a playful environment.

moisture and reduce evaporation.
The system features drip irrigation and
delivers water directly to the root zones of
plants. This method is significantly more
efficient than conventional irrigation,
typically reducing water usage in
landscaped areas by approximately 25%
to 30%.
Indoor play zone
Rambrass International was responsible
for installing a children’s play area
adjacent to the mall’s food court. It uses
colour and texture to create a playful
environment. Oosie Oosthuizen, general
manager of Rambrass, says that their
in-house factory and engineering team
developed a “practical and durable
Entrance to the Princess Mkabayi Mall manufacturing solution to transform the
design into a fully functional and safe play
structure”.
and complement the building’s capable of tolerating both extreme cold The entire installation was fabricated
architectural finishes. These muted, warm and intense heat. Hardy, water wise, and from A-grade mild steel, with all shapes
hues evoke a sense of grounded elegance low maintenance plants were specified and components custom-designed and
and timelessness, while also enhancing to ensure resilience and long-term hand-made from laser cut mild steel
the overall cohesion between built and sustainability. plate. Each piece was welded, primed
landscaped elements. and finished with two coats of premium
MDS Architects oversaw the Landscape installation and automotive paint to ensure longevity.
construction detailing of the paving, irrigation To ensure child safety, a shock-
planters and seating walls. Landscape This was undertaken by Jaco Swanepoel absorbing pad and wet-pour rubber
architect Tiaan Laker designed and of RSA Landscaping and comprised surface were installed, providing a
detailed the water feature, which was the planting of 290 trees, 4400sqm seamless, impact resistant play surface.
constructed by Greenacres Landscapes. of soft landscaping, 2600sqm of The end result is a striking and robust
hard landscaping, hydroseeding and indoor play zone that enhances Princess
Environmental considerations rehabilitation/ reinstatement of approx. Mkabayi Mall’s family-friendly appeal,
Vryheid is located in KZN, a province 49 500sqm. while maintaining the highest standards
associated with a tropical climate. The irrigation system is supplied with of quality, safety and craftsmanship.
However, it experiences weather water from a borehole, ensuring a reliable
conditions more akin to Johannesburg, source for landscape maintenance. To Information supplied by Tiaan Laker, THE
with notably cold winters. As a result, conserve water, mulching is applied to Landscape Architects. Photos by Jaco
the planting strategy required species all plant bed areas, helping to retain soil Swanepoel, RSA Landscaping. n

Check us out www.salandscape.co.za Landscape SA • Issue 154 2025 11