Princess Mkabayi Mall celebrates modern design with respectful historical and cultural references

Princess Mkabayi Mall, a 30 000 m2 regional shopping centre located in Vryheid in northern KwaZulu Natal, is a beautiful retail environment created by MDS Architecture for lead developer Moolman Property Group.

As the biggest consolidated retail offering in an almost 100 km radius, Princess Mkabayi Mall serves as a place of gathering where the local community can come together. 

Pierre Lahaye, MDS Architecture partner, says that Princess Mkabayi Mall stands proud as a tribute to Zulu royalty and a place where community can gather together. “It was important to combine aspirational contemporary design that appeals to a modern society while respecting the history and culture of the local community,” he says.

Moolman Group is also a co-owner with Twin City, JB Holdings, and Green Giraffe. While the project was years in the making, it officially opened in November 2024 following a 15-month construction period.

Princess Mkabayi Mall boasts free parking and is public transport friendly, with a taxi rank located at the shopping centre. It includes a large entertainment space and play area for children, a central meeting area, and eateries for all tastes.

Location and site

Vryheid is quite isolated and not easy to reach. With Newcastle around 1,5 hours away, it fits into Moolman Group’s strategy for rural retail by ensuring that locals do not need to travel long distances for world class shopping and entertainment. “Its location and transport integration make the shopping centre accessible to communities of Vryheid, Newcastle, Paulpietersburg, Mondlo, Frischgewaagd, Piet Retief, Glencoe, Dundee, and Nqutu,” explains Moolman Group’s Steph Beyers.

The site for Princess Mkabayi Mall is on the outskirts of town. It is located next to a school and adjacent to an airfield – important factors which had to be considered in the design. The site is easily accessed from the R34 or R60 and close to the town and vehicular access at Princess Mkabayi Mall has created synergy between retailers in town and those in the mall, which has over 800 parking bays.

Building and tenants

Princess Mkabayi Mall is anchored by Shoprite, Checkers, Dis-Chem, Jaywelani, Woolworths and Clicks. In addition, it offers Cape Union Mart, Pick n Pay Clothing, the apparel and home offerings of both Pep and Jet, Old Khaki, Mugg & Bean, Crazy Plastics and Crazy Pets, to name a few.

Home to over 70 stores, the tenant mix appeals to both higher and lower LSMs and the food court in the centre offers large, covered areas where people can hang out in the shade - an important addition in a location where the temperature varies from extreme heat of 35 degrees, right down to zero and snow during winter.

Bold design at main entrance

Princess Mkabayi Mall has three prominent entrances. High glazed entrances with views to the interior create multi-coloured drama, while triangular-shaped columns feature strongly and create covered walkways. The triangular pattern is repeated throughout the development, evoking woven natural materials.

“Weaving and traditional patterns were typically used to decorate local homes, We drew inspiration from the environment – hills, grasslands, forests and the vibrant Zulu community. The contemporary African design style is layered with architectural finishes that resonate in terms of textures, moods and patterns,” explains Lahaye.

Evoking an interpretation of local architecture, triangular forms appear to hold up a wide canopy cover with a Hollywood sign, against a rich, velvety brown backdrop, which creates a powerful sense of arrival. The sign at the entrance to Princess Mkabayi Mall, made up of free -standing letters in powder-coated aluminium placed on top of a short wall.

A nod to a proud history

A fountain at the main entrance pays homage to the nine kings history of the Zulu nation, featuring cutouts with each king’s name that cast shadows on the ground. “The presence of the nine kings is keenly felt as shadows from the structure fall upon guests,” explains Lahaye.

The fountain is integrated with landscaping and ground cover. At night, lighting creates drama with the ability to flexibly adapt to suit festivities.

Restaurants Nandos and Spur overlook the water feature and glazing ensures uninterrupted views outwards. The building is perched on an elevated platform, enabling guests to look out towards the mountains and countryside beyond the homes below.

The other two entrances are similar in design and serve to bookend the centre. A covered walkway from the prominently placed transport terminal leads into the Shoprite end of the shopping centre. In this area, the curved portion of wall features slatted details which evoke weaving as well as graphics and welcoming artworks on the wall, drawing your eye in and elevating the prominence of the transport terminal.

Interior furniture, fittings and equipment

Moolmans Property Group was intricately involved in the furniture, fitting and equipment at Princess Mkabayi Mall. Finishes in tactile materials such as timber play a huge role in creating interest, as do shapes and forms, including oversized pendant lights which evoke beehive huts.

Signage was carefully considered. “We wanted to provide important information in a way that was more detailed,” explains Cornel Papenfus, head of marketing at Moolman Group, “We therefore incorporated patterns to relate to and compliment the architecture using clay, natural tones and khaki weaves. In the promotional courts, a tiling pattern was designed with reference to elongated triangles.

The visual impact of the tiling pattern is significant and was created by using standard tiles to create triangles that look like birds scattering. “The flooring pattern is important in areas of transition. Visitors’ eyes are drawn to the floor, such as when one transitions into the food court area,” explains Lahaye.

A gallery for retail

Bespoke, oversized linear light fittings draw the eye upwards and reference the local vernacular architecture while aligning with the lines of a contemporary building. Simple vertical details were introduced to break the extent of light and dark bulkheads and frames around the windows.

Says Lahaye, “Our vision was to create a gallery for retail. All interiors feature natural light, which is best for exhibiting retail. Adding to this ambience are light and dark bulkheads as well as dark frames around windows.”

The centre incorporates solar power and is equipped to ensure non-stop shopping during electricity disruptions. Water for use in the landscaping irrigation system will be provided by the borehole. and water-wise sanitary fittings have been utilised.

Food court area

The food court area is a communal place of gathering with a large tree as a focal point. Kiosks on either side of the tree offer wifi, comfortable desks seating at bar height which encourages visitors to spend time in the space.

The children’s play area includes a hand-painted pattern on bulkheads by a local artist. Themed to evoke beading on a pole, the area uses colour, light and texture to create a playful environment.

Function and fun both play important roles in the design of the centre, working seamlessly together.

A giant chessboard was incorporated into the design with feedback that chessboards in other shopping centres in the Moolman Group’s portfolio create great opportunities for discussion, viewership and engagement.

Internal promotional courts

Great thought was given to the positioning of tenants in internal promotional courts in terms of flow and how visitors find their way around the building. Curved malls entice shoppers to discover as they move along, breaking up their journey through the building and providing visual stimulation.

Tactile experiences

Ceilings in the passages feature a triangular detail with cove light which lends an enticing glow to the overhead bulkheads. The bulkheads feature local street and graffiti art.

The two transition areas in Princess Mkabayi Mall are marked by pop-up kiosks. Pendants handmade using a different technique – vertical stringing - introduce a new design flavour. Transition spaces feature timber, bringing a tactile feel to the point of transition.

“Ablutions are such an important aspect of shopping centre design,” explains Lahaye. “Aside from the need for them to be inviting and clean, it matters that a negative tactile experience would taint the way the whole building is experienced.”

The men’s facilities include handmade terracotta Kit Kat tiles, creating an interesting synergy between the locally made individual tiles and the imported Italian porcelain tiles used on the floor.  The ceiling features timber detailing and the ablutions include a floating vanity with backlit mirrors. Taps are metered and sanitary fittings, back lit mirrors sense of class. Solid timber doors, finishes.

The female ablution facilities feature solid timber doors. Not only are they sturdy and aesthetic, but they are valuable for ongoing maintenance and repairs, unlike cheaper veneer options.

It’s all in the details

Stimulating the local economy is always a consideration for Moolman Group. In the case of Princess Mkabayi Mall, the project resulted in over R50m being ploughed into the local economy during construction. In addition, several initiatives were put in place to ensure locals are prioritised for employment at the mall's various retailers and for the mall’s ongoing operations. The Ithemba Emporium is a dedicated space in Princess Mkabayi Mall where local entrepreneurs can showcase their products.

An important aspect of including the community in the mall is through art, with locals competing online to have their art displayed in the centre. The designs of the successful submissions have been incorporated, together with locally inspired words, colours, and patterns, seamlessly blending these elements into the overall aesthetic.

Princess Mkabayi Mall was inspired by the rich legacy of Prince Mkabayi KaJama and the culture of the local community. It is evident that a lot of consideration went into the detailing at Princess Mkabayi Mall, which Lahaye explains was due to the dedication and involvement of Moolman Group’s team, who produced workbooks to consider every detail of design and develop fixtures and fittings from paper to reality.

“Shopfitting was given careful thought. Benches, wastebins and other standard fittings were interrogated and designed to work individually or in clusters. Colours compliment the colour palette for the shopping centre and angles of all furniture and fittings were evaluated for long-term suitability.”

“An array of thoughtful elements have been incorporated across the centre, including lighting, murals, installations, landscaping, indoor plants, and furniture. It was remarkable to work in such a collaborative way with client and the final result speaks volumes about the power of a winning partnership,” concludes Lahaye.

"Working collaboratively with the client yielded an outstanding final result," concludes Lahaye.

Professional team