James Village Retail Centre, Papamoa

With all residential developments there is the need to provide good quality and well-located commercial nodes within and around them to service the needs of the local residential population.  This site was identified as such a node and was formed by the combination of several residential lots within an existing residential scheme.

This development started as a Masterplanning exercise, with F+D=A working as part of project control group alongside other development professionals, to define the highest and best use for the site, as well as a staging strategy for the client.  With all residential developments there is the need to provide good quality and well-located commercial nodes within and around them to service the needs of the local residential population.  This site was identified as such a node and was formed by the combination of several residential lots within an existing residential scheme.

James Village is Stage Two of this multi-stage Master Plan and comprises a single build of 1,100 sqm GFA on a 5,800 sqm site.  It is an approximately 9 tenancy center,  and is anchored at one end by a North-Eastern orientated Café including a generous alfresco eating offer, and at the other, an anticipated future major retailer, to be confirmed.  The other tenancies include fast food, service, and food related tenancies. Critical importance for the project was the recognition of the inclusion of the future entities, whilst providing a cohesive offer in the meantime.  Flexibility is the key for such developments, to maintain tenancy configuration flexibility, with a modular shopfront designed to enable relocation of the entrance joinery unit at any location.  The site also sets aside a corner site for a future hospitality offer, as identified in the Masterplan strategy.

The building façade was designed to provide articulation and interest along the length of the building, with variation in the type of veranda and material selection, and bespoke ‘Y-shaped’ column supports developed as a striking repeating feature.