Karrinyup Shopping Centre, Perth Building Project, Australia Architecture Photos

Karrinyup Shopping Centre in Perth

4 May 2021

Design: Hames Sharley

Location: Perth, Western Australia

Karrinyup Shopping Centre

In responding to the brief and AMP Capital’s vision for Karrinyup, design firms Taylor Robinson Chaney Broderick and Hames Sharley, working together as joint venture design collective TRHS, have developed an overall design narrative for the redevelopment of Karrinyup Shopping Centre. This design narrative draws inspiration from the local context – primarily the natural coastal context, but also the surrounding bush and urban settings – to create a truly unique shopping and entertainment offer.

The shopping centre, by nature of its functions, comprises of several precincts with distinct characteristics, but linked together by common design threads they present a unified and cohesive narrative.

For the new north fashion mall, the aim is to provide a fusion of nature and organic architecture. Clean contemporary lines, natural materials and a sinuous sweeping skylight form draw inspiration from the smooth curves of wave-forms and boat hulls. Light, bright and sandy tones form the base of the palette. Access to big skies from within is the key to the success of this mall.

The first-floor dining terrace similarly has a coastal expression with soft curved lines and a relaxed ambience created by a palette of natural materials and soft colours. Bringing the outdoors in is a key design objective, with plenty of natural light and a glazed east wall taking in the vista to the CBD and the hills in the distance.

The south mall is the new fresh food marketplace. It has a more urban, vibrant, street market ambience in the layout of tenancies and kiosks and the selection of materials and colour palette. The coastal influence still runs through however with wave-form timber batten ceilings referencing boardwalks through the dunes.

The western external dining and entertainment precinct is the new community heart of the centre. It is the new ‘backyard’ in the truest beachside lifestyle tradition. It is welcoming and relaxed with attention to detail, materials, colours and textures to give it a human scale. Protection from the elements is integral to the design and landscaping and water, like in all good backyards, are vital to the success of the space.

Karrinyup Shopping Centre is the premier shopping centre north of the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia. The proposed redevelopment by AMP Capital and UniSuper will on completion, be approximately 115,000m2 comprising new retail, food and beverage, entertainment, commercial space and residential apartments. The inclusion of large-format international retailers and a fresh food precinct will be the salient features of this redevelopment.

The key design themes which inform the design are:
Sea + Sand
Blue gold
Coastal
Bush
Urban/suburban

The architectural expression of organic forms and natural materials are informed and defined by these overarching themes throughout the exterior and interior of the centre. The layering of familiar textures and materials within the centre reflects an understanding and recognition of the local context. Open volumes, access to daylight where possible and providing shelter from the elements where necessary are crucial to providing a sense of openness and understanding of space – aiming to achieve an amazing sense of light and airiness reflecting the coastal cool lifestyle that is unique to the Perth coastline.