When I look at the projects featured in this issue, I’m reminded all over again that architecture is, beyond its basic functions, crucial to so many other aspects of our lives. Certainly the new Umphakathi Mall in Randfontein, designed by MDS Architecture, is a place for people to shop. But at the same time, designed thoughtfully and with a sense of people’s multidimensional lives, it’s a community gathering place. If architects look for opportunities, a brief to design a shopping centre can also become a chance to enhance the social fabric of the region.
