Queensland’s Sunshine Plaza has released its latest artist impressions for the $400 million expansion scheduled to be completed next year.
Lendlease has engaged global architecture, planning and design firm Callison RTKL, to lead the creative design process for the centre’s expansion and set the long term vision for Sunshine Plaza.
Gary Horwitz, Lendlease head of Retail, said he hoped the local community will embrace the new exterior concepts presented to council this week.
“Sunshine Plaza has always been renowned as a very unique shopping centre set on the natural waterway of Cornmeal Creek,” Horwitz said. “When the centre first opened in 1994 it was met with a great amount of excitement, and we intend to deliver something just as special with this redevelopment.”
Horwitz said they want to create an amazing space that reflects the best lifestyle qualities the Sunshine Coast is famous for.
“By expanding along Cornmeal Creek, with a new outdoor waterfront dining along what will become Cornmeal Promenade, we are further enhancing the ‘indoor/outdoor’ experience that Sunshine Plaza is so favourably known for,” he said.
Callison RTKL’s vision for the centre includes an overarching theme ‘Home is my Holiday’.
According to Sunshine Plaza, the intent of the theme is to represent the guest experience of locals and tourists alike when they visit the centre, and has been referenced to inform all aspects of the centre’s design and brand refresh.
Katie Sprague, Callison RTKL senior vice president, said from the onset they understood how special Sunshine Plaza was to the community and to the Lendlease teams involved in its evolution.
“We were committed to design something that was tailor made to Maroochydore, creating relevant connections: the new phase to the existing, an urban development to nature, and the wonderful people to a place they have long called home.”
To reflect the centre’s transformation, the existing centre logo has been updated, incorporating a contemporary design in the shape of the sun, with water reflected through the colour and droplets to capture the essence of the Sunshine Coast and its people.
Michael Manwaring, Sunshine Plaza centre manager, said the new logo will align the Sunshine Plaza brand with the revitalised centre when it is completed late next year.
Construction works are currently on track with over 200 construction personnel on site daily through the current phase of construction. Key activities include the new Kmart multi-level carpark, additional two-level Myer rooftop parking, a new Myer loading dock and various in ground services.
Upon completion, customers will enjoy over 34,000sqm of additional retail space with the region’s first David Jones department store, a new BIG W, a refurbished Myer, a new Amaroo Street mall entrance, Cornmeal Promenade dining precinct, large format fashion operators and over 100 new specialty stores, bringing highly sought-after fashion brands to the Sunshine Coast.
The transformation of the centre is due for completion prior to Christmas 2018.
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