Overview
This project involved the comprehensive strip-out of a former tenant’s fit-out across five floors in a live shopping centre. The main goal was to return the space to a shell condition and subdivide it into smaller units, with a focus on creating flexibility for future retail tenants. Complex structural modifications, the installation of advanced safety and utility systems, and the modernisation of infrastructure were undertaken to ensure the facility could meet contemporary retail demands. The work also required precise coordination with ongoing retail operations, ensuring minimal disruption to the shopping centre’s daily activities.
Scope of Work
Strip-Out & Subdivision:
Removal of existing tenant fitouts across five floors, restoring the space back to its core shell condition.
Subdivide into multiple smaller retail units with serviced corridors, offering flexible leasing options for new tenants.
Installation of five new Landlord lifts and modernisation of one existing lift, enhancing vertical access within the shopping centre.
Structural Works:
Infill of an existing atrium at three levels with reinforced concrete slab infills, significantly increasing usable floor space.
Erection of structural steel framing within the former atrium to support the new layout and increase flexibility across all levels. Installation of 12 piles, each 15 m deep, with pile caps to support the new structure, all completed within the operational shopping centre.
Infrastructure & Safety Enhancements:
Alteration of existing layouts to create protected lobbies and stair cores, ensuring compliance with modern fire safety regulations.
Design and installation of smoke extraction systems throughout four existing staircases with protected lobbies, with new plant equipment installed at the roof level.
New life safety systems, including the installation of a dedicated Landlord life safety panel board, were introduced with a backup generator modification to ensure uninterrupted safety measures.
Retail Access & Services:
Design of all new units to offer mall-level access, either from the lower or upper mall, maximising retail visibility and customer traffic.
Installation of a new Landlord switch panel, complete with remote metering for individual tenant and Landlord energy supplies, ensuring operational efficiency.
Fully serviced corridors and staircases surrounding the newly formed retail spaces provided seamless access for tenants and customers alike.
Sectional Completion & Tenant Coordination:
A phased approach was taken to allow sectional completion and handover of individual units to incoming retailers.
Retailers commenced their shop fitouts while the landlord works continued, requiring meticulous planning to ensure smooth coordination and minimal disruption.
Summary
This project successfully transformed a five-floor commercial space within a live shopping centre into a flexible, modern retail environment. The intricate structural work, coupled with enhanced safety systems and infrastructure upgrades, prepared the space for future tenants while maintaining operational efficiency. Through careful planning and phased delivery, the shopping centre remained functional throughout the project, allowing tenants to carry out fit outs in parallel with the ongoing works. The result was a versatile, subdivided retail space equipped with modern services, providing a highly adaptable environment for retailers.
