Leratong City, a new 35,000m² regional shopping centre under construction in Gauteng, is set to become the commercial anchor of a 350-hectare mixed-use development serving communities across Johannesburg’s western growth corridor.

Developed by McCormick Property Development (MPD) and designed by MDS Architecture, the centre represents MPD’s 88th retail development and one of its largest projects to date. Construction commenced in June 2025, with the mall scheduled to open in October 2026.

The development is strategically positioned at the intersection of routes connecting Mogale City, Soweto, Randfontein, Merafong, Roodepoort, Florida and Johannesburg. Over the next 10 to 15 years, the broader Leratong City precinct is expected to include approximately 15,000 residential units, government services, healthcare facilities and supporting commercial infrastructure.

The mall has been designed to respond to both regional retail demand and the need for community-focused public space.

“Our approach was fundamentally about creating a destination that serves the community beyond transactional retail,” says Louis Pretorius, partner at MDS Architecture. “The challenge was to deliver a commercially effective regional centre while creating spaces that encourage interaction, participation and a sense of ownership.”

A central amphitheatre forms one of the development’s defining features. The tiered outdoor space will accommodate performances, markets, community events and informal gatherings, while connecting directly with the mall’s primary circulation routes and food court.

Large sliding glass panels will allow the food court to open onto the amphitheatre, supporting indoor-outdoor dining and creating additional activation opportunities for tenants and event operators.

The architectural language references the area’s mining heritage. Angular steel entrance canopies, inspired by mine headgear, extend beyond the building envelope to create prominent arrival markers visible from the surrounding road network.

Internally, the main circulation spine incorporates a geometric ceiling treatment influenced by the form of an open-cast mine. Skylights introduce natural light and create changing patterns across the retail environment, while a restrained palette of earthy tones and whites allows tenant shopfronts and signage to provide colour and visual identity.

Flexible floor plates will accommodate a broad tenant mix, ranging from smaller retailers to larger-format stores. Generous circulation zones have also been designed to support pop-up retail, promotional activations and temporary markets.

Sustainability is a significant component of the development strategy. Leratong City will include rooftop solar infrastructure with an installed capacity of 3.3MW DC, comprising 5,376 photovoltaic modules and 21 120kW inverters. Indigenous landscaping around the amphitheatre will reduce irrigation demand and support natural cooling.

Pretorius says the development is intended to stimulate broader investment and infrastructure growth within the surrounding node.

“This is not simply another shopping destination. It is a catalyst for a much larger urban development, and the architecture supports that role through its public spaces, pedestrian connections and flexible commercial environments.”

The project is being delivered through collaboration between MPD, the Gauteng provincial government, Mogale City Local Municipality and Trendville. The professional team includes MDS Architecture, Quanticost, Civilconcept, Struxit, Ingplan, Watsol and main contractor Mike Buyskes.