Ava Centre

This 16-storey commercial centre contains ten levels of parking and six levels of commercial space. Three basement floors are used for underground parking and these are sandwiched between the first two basement floors that contain retail and a food market, and the floors above which have commercial spaces, an art centre for exhibitions, and two restaurants and a cafe. The main design challenge was how to turn this heterogeneous programme into an integrated structure so the two commercial sections at top and bottom would not become separated by the parking floors. In response, two vertical voids were inserted, that crossed both the retail and parking, providing natural light to all levels. Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture