LUSSO is TBAD’s repositioning of The Bridge into a people-first commercial destination. The brief was blunt: stop the drift, lift dwell time, and make the street work day to night. We kept the bones and rebuilt the experience — clearer approaches, safer crossings, shaded pauses, disciplined shopfronts and a lighting hierarchy that feels elegant after dark. Less lipstick, more urban logic.
What we set out to fix
Fragmented entrances, dated façades, confusing signage and low night-time confidence were depressing tenant performance. We treated the whole block as one system — street, plaza, façade and brand expression working together.
How we solved it
Evidence first: desire-line mapping, sun/wind study, services audits and a signage rationalisation. Design followed function — modular cladding for cost control, widened sidewalks, cycle-friendly edges, durable pavers, integrated planters and rooftop-greening readiness. Wayfinding is now legible at car, bike and pedestrian speeds. Photo-real visualisations and 3D walkthroughs aligned every stakeholder early, shortening approvals.
TBAD+ doing the heavy lifting
Great drawings don’t deliver themselves. TBAD+ coordinated tenders, contractor onboarding, vendor alignment, shopfront guidelines, programme oversight, quality control, H&S and handover. One accountable team from concept to completion — fewer surprises, tighter timelines, cleaner finishes.
Why it works
By aligning public-realm design with retail operations, LUSSO converts footfall into longer dwell and bigger baskets while reducing maintenance drag. The result is a calm, contemporary identity with measurable uplift and a safer, busier street edge.
Scope
Commercial architecture, façade refurbishment, public-realm and landscape design, lighting strategy, signage system, BIM coordination, stakeholder engagement, TBAD+ project management & site coordination.
About the studio
Theo Bothma Architects and Design (TBAD) creates luxury, bespoke ‘SPACES’ across Africa and Europe — architecture, interiors and lifestyle curation — led by Principal Architect Theo Arewa-Bothma. We pair strong ideas with disciplined delivery so clients get elegance that performs.
Discover how we turn dream locations into timeless ‘SPACES’ at www.tbad.co.za.