Karawara welcomes Village Green

Waterford Plaza in Karawara has marked its transition from suburban shopping centre to contemporary urban village with a name change.

Phase one of its High Street redevelopment is now complete and the shopping centre has started its next chapter as Village Green.

“Village Green reflects an urban centre with a village vibe, where locals can shop, dine and socialise; somewhere they’ll be proud to call their own,” said Peter Atzemis, CEO of shopping centre owner GPA.

“This is a place where community, art and convenience come together.”

The shopping centre was originally known as Village Green when the Atzemis family bought it in 1991.

Over the years the family-owned business has invested in expanding and refurbishing the shopping centre, but the latest project has been the centre’s most colourful and community- minded revamp to date.

As the first stage of the project, the High Street redevelopment has brought an influx of features designed to encourage visitors to stay, socialise, shop, dine and connect.

More shade, dappled light, alfresco dining in a laneway-inspired precinct, bike racks, charging stations for phones and laptops, and a variety of seating options are among the many highlights.

Materials such as timber and tumbled brick help make the new feel old, highlighting the vision for a community space that feels authentic and welcoming.

Healthy burger brand Grill’d is the latest big name in casual dining to open at Village Green, while local restaurateur Tshering Gyeltshen at Druk has added traditional Bhutanese flavours to the new-look dining precinct.

Mr Atzemis said much had changed in the 12 years since the shopping centre’s last makeover, with new trends in shopping habits and the pandemic impacting the way people shop, stay local and look for convenience.

“Our new High Street hub represents a deliberate move away from the traditional shopping centre to more of a close-knit urban village,” he said.

Drawing everything together at Village Green is a vibrant series of major art installations that help the shopping centre transition from a daytime destination to a lively after-dark dining precinct.

LED artworks featuring artist Louise Monday’s thought-provoking Redacted Poems make a statement high above the pavements, while Kyle Hughes-Odgers has added colour and shape to the High Street itself with a bold road mural that morphs into a life-size contemporary tree sculpture. Noongar artist Jarni McGuire’s undulating, interactive sculpture Gnamma was inspired by traditional watering holes and the essence of community.

The next phase of redevelopment work at Village Green includes improved access and over all pedestrian flow throughout the village.