HEARTS

St Lukes had a problem familiar to many centres — empty tenancies quietly eroding the customer experience. With families a key demographic, we saw a chance to turn a liability into a destination. This tenancy had already earned its keep through two temporary activations we'd delivered — a Christmas space and a kids' play area — that shoppers simply didn't want to give back. It was time to make it permanent.

Most kids' play spaces in shopping centres are an afterthought: a fenced-off corner and some foam mats. Monty's Jungle deserved more — a considered interior fit-out with the warmth and quality of a good early-childhood space. And because it's still a tenancy, every element was engineered to relocate, protecting the centre's investment without compromising the finish.

Custom trees anchor the room — a towering 4.8m hero tree with a reading nook tucked inside, and freestanding canopy trees with built-in seating and storage. Sensory walls, a block-pit pond, banana-print details and modular furnishings on castors let the space flex between Monty Mornings, school-holiday programmes and everyday free play. A palette of natural ply, soft greens and neutrals keeps it warm and welcoming while sitting comfortably alongside Monty's blue and Westfield red.