1. EXPERT SPEAK
34 | Shopping Centre News | DECEMBER 2015-JANUARY 2016
GLOBAL SHOPPING CENTRE
DESIGN TRENDS
Shopping centre development and
redevelopment worldwide has entered
an age of specialisation. No longer is
the suburban mall the king. Developers
are now pushing the boundaries and
executing projects that are not only
commercially successful but in many
cases deliver a greatly enhanced guest
experience to the centres.
T
he shoppers in the western markets are bored of the tradiƟonal department store anchored classic
suburban malls. Some of these malls havebeen kept up to datethrough renovaƟng the common
areas and improving the merchant mix while others havedone very liƩle. Given that some of these
shopping centres havebeen trading since the 1950’s and 60’s, changing tastes, preferences and
expectaƟons are simply not being saƟsfied with today’s energeƟc and wired consumer.
Today’s shopping centre consumer has the widest choice of shopping opƟons in the history of mankind.
Simply from the palm of our hands using our smart phones we can buy almost anything from anywhere
through the magic of ecommerce. To moƟvate today’s consumer to visit a parƟcular shopping centre is no
longer a forgone conclusion. Some leading retail real estate investors have analysed these new trends and
have responded with imaginaƟve shopping and civic place making desƟnaƟons.BY PHIL MCARTHUR

2. DECEMBER 2015-JANUARY 2016 Shopping Centre News | 35
IN NUMEROUS URBAN AREAS OF THE WORLD, MIXED-USE
DEVELOPMENTS WITH SIZEABLE RETAIL OFFERINGS ARE LEADING
THE WAY IN THE REVITALIZATION OF CITIES. THESE PROJECTS ARE
OFTEN COMPLETED IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE LOCAL
MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES.
One of the greatest aƩribute of the shopping
centre industry is our ability to share informaƟon and
seek out new ways of delivering retail excellence and
innovaƟon. I have always been proud of the shopping
centre industry in promoƟng industry educaƟon
and awarding high achievers through programs
such as the ICSC Viva awards for global design and
development excellence.
While many mature economies have been
developing shopping centres for over 50 years, in
other markets such as India, Russia, the Middle East,
Malaysia and China, organised retail development is
just hiƫng it’s stride.
Here are the 11 trends the ICSC Viva commiƩee
has idenƟfied worldwide:
URBAN RENEWAL AND REVITALIZATION
In numerous urban areas of the world, mixed-use
developments with sizeable retail offerings are
leading the way in the revitalizaƟon of ciƟes. These
projects are oŌen completed in close coordinaƟon
with the local municipal authoriƟes. Designers of
these projects are charged with the task of not only
developing profitable real estate but also creaƟng
a desƟnaƟon that will contribute to the overall
advancement in the fabric of these ciƟes.
City Creek in Salt Lake City Utah and Metropolis
in Moscow. It is felt that this trend will gather
momentum as world populaƟons conƟnue to
move to the ciƟes puƫng pressure on local
authoriƟes to find external sources to fund the
much needed infrastructure
RECREATING MAIN STREET
As a direct response to the invasion of the
millennials and their passion for e-commerce
combined with the fact that hoards of people are
simply bored with tradiƟonal enclosed suburban
malls, numerous developers have been recently
moƟvated to try a new soluƟon to mall retailing.
These retail investors are building and
delivering an outdoor high street experience,
reminiscent of the vibrant downtowns before
the mall development era of the last century.
The projects are main street scale and provide
Great examples of this trend include the CF Shops
at Don Mills in Toronto, Canada and Sanlitun in the
Chaoyang District of Beijing.
DEͳMALLING
A mall can become less relevant in its trade area
serving due to a wide range of reasons. OŌen the
demographic or economic characterisƟcs of the mall’s
target customers change over decades while the mall
remains stuck in Ɵme.
In these cases the owner is faced with the
challenge of regaining market share and increasing
the value of the project. RenovaƟng a centre by
changing interior finishes, adding natural light
is one approach that has an impact however
some developers are actually taking their malls
apart, literally taking the roof off. In these
redevelopments the designers are tasked with
saving the retail areas that can be remolded and
building new outdoor/indoor retail environments to
reacƟvate the centre.
Two very different but excellent examples of this
trend are the renovated Santa Monica Place (a 35
year old mall at the foot of the famous pier) and new
build Trinity Leeds an excellent project in the heart
of Leeds UK. In Trinity’s case, a marvelous undulaƟng
glass canopy covers the enƟre open-air retail area
with customers accessing the centre seamlessly from
Leeds historic streets and alleyways.
Liverpool One in the UK is a perfect example of
this trend where 42 acres of the derelict old Liverpool
(heavilybombedinWWII)wasconvertedtoamarvelous
mixeduseprojectfeaturinga240,000m2GLAoffashion,
food and beverage, 14 cinemas, entertainment as well
as personal services. The collecƟon of retail is supported
by 500 residenƟal units, offices, 2 hotels, a 5-acre public
park and a transit terminal.
Other excellent examples of retail lead urban
renewal includes Trinity Leeds in the UK as well as
a pleasant strolling environment in an open-air
environment punctuated by beauƟfully designed
landscaping. Typical mall brands and locally sourced
specialty retailers and restaurateurs make up the
downtown merchants of these new urban villages.
Not only are these centres environmentally
friendly, given there is no common area to air
condiƟon or heat, they provide a welcome relief
from the monotonous retail suburban strip centre
development era of the 1970-90’s.

3. EXPERT SPEAK
36 | Shopping Centre News | DECEMBER 2015-JANUARY 2016
VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT
Simply said verƟcal developments (retail centres
with over 4 levels) are a result of extremely high land
prices combined with an urban lifestyle where people
rouƟnely travel up and down buildings all day long
to live, work and shop. Asia has been always the
leader in verƟcal malls with award winning projects
like Central World in Bangkok and Hysan Place in
Hong Kong. Hysan place is a 450,000 sf centre that
operates on 17 levels uƟlizing double decked express
elevators to upper floors.
Another interesƟng fact about Hysan Place is that
it was built around many environmental sustainability
iniƟaƟves including a green roof that is an arƟficial
wetland as well as an urban farm on the 40th floor.
D-CUBE CITY in Seoul, South Korea is a 42 floor,
mixed use, and transit-oriented development
featuring 6 levels of retail, entertainment and cultural
faciliƟes. The name D-CUBE represents “Daily”,
reflecƟng the needs of the shoppers, “Dream”, the
cultural and emoƟon of the entertainment elements,
“Discover” and invitaƟon to enjoy the many parks and
gardens that have been incorporated in the design.
REDEVELOPMENT AND REPOSITIONING
While regular upgrades in any centre are important
there are situaƟons where a centre needs to reinvent
and re-brand itself to appeal to a new customer
base. Massive design transformaƟons can result in a
dramaƟc percepƟon shiŌ in the consumers mind.
Redevelopments can be extremely complicated
as many are executed during a Ɵme period where
the retailers of the centre are sƟll trading. Many of
us have been in malls where the centre is concealed
behind hoarded off areas and customers are almost
ducking under scaffolding. Developers oŌen use this
Ɵme period to remerchandise the centre, improve
the tenant mix and add addiƟonal aƩracƟons such as
hotels, convenƟon centres, and improved parking.
Robina Town Centre, in Queensland Australia
opened in 1997 and struggled for sales in its early years,
and a planned second major department store never
materialized. By early 2007 several major iniƟaƟves
were underway to ‘fix’ the centre. Focus was on
improving the mix, adding necessary anchors, moving
the entertainment aƩracƟons and generally improving
the retail-trading environment. Today the centre is a
retail powerhouse as a result of a comprehensive well-
coordinated overhaul of the centre.
Other excellent examples include Sollentuna
Centrum in Sweden and the 38-year-old CF Toronto
Eaton Centre in Canada.
INTEGRATION OF NON RETAIL USES
There are Ɵmes when more retail is simply not the
right soluƟon to drive traffic. Developers today are
incorporaƟng a wide variety of new uses into the
shopping centre mix. Cultural centres, libraries,
universiƟes and medical centres now populate
major retail projects.
This trend is gaining momentum and enhancing
the shopping centre’s integraƟon in the community.
Just like the town squares of many former vibrant
ciƟes, the mall is becoming a social hub, and a logical
seƫng for many addiƟonal occupiers.
Shanghai IFC Centre is a impressive example of
the integraƟon of luxury brands, high street and
supermarket retailing into a landmark site near
Shanghai’s Pudong tower. A massive outdoor
amphitheatre for concerts, fesƟvals and community
events is directly connected underground to the
main retail area. The crowning aƩracƟon of the
amphitheatre is an iconic Apple Store in the middle
of the circular theatre where eager consumers take a
spiral staircase to the retail level.
Another good example is the Costanera Center in
SanƟago Chile, a massive 7.5 million sf building that
features hotels, residenƟal and office towers and
community faciliƟes. This mixed-use development
approach is now becoming extremely popular in the
Middle East and Asia. Another great example of this
trend is the Time Warner Centre in New York City that
goes well beyond simply shopping and houses offices,
a hotel, a fine dining floor, a CNN studio and Jazz at
the Lincoln Centre theatre complex.
SUSTAINABILITY
Shopping Centre developers worldwide are now
focused on encouraging development pracƟces that
reduce our impact on the planet. Mall investors
are seeing the benefit of using water conservaƟon
techniques, alternaƟve forms of energy and a ramped
up emphasis on recycling the materials that are
discarded in the retail selling cycle.
Today’s developers have many avenues to execute
their sustainable agenda. Focusing on improved air
quality and circulaƟon, energy conservaƟon, waste
management, use of recycled materials in construcƟon
developers have found that the operaƟng cost saving
more than recapture any addiƟonal investment.
DEVELOPERS TODAY ARE INCORPORATING A WIDE VARIETY
OF NEW USES INTO THE SHOPPING CENTRE MIX. CULTURAL
CENTRES, LIBRARIES, UNIVERSITIES AND MEDICAL CENTRES NOW
POPULATE MAJOR RETAIL PROJECTS.

4. DECEMBER 2015-JANUARY 2016 Shopping Centre News | 37
About the author:
Phil McArthur CRX, CSM, CDP is the founder and
managing director of McARTHUR + COMPANY,
a shopping centre strategic consultancy based in
Dubai with branch offices in Saudi Arabia, Iran,
India, Malaysia. Phil is also the Vice Chairman of
the International Council of Shopping Centers Viva
award committee.
Australia’s Chadstone shopping centre has long
be a trophy performing centre and has enjoyed the
success of many expansions and renovaƟons over the
years. Recently the owners of Chadstone undertook a
major demoliƟon of the former mall that was built in
the 1960’s. The new construcƟon brought the mall up
to current energy saving standard while also featuring
an improved design and tenant mix.
LEISURE, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING
The shopping centre of the 1980s and 1990’s was
not a place anyone would consider for fine dining
or a night out on the town. Today nothing could be
further from the truth.
The natural synergy between entertainment and
dining has reached new heights in the new era of
shopping centre development. Centres can be found
in many countries featuring an eclecƟc mix of bars,
cafes, restaurants and even fine dining.
The malls today are social gathering places
that require more than just shopping to keep the
customer happy.
Leading the way in developing dining districts has
been Wesƞield centres with dining terraces, their
answer to the Ɵred middle of the road food courts of
the past. Wesƞield London demonstrated shopping
centres could greatly benefit from major sporƟng
events, like the London Olympics and future events at
the stadium.
Other projects with a wide range of leisure,
entertainment and dining opƟons include the Dubai
Mall as well as Bellevue Square in SeaƩle Washington.
EVOLVING RETAIL MIX AND LUXURY
LIFESTYLES
The department store used to be the only choice
for convenient shopping across a wide variety of
categories and oŌen providing credit faciliƟes for
their shoppers.
Today’s malls have conƟnuous improved the retail
offering with specialty retailers such as Zara, Apple,
Nike, Starbucks being the heroes of mainstream
shopper and Louis VuiƩon, Gucci and Burberry and
similar luxury brands catering to the lifestyles of the
rich and famous.
The integraƟon of luxury brand precincts is now
common in many ciƟes of the world. Istyne Park in
Istanbul or the Pavilions in Kuala Lumpur or the Mall
of the Emirates in Dubai are excellent examples of
luxury and tradiƟon high street retail operaƟng in
harmony in the same centre.
MASS TRANSIT INTEGRATION
With the densificaƟon of ciƟes and the extra stress
put on transit infrastructure mall developers are
choosing to integrate rapid transit faciliƟes in the
heart of their projects. It only makes sense to aƩract
the masses by convenient connecƟvity and a bespoke
retail and service offering that is compaƟble with the
profile of the transit-riding customer.
Wesƞield London and Gateway Centre in Shanghai
are two excellent examples of this trend.
In addiƟon to transit integraƟon centres are also
adding charging staƟons for electric cars and bicycle
stands to encourage environmental minded shoppers
to frequent the centre.
EXPERIENTIAL PLACE MAKING
When does a mall become more meaningful to
the community than just simply a place to shop
and eat? When the centre becomes a desƟnaƟon
and a favourite place where one can experience
an authenƟc seƫng usually inspired by unique
architecture and dramaƟc place making.
With many of these projects being outdoor
centres, the combinaƟon of excepƟonal retail, alluring
water features, landscaping and abundant seaƟng
makes for an enjoyable place to frequent.
Probably the best examples of this trend are the
projects of developer Rick Caruso with The Grove,
Calabasas Commons and Americana at Brand, all in
the Los Angeles area.
With the newly opened lifestyle centre, The Beach
in the Dubai Marina as well as the rapidly expanding
Citywalk open air project Dubai is now becoming
more than just an enclosed mall city with the arrival
and success of these new age projects.
TODAY’S MALLS HAVE
IMPROVED THE RETAIL
OFFERING WITH SPECIALTY
RETAILERS SUCH AS ZARA,
APPLE, NIKE, STARBUCKS
BEING THE HEROES OF
MAINSTREAM SHOPPER AND
LOUIS VUITTON, GUCCI AND
BURBERRY CATERING TO
THE LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH
AND FAMOUS.