Feature:
The Future of Shopping
SHOPPING MALLS
FOR ALL THE SENSES
Stationary retail trade in Germany – and probably everywhere in the Western world
– is currently witnessing a dramatic change. The prevalence of e-commerce and the
related changes of shopping behaviour are demanding new concepts and centres of
attraction for stores and malls. By Susanne Weller.
M
ore and more malls on
greenfield sites are closing
while new shopping centres
are coming back to open in
the city centres, sometimes
in smaller dimensions but
definitely more exciting than
ordinary malls. The ability
to reach many brands at
one time under one roof
is no longer demanded as a priority; soulless and
artificial consumerism changes to turning stores and
restaurants from mere retail outlets into places that
mean something.
This is where kplus konzept devotes all its knowhow and passion, setting new benchmarks in interior
design by creating holistic solutions for all the senses
– and this is not only for individual shops but for
complete shopping mall complexes. In cooperation
with the French multinational mall developer, UnibailRodamco Group, they design exciting worlds of
experience for big retail destinations. They develop
trend concepts such as the ‘Open Space’ in the
basement of the Köln Arcaden in Cologne, recently
honoured with the 1st prize in the German Interior
Architects Award for interior design themes in the
sophisticated urban development scheme; “Höfe
am Brühl” in Leipzig, awarded the second prize
with distinction by the ICSC European Shopping
Centre Awards 2014; and the Food Court in the
Düsseldorf Arcaden. The most ambitious and exciting
project is the multisensory “Home of 5 Senses” in
Mönchengladbach in Western Germany, which will
Home of 5 Senses – M’gladbach Arcade
Human beings are multisensory. We
experience the world with all of our senses –
all of the time!
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africandesignmagazine.com