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6C — September 30 - October 13, 2016 — Fall Preview — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
R etail D esign
By Dustin Watson, inPLACE Design The design of ‘place’ in retail centers
O
now have tremendous oppor- tunities to buy goods at lower prices because of big-box com-
ver the course of histo- ry, public places have reflected the needs and
to the Northwest led us to the “geography of nowhere,” where one strip mall and subdivision
longing to their community. Clearly consumers are looking for something else. What, then, can be done to make that visit to a shopping center not just something driven by necessity, but an event that can be fun, enjoy- able and even memorable? Are there opportunities to develop a sense of place in today’s sub- urban areas? We need look no further than a Brookfield, Wisconsin project slated to open in Spring 2017. The $200 million, 750,000 s/f project, called The Corners, is one of the largest construction
projects in Wisconsin. The original, underutilized site included vacant retail surrounded by a sea of park- ing – a common characteristic of the 20th Century shopping mall. Having had the privilege of leading the design team, we focused the compact vertically integrated mixed use develop- ment around a public green space that includes walkable blocks and pedestrian-friendly streets designed to activate those who live, work, and shop there. The central square is intend- ed to go beyond shopping and invite other activities, includ- ing holiday festivities, concerts in the park, community activi- ties, and cultural events. The design also takes advantage of the site’s topography by featur- ing a full level of semi below- grade parking, allowing the team to increase the density of the project while providing warm covered parking - perfect for those Wisconsin winters. Besides the physical aspects of the site, The Corners will also provide those intangible aspects of place, such as social interactions and memories, meaning and sense of com- munity ownership, and an identity and feeling unique to that specific community. Consumers today are looking for shopping centers that are unique, have character, and can provide that true “sense of place.” Destination projects - like The Corners - point to consumers’ changing tastes in shopping and their demand for innovative design, leisure, and entertainment to be a part of their retail experiences. It is clear that retail has come to be regarded as less about buying goods and more about creating unique experiences and places, increasing the odds consumers are likely to become repeat, loyal customers. Dust in Watson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NCARB, CDP, is founder and prin- cipal of inPLACE Design, an architecture, planning, and design firm with the experience to create engag- ing places in cities, towns, and suburbs throughout the United States and around the world. For more information, contact the author at dwatson@ inplace-design.com, visit their website at www.in- place-design.com, or follow them @inPLACEDesign. n
cultures of community. But despite this connec- tion between public plac- es and com- munity, the 20th century moved from
“It is clear that retail has come to be regarded as less about buying goods and more about creating unique experiences and places.”
modity stores. Secondly many consumers are now shopping online from the comfort of their couch. Though some retail formats have changed and the forecasts of the demise of shopping centers remains unwarranted, people still need connection and a sense of be-
looked like any other “place.” Fast forward to the 21st Century. Over the past decade or so, two trends have con- spired to undercut the tradi- tional importance of shopping centers as focal points for the communities in which they are located. First, consumers
Dustin Watson
this way of living and instead centered life around the sub- urbanization of the country. This suburban sprawl that stretched from the Southeast
Ridgmar Mall Redevelopment - Fort Worth, Texas
inPLACE Design is an architecture, planning, and design firm with the experience and capabilities to create engaging places in cities, towns, and suburbs throughout the United States and around the world. Our principal belief is that great design can build a better world.
443.525.0048 | www.inplace-design.com | info@inplace-design.com
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