Shopping Malls massively popped up in recent years. Today we know: The market for classic shopping centers is saturated, the consumer is not sufficiently inspired and increasingly affected by eCommerce. Do Malls still have relevance in the future? We say yes: 7places creates a multidimensional concept that revitalizes shopping centers and secures long-time success, also for the upper floors. In this course, they have to respond to new customer needs. We consider concepts that are thought out of the box as crucial for the future success of shopping malls and innovation as a core factor during their implementation. In the combination of new utilizations and innovative technology, a new era of center touchpoints is evolving.
Triggered by distinct disruption processes in society and the establishment of new megatrends, the orientation of districts was based on parameters and assumptions that are questionable today. Developments like eCommerce and the following weakening of stationary retail query the role of retail in general. A change in paradigms is the result of this crisis: The Point of Sale becomes the Point of Experience. This progress makes new, innovative strategies and especially re-thought and flexible operational concepts indispensable. Unconventional thinking and overarching experience lead to new solutions that increasingly lie outside of classic retail. Our motto during the re-invention of the shopping-mall: Co-Everything.
In the mall of the future, an individual address and a high service-orientation are key. The increasing comfort of visitors and the wish for clear orientation are additional factors of impact. At the same time digitalization interferes just like in other sectors. The objective is to reach the mobile customer at all touchpoints and offer him space with a high quality of stay to where he likes to return. In this course, the urban context, societies’ demand and the existing space are to be considered. Like this new potentials are created that can be exploited by a holistic and strategic procedure that respects the long-term targets of the mall’s owners and operators.
Malls become a dynamic, flexible and multidimensionally usable co-space. They promote exchange, are user-oriented and freely accessible. They function as satisfiers and problem-solvers and become a place where you ideally spend your everyday-life. A place where you meet, work, eat, work, shop and celebrate. A platform of personal interaction emerges, a community, that makes sure a mall can become like a home. With the help of a diverse offering, malls become THE residence of choice, a Third Place where you want to spend your time apart from home and work.
For a successful realization, a coherent customer journey, combined with inspiring design, is essential. A design, that lets the customer feel the spirit of the mall intuitively as stated in the credo: “The customer has chosen to be here. Proof him right!”. Not only the location of the mall but rather the relevant mix of offerings from different lifestyle areas is essential for success. Malls as co-places unite retail, hospitality, office and working environments with spaces for public usage. To make malls usable in multiple ways, space has to demonstrate flexibility. Community events, co-working-spaces, catering and leisure offerings are examples. With the interplay of technology and dynamic usages, the center becomes a vivid and integrative place. The visit of this place becomes a multi-sensual experience that creates identity. At the same time, a visit is a social event where customer expectations are exceeded with the help of convenience and an authentic offering.
Our ideas for the future usage of malls are unlimited. For 7places, the malls of the future are holistically thought, innovative and experienceable places that satisfy the requirements of diverse target groups and give a new meaning to malls as we know them today.
