4. Finding and Defining Commerce
“Perhaps the beginning of the twenty-first century will be remembered as the point where the urban could no longer be understood without shopping.”
The Harvard Guide to Shopping, made by the Harvard Graduate School of Design and OMA in 2001.
4.1 Finding Commerce
The deepest foundation in shopping malls is its commercial pragmatism. No costumers, no shops, no mall. The economy of shop to circulation ratio, the distribution of shops, the overall layout and connections and access to the city is absolutely critical to a mall. Before the planning of a shopping complex it is essential that all the commercial aspects have been carefully considered.
You will in groups during our trip to Dubai do a case study of a mall. From this case study you will extract its commercial elements related to site, clients, size, shops, costumers etc. The aim is to understand how they are possible, who wants them, how do they happen and where do they happen? You will be supplied with a list of shopping complex in Dubai that all have a minimum of 60.000 m2 of shopping space.
4.2 Defining Commerce
With your designed experience as guide you will now find its place, time and culture using your knowledge from the commercial case study. Who would be your costumers? Which culture and what kind of people are willing to go as far as you? And can they afford it?
A developer strives to develop a shopping mall that:
• Is large enough to meet the demands of the shoppers in "his" trade area,
• Leaves no excess demand that might encourage additional shopping centre development in his trade area, and
• Reserves an area, by acquisition or by option, for expansion.
These basic points will help drive the commercial definition and all relate to a defined “trade area”.
No comments:
Post a Comment