Moscow sees a growing crisis of traditional shopping center formats

20.04.2021

"A shopping center was little more than a place where people went to buy things around the turn of the century, with no distinguishing identity or other functions. People began to come here not only for shopping but also for certain services, between 2005 and 2008, when shopping centers began to take on their distinct styles. On the upper floors of the buildings, a food court area began to emerge, and cinemas began to open. This is how the traditional retail format emerged," tells Julia Tryaskina.
Traditional shopping centers, she claims, are in trouble right now, with retail functions fading into the background. "Shoppers began to view shopping centers as a way to pass the time and experiencing new things. A shopping center is becoming a destination with a variety of functions. Sports, children's entertainment zones are getting increasingly expanded here," says the expert.
The role of an architect, a specialist who can offer different scenarios in organizing the space of the retail facility and elaborate the product philosophy, grows in this regard, says Julia Tryaskina. "A shopping center is now a part of a district's infrastructure. Take, for example, our Voronezh facility. The shopping center's entrance and exit serve as a city venue for various district events, and it all fits into the shopping center's functionality and interior design," she explains.
The architect added that offline and online shopping are spliced together inside the shopping center, and pick-up points are opened. The food court area also combines functions. Previously, fast food was available in one location and restaurants in another, but now both are available on the same site with distinct philosophies.

A source