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THE LATEST PLACEMAKING NEWS

Hamburg’s iconic Mönckebergstrasse is set to welcome a transformative development project: Elisen Palais will breathe new life into a historic site once home to the renowned C&A building. This ambitious project seeks to create a climate-neutral, mixed-use property while paying homage to the architectural history of the area, as Nikolas Bosnić, Head of Development Redevco DACH, explains.

The challenges facing the retail real estate sector are more significant than ever. Future-oriented solutions for retail properties such as retail parks are urgently needed – this is precisely where the Retail PIN comes in. This newly founded think tank, an initiative of six leading companies in the retail real estate industry, pools strategic expertise and a shared vision: to actively and sustainably shape the future of retail locations.

In 2025, Nordic design and lifestyle brand ARKET continues its expansion with the opening of a flagship store in Oslo, the brand’s first physical location in Norway.

At the Global RLI Awards 2024, where leading projects from Asia, Europe and the Middle East compete, Fiba CP achieved another great success in London by being awarded the ‘Highly Commended’ award in the ‘International Shopping Center Renovation’ category with İnegöl Shopping Center. In addition to İnegöl Shopping Mall, Downtown Bursa Life and Entertainment Center also received an award in the ‘International Retail and Entertainment Destination’ category.

The BALFIN Group has brought nothing less than the idea of shopping centers to Albania. The group is not only a developer and operator of assets but has also developed into one of the most influential retail and wholesale players in the Western Balkans. “It takes courage, trust, and patience to break new ground,” says Julian Mane, Vice President Retail of the BALFIN Group. “But whoever is among the first on a new market will also be the most successful.” In the extensive interview with ACROSS, Mane explains, among other things, how he convinces brands to enter the Albanian market, what they can expect there, and why retail parks will be the future concept for the country.

Ian Sandford, President of Eurofund Group, creates places that combine shopping, gastronomy, and leisure, ensuring that everyone finds a reason to go to a center every day. He coined the term “shopping resort” as a result. After numerous very successful projects, particularly with Puerto Venecia in Spain and Ubbo in Lisbon, he is now bringing his idea of a shopping resort to the Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum in Germany. In this interview, he explains what managers can learn from goldfish and why courage is more crucial than ever. He also shares his plans for the Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum and his other assets.

MAPIC has revealed the finalists for its highly anticipated MAPIC Awards 2024. The awards, which recognise outstanding achievement across 13 categories, showcase the year’s most innovative and impactful players in retail real estate, from established brands to emerging concepts. Winners will be announced on 28th November during MAPIC in Cannes, France.

For the fifth time, SES Spar European Shopping Centers awarded the yip.at Business Promotion Prize, which covers EUR 10,000 and exclusive promotional space in the 15 SES shopping centers in Austria, to the best implemented business ideas in stationary retail via its yip.at digital initiative.

SPAR subsidiary SES – Spar European Shopping Centers and, more specifically, its responsible SPAR Executive Board Member Marcus Wild, the Founder and long-standing CEO of the company, are the pioneers of numerous innovations within the industry. While it is rooted in retail, that’s not the only reason why the company has always relied on partnerships – with retailers at its shopping centers and, more increasingly, with new players outside the traditional retail scene. As a result of a joint venture concluded in the summer, health parks will be operated by SES at selected shopping centers in the future. ACROSS Managing Director Reinhard Winiwarter spoke with Marcus Wild about the long-term benefits of such partnerships, their impact on the future of shopping centers, and why thinking outside the box is always worthwhile.

Steffen Eric Friedlein is Managing Director Leasing Services at ECE Market places and, as such, is a member of the prestigious MAPIC Awards jury. In an interview with ACROSS, the manager talks about why positive examples are more important than ever, especially in economically challenging times, what constitutes outstanding performance in the retail real estate industry, and how he and his team implement the principle of excellence across the ECE portfolio.

The MENA region’s retail landscape is undergoing a transformative phase, with the mall industry projected to grow from USD 808.51 billion in 2024 to USD 1,401.32 billion by 2032. Against this dynamic backdrop, the inaugural Mall Development MENA Forum 2024 is set to take place from November 11-12, at the Le Meridian Hotel Dubai. This landmark event will bring together industry leaders, stakeholders, and policymakers to explore the future of mall development in the region.

SILLPARK, the largest inner-city shopping center in Innsbruck, Austria, in terms of area, and which attracts over 5 million visitors a year, is to remain fully operational while it undergoes modernization and is enhanced with a very special innovation: in a first for Austria’s shopping malls, a health park of more than 3,000 sq m in area is being built here.

The Balkans remain largely overlooked in our industry, despite the region’s significant growth. I have always been keen on highlighting developments that go underappreciated but hold remarkable potential. The Tirana East Gate (TEG) in Albania is one such gem. Backed by the BALFIN GROUP, a highly successful and innovative developer, TEG is a standout that deserves attention for its promising role in shaping market trends in the region.