SOUTH KOREA | Lotte World Tower
The world’s fifth-largest skyscraper opened in the South Korean capital Seoul on April 3: the 123-story Lotte World Tower in the southeastern district of Jamsil rises 555 meters.
On the opening day, the Lotte Group organized a huge firework display. 30,000 fireworks lit up the night sky around the new tower for 11 minutes, The Korea Times reported. The residential, office, and shopping tower has a total area of 505,300 sq m.
The building was designed by the American architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox. The design merges modern aesthetics with forms inspired by historical Korean ceramics, porcelain, and calligraphy art.
QATAR | Mall of Qatar
On April 10, Mall of Qatar, a groundbreaking retail and leisure destination, officially opened in Doha.
Designed by Chapman Taylor’s London and Madrid studios, this 500,000-sq-m project is one the largest new developments in the region. It is the first component in the Al Rayyan Gate masterplan and is adjacent to the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, which is a host stadium for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Mall of Qatar offers a wide range of retail facilities, with over 500 shops in a variety of spaces containing many Chapman Taylor-designed artworks, as well as over 100 food and beverage outlets and a Curio Collection by Hilton 5-star hotel.
What makes the scheme unique is the quality and quantity of its entertainment leisure experiences. This includes a 19-screen cinema with the largest Imax Laser 3D projection system in the world, a 10-lane bowling alley, and a large family entertainment center featuring KidzMondo, which provides role-playing, real-life experiences for children.
At the heart of the leisure offer is the “Oasis,” a landscaped, 30-meter-high atrium at the center of the project. This dramatic space is surrounded by restaurants looking onto a rotating, multi-lift stage, where the world’s first resident mall theater group performs free shows all year round.
Chapman Taylor Director Chris Lanksbury commented: “From the early concepts produced in 2012, the intention was to introduce a very wide range of experiences to the mall design. This, combined with the unique entertainment facilities, takes shopping center design to the next level.”
USA | Nicollet Mall
The heart of downtown Minneapolis is being transformed with the complete redesign of Nicollet Mall, part of the Minneapolis Big Build.
By late 2017, all 12 blocks of the shopping-center will be rebuilt, making it an even greener, more inviting place to shop, dine, or explore the project’s captivating new art installations.
Even during construction, the best of the Nicollet Mall is open and ready to welcome visitors. They can check out its signature sidewalk cafes, do some shopping, and wander through the impressive skyway system that spans downtown. Or they can take in some jazz, see the orchestra, or take a walk down the mall to the Mississippi River.
Apropos “even greener”: The “Loring Woods” and “Mississippi Woods” will add intensive greening at the north and south ends of Nicollet Mall. Underground conditions and available sunlight mean more trees can be planted.
The two “Woods” are envisioned as green links with more park-like settings and amenities to strengthen the connection to the green hubs of Loring Park and the Mississippi Riverfront.
United Arab Emirates | BHV Marais
BHV Marais has announced the opening of its first flagship store in the City Walk shopping mall in Dubai.
This store, developed in franchise with Middle East retail leader Admic property of the Abchée family, could be followed by additional openings in the area over the coming years. The 6,000-sq-m flagship store, stretched over two floors, benefits from a strategic location in the heart of Dubai and combines a much-differentiated home and fashion offer through a selection of brands ranging from accessible to premium.
Commenting on this opening, Nicolas Houzé, CEO of Galeries Lafayette and BHV Marais, declared: “After a successful repositioning of our Parisian flagship on Rue de Rivoli, the opening of BHV Marais in Dubai demonstrates the brand’s international potential and highlights the singularity of its identity. We are strengthening our presence in Middle East with this opening, even as we complete the remodeling or our Galeries Lafayette flagship in Dubai and are preparing the opening of Galeries Lafayette in Doha early next year.”
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