Just like all other retailers, shopping center owners today are facing the challenge of offering customers a special shopping experience in order to stand up to the increasing competition by online retailers. In this interview, Dr. Karl Reinitzhuber, Co-CEO of mfi AG talks about the role architecture plays in the success of a shopping center and integrated services for customers.
Reinitzhuber, how did architectural design of shopping centers change over the past few years? Reinitzhuber: The architecture of shopping centers and for that matter architecture in general follows trends. The architects we commission like to get inspired by museum facades. They often mirror the current zeitgeist, especially when it comes to the choice of materials. For some time for instance, facades made of glass and sheet metal have been in vogue.
One recent prominent example is the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. Admittedly, we are subject to more restrictions.
We need to be mindful of the inner city environment for example. And we need to build in a way where our tenants are provided with optimal conditions. And perceptions have also changed in this area. In the past, storefronts were all lined up in a row for instance. In newer centers such as the Pasing Arcaden in Munich, tenants can be flexible in their design and are allowed to build one-and-a-half meters out into the mall for instance.
This creates more variety and makes the Center more interesting for guests. Many customers find shopping centers less interesting than online shopping.
