Malls today need to reinvent themselves and meet the increasing demand for authentic and memorable experiences. With e-commerce, customers can find the majority of their favorite stores online and order products with a click of a button from the comfort of their own homes. This leaves many business owners concerned about the future of retail.

That doesn’t mean malls are a thing of the past. Shopping malls are a timeless destination that offers guests many different options in one convenient place — one survey found that just as much as Gen Z likes to shop online, 97% of them shop at brick-and-mortar retailers, too. The trouble isn’t just competing with online stores but how to design a mall for longevity and keep customers interested over time.

Emphasize these benefits to the fullest and remind your customers why they enjoy coming to shopping malls.

Read the full article or jump to a specific section to learn more about how to create shopping center designs:

  • How E-Commerce Has Changed Shopping Malls
  • Factors to Keep In Mind When Designing a Mall
  • Get Your Mall’s Playground Equipment From Soft Play®

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How E-Commerce Has Changed Shopping Malls

With the rapid rise of online shopping in recent years, many people feel the convenience of shopping online beats going to the mall. The number of e-commerce users has grown exponentially since 2020, and malls across the United States have felt the effects.

Though American malls are facing challenges, they still have many advantages over online stores. Shopping malls offer a unique customer experience for the whole family in addition to dozens of shopping options in one place.

While online stores require shipping fees and wait times to receive items, customers can enter dozens of stores in the mall, walk out with everything they need and even stop for a meal while they’re at it. Families can enjoy arcade and gaming areas, playgrounds, movie theaters and bookstores in addition to shopping.

Customers who need last-minute items for a vacation or a quick gift idea can also benefit from having so many options in one place. With this in mind, it’s important to remember the advantages that shopping malls have in the face of e-commerce convenience.

Factors to Keep in Mind When Designing a Mall

To stay competitive with the e-commerce industry, you must know how to make your mall successful and inviting for guests with the essential elements. While the retail stores themselves need to be diverse to attract all kinds of customers, you also need to consider how the design of your mall will keep them coming back for more than just shopping. Here are some tips for designing a mall and making it the perfect spot for families to enjoy.

Choose the Right Location

Even if you design your mall perfectly, it will have difficulty succeeding if you choose the wrong location or site to build it on. Try to look for up-and-coming cities or towns with established schools and families. Malls are a popular place for young kids to spend their weekends or time after school, so picking a location near a middle or high school is another great choice.

One of the most important things to look for when choosing a location is if there are other popular stores around that bring in lots of shoppers. This element can indicate whether your mall will be successful and attract many eager customers. You also want to consider the future success forecast. If you choose a location that works today, it may not have the same sustainability in a few years. Look at factors like whether residents are moving away or if nearby areas are expanding.

Here are some questions to ask when choosing a location for your mall:

  • Is there enough space for parking, vendors and delivery trucks?
  • Does the area already have established success from other stores?
  • Is there a fitting demographic in your location for potential customers?
  • Are there competing businesses near the location?
  • Does the location provide enough visibility?
  • What are the local business laws and zoning restrictions?

Prioritize Technology for Convenience

Modern technology is key whether you’re designing and building a shopping mall from the ground up or acquiring an existing building. High-tech solutions help you maintain smooth operations and keep consumers engaged and tenants happy.

Incorporate technology that makes navigating your mall convenient for consumers and creates opportunities for your tenants. Here are a few strategies to consider:

  • Indoor digital maps
  • Personalized augmented reality brand experiences
  • Digital concierge
  • Interactive window and mirror displays
  • Digital signage
  • Robot guides

Adapting to technological advancements is crucial in this digital age. It helps you create immersive experiences that keep consumers coming back.

Choose the Best Layout

Once you decide on a location, the next step is determining the layout. Mall layout considerations include:

  • Building orientation
  • Circulation, or the way shoppers move through the mall
  • Parking
  • Water supply and drainage
  • Landscaping

You must consider designing an efficient layout that makes it easy for customers to walk around different levels and stores throughout the mall without getting lost. To help with navigation, you should include proper signage throughout the mall and ensure there are clear sightlines that direct guests to every area.

There are many different types of layouts you can choose from for the design of your mall, depending on what you want to take up the most attention. Typically, you might put areas like the food court in the middle or at one end of the mall to direct the flow of traffic to those zones.

These main areas that take up the most space in your mall are the “anchor locations.” Some malls even create a “racetrack” format that allows customers to walk around the mall in a loop and end up at their starting point — letting them view all stores and restaurants before making their exit.

The main goal when designing the layout of your mall is to create flowing movement throughout all areas and ensure you maximize the space in each section. Here are some other terms to remember when designing your mall:

1. Barriers

Try to avoid any unnecessary large physical or visual barriers throughout the mall that close people off to certain areas or block their view of other stores and attractions. For example, if a guest cannot find a restaurant after walking around for a few minutes, they may become frustrated with the layout.

2. Loading Bays

Your mall will need a large loading bay to load and unload product shipments, equipment and food on and off trucks. You might even need more than one, depending on your mall’s layout. Ensure this area is not too close to customer parking so it won’t pose an obstacle to guests trying to enter or exit the mall.

3. Accessibility

There should be free movement on every level and between different points so people of all abilities can easily access any area they desire without needing assistance. There should always be elevators, escalators, ramps and other elements that help connect separate areas of the mall for people who may have physical limitations or use mobility devices.

4. Maintenance

If you plan to design a mall with complex structures and architecture, make sure you can maintain the cleanliness of these areas, including the primary spaces like the food court and playgrounds. Some malls also have elements like koi ponds and fish tanks, so you will need to hire a team of people to help feed, maintain and clean these tanks.

5. Restrooms

Shopping malls can hold thousands of people at once, which is why it’s so important to include plenty of restrooms in your design. You should also create clear signage for restrooms wherever you can so customers can easily find their way without disrupting their experience.

Make Sure There’s Enough Parking

Parking is a very important aspect of a shopping mall because there must be enough room for customers to park without having to walk too far to get to the entrance. If there isn’t enough room for a wide parking lot, consider implementing a parking garage that has direct access or provides a short walkway to the mall. This element will help guide your customers to the primary areas without frustration, and help to improve the overall shopping mall layout.

You should align your sidewalks and other areas of pedestrian movement in the same direction as the vehicles. Aside from parking garages or basement parking, you can also offer valet services at your mall so customers can quickly pull up to the front without having to look for a parking spot — particularly on busy days like weekends and holidays.

Create a Striking Entrance

When designing your mall, it’s important to focus on entryways. The entrance to your mall is the first thing your guests or customers will see as they drive by and before they decide to go in. This element is the perfect opportunity to make a great first impression, invite visitors and make them feel welcome.

Adding features like water fountains, skylights, brightly colored murals, plants and flowers can make entryways look attractive to customers and entice them to see the inside and look at the different attractions. It’s also important to ensure your mall entrance is well-lit so your guests can easily find their way to the front after dark.

Depending on your mall’s layout, you might have multiple entrances. Whether you place entryways at opposite ends of the space by anchor stores or along the sides of the mall, give them all equal attention.

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Find Ways to Incorporate the Whole Family

Making your mall a family-friendly space is a great way to encourage more visitors and attract loyal customers. Families who can spend any day of the week at your mall and always have something to do on their weekends will likely return for an excellent shopping and eating experience.

Providing amenities and attractions that appeal to different ages and audiences will help your mall’s longevity. If your mall only offers retail stores and one or two restaurant options, it’s likely going to lose its popularity quickly among families with members that have different interests and tastes.

Expanding your options and incorporating different games, rides, playgrounds and other fun activities gives customers more reasons to keep coming back. Keep in mind that — in the present day — your shopping mall will be competing with e-commerce businesses and other shopping centers near your area, so it’s important to find ways to stand out above the rest.

Here are some popular family-friendly options to add during your design process:

1. Amusement Parks

Indoor amusement parks are a great way to attract families to your mall. On hot summer days, parents can take their kids to your mall’s amusement rides without facing the blistering sun and have plenty of entertainment, food and restaurant options to choose from.

Kids can enjoy rides, trampolines, bumper cars, arcade games, obstacle courses and many other fun activities. Some malls that have implemented this idea include the Mall of America, Aventura Mall, Mall of the Emirates and West Edmonton Mall.

2. Aquariums

Zoos and safari theme parks are popular sites for families and large crowds. Incorporate this into your shopping mall design by strategically placing aquariums of various sizes on each level, providing customers with a glimpse of diverse wildlife around every corner.

You could also incorporate a dedicated area for your aquarium in one section of your mall to solidify it as a dedicated attraction. Provide educational signage about the diverse animals and plant life along with a visually attractive layout — which can entice families to bring their kids for an immersive learning experience.

3. Movie Theaters

Technology and digitalization have brought the same convenience to movie-watchers they have to shoppers. Customers can now stream or rent movies from the comfort of their own homes, which has contributed to the declining numbers of movie ticket sales.

With the help of other amenities in the mall, you can implement a movie theater that serves as the perfect after-school or post-work activity. Your customers can enjoy a feature film and then take a short walk over to explore one of the many restaurants you have to offer.

4. Playgrounds

Adding a playground to your mall is one of the best ways to attract families. Playgrounds come in many different shapes and sizes, so you can fully customize them to your needs. You can disperse smaller, classic playgrounds around your mall or build a large attraction as a central location. Playgrounds are a great way for families to socialize and meet new people with kids of similar ages.

Because every playground is unique, you can choose from a smaller, themed playground for an indoor area or create a high ropes adventure course in your outdoor courtyard. Kids will love the opportunity to climb, slide, navigate a ropes course and enjoy other activities within the playground.

You can also choose between an all-ages playground or designated areas for different age groups. For example, toddlers and school-aged kids should each have appropriate equipment for their height and physical capabilities to ensure they get the most out of their playtime.

There are many different playground themes and equipment options to choose from, including:

When you work with an experienced, contained playground equipment company, you can rely on them to help you design and implement a playground that delights your guests and keeps them coming back to play. Playgrounds will also enhance your business and increase foot traffic to various areas of your mall, leading to a higher return on investment (ROI).

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Include All Types of Restaurants

Another element that can set your mall apart from other shopping centers is including a wide variety of diverse restaurants. Incorporating a healthy mix of casual and extravagant restaurants in one place will make your mall a central location that offers endless options for all kinds of customers. Whether guests want to grab a quick bite to eat in a sports bar or have a fine dining experience, they can find whatever they’re in the mood for by visiting your mall.

To help with the sustainability of your mall, it’s wise to choose restaurants that already have an established customer base. Popular chain restaurants would work well because many guests will recognize the restaurants on your signage.

It’s also a good idea to include some newer restaurants that let your customers try something different and offer a unique experience compared to other shopping centers in your area.

Make Sure the Spaces Connect

With such a large space, it takes planning to get your stores, restaurants, playgrounds and other amenities to connect and feel cohesive for your guests.

Just as with your layout, you should consider the flow of your mall’s indoor and outdoor spaces and evenly distribute signage, circulation pathways or even shuttles for guests to go from one side of the mall to the other without too much walking. Malls can contain hundreds of stores, so it’s easy to understand how a customer might feel frustrated if they park at one end of the building and need to visit a specific store on the other end. 

Think about the demographics that shop in different areas, too. A playground will work well by kids clothing stores or toy stores, while an arcade suits stores geared toward adults and teenagers.

The placement of every store and restaurant is important to maximize your space and ensure popular stores are easily visible to customers. Wide walkways are also essential — your guests shouldn’t be bumping into each other as they walk in different directions and should have easy, flowing movement from one store to the next on every level.

Create Sustainable Spaces

Many shopping mall designs incorporate environmentally friendly aspects into their infrastructure, like beautiful rooftop parks and gardens with outdoor playgrounds for kids. Additionally, efforts like conserving water, using recycled building materials and implementing renewable energy can help you reduce your mall’s environmental footprint.

If sustainability is a top priority for you in the design of your shopping mall, consider Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification and other building performance standards to set you on the right path.

Add Greenery

You should also carefully design the landscaping in and outside of your mall. Just as the entrance of your mall is an important attraction point, the greenery that your customers see will contribute to a positive impression and draw more customers in as they drive by. Many businesses include various types of plants in their office buildings for several benefits, and you can add greenery around your mall for the same advantages in the shopping center designs:

  • Improves air quality: Many different types of indoor plants and greenery improve air quality by filtering carbon dioxide into oxygen. Plants also absorb dirt and pollutants and control humidity levels.
  • Reduces noise pollution: Plants help absorb and reduce noise pollution by muffling sounds of crowds, traffic, water noises, echoes and other sounds in a communal space.
  • Attracts customers: People are more inclined to visit and stay in a place with attractive landscaping and greenery. Having many bright, colorful plants around can make your mall look more inviting and welcoming. Plants can also reduce stress and make people feel more comfortable and at ease.
  • Helps with energy efficiency: Adding plenty of greenery, solar panels, green roofs and other vegetation can help with energy efficiency and even reduce cooling and heating bills. Trees and shrubs also provide plenty of shade to keep guests cool in outdoor areas while minimizing your mall’s carbon footprint. Guests will then view your mall as environmentally friendly and consider coming back.

Consider Using Simple Designs

When you have a smaller shopping center to work with, keep your layout simple. Choose a floor plan that gives you prime anchor spots, smooth traffic flow and plenty of room for rows of shops, such as a basic U, L or dumbbell shape.

It’s important not to skimp on amenities just because you’re building smaller. Ensure your customers have access to a healthy mix of grocery stores, retail properties and entertainment options like live shows and indoor play sculptures when they enter.

A good place to start is the parking lot, where you should ensure you adhere to a five-to-ten space per 1,000 square feet parking-to-retail ratio. Try to make the most of spaces by including multi-use areas and encouraging tenants to do the same. For instance, small grocers could offer fresh deli sandwiches and a cafe on the outskirts of the store. This mixed-use space will keep mall-goers engaged and raise the store’s traffic.

Ensure Your Floor Plan Flows

When designing a shopping mall, it’s important to remember that it’s not just about buying things. Online shopping provides consumers with a basic retail experience, meaning you need to offer them something more to make visiting your mall worthwhile.

A great way to stand out is by designing a floor plan that features a balance of retail, entertainment and dining that avoids bottlenecks while effectively driving foot traffic. For instance, if you’re going to feature small play structures, ensure they’re central and allow walkways to pass around them smoothly.

Assessing trouble spots often requires opening your doors to the public first, so you may need to find more innovative ways to evaluate what works and what doesn’t. Augmented reality navigation is a method that helps you collect data on consumer behavior, helping you adjust your mall design accordingly.

Embracing technology in areas of planning is a good way to improve the overall experience. Treat your mall as an adaptive and entertaining digital space that includes a marketplace rather than a collection of storefronts, playgrounds and corridors.

Get Your Mall’s Playground Equipment From Soft Play®

At Soft Play, we know the value of active play. Playground spaces can easily enhance your space and let kids explore their imagination while helping your businesses grow. Whether you’re looking to add a playground to an open space in your mall, amusement park, arcade or restaurant, Soft Play can design the perfect play environment. We can create anything from indoor or outdoor play areas to water attractions, large attractions, classic playgrounds, interactive and immersive experiences.

We can customize our play equipment to all budgets and available spaces and provide convenient turn-key solutions. With more than 30 years of experience, we have created many playgrounds loved by kids, parents and shopping center owners alike.

Contact us today to see how we can help you with your shopping mall design, or request a quote online to get started on your next project.

 

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