(Re-)tail in (Re-)build 2024

REBUILD is the largest national construction event, which promotes the most industrialised practices, the integration of digital technology, the emphasis on design and the implementation of sustainable solutions. This year’s event offered a conference where building professionals discussed these topics in the field of Advanced Architecture.

Taking into account both technology and sustainability, there were several talks where the Retail vertical stood out. A sector that most of the time is understood as something alien to Architecture and Construction from the perspective of some professionals. A bit like the black sheep of the family, but its presence in our society and economy is more than notable and this year we have been able to get more insights from professionals who are dedicated to it.

One of these professionals who was once again giving his vision on the Retail sector was our Director of Design and Marketing, Miquel Àngel Julià Hierro, Concept Architect and Vice President of the Retail Design Institute Spain. He also moderated several of the presentations at this year’s event.

Also, on behalf of Grup Idea, we were able to listen to our CEO Alejandro Mora as a speaker at one of the round tables that this year were dedicated to Retail. He shared the table with Borja Berna Orts, Creative Partner at CuldeSac, Pablo Soto, Chief Design Manager at P4R Studio and Cándido Zamora COO at Exsitu, one of the first industrialised construction systems.

This round table was entitled ‘(Re-)inventing the Shopping Centre. Building to sell in the 21st century’. The premise of this talk was to discuss how the new shopping centres of the 21st century are reinventing themselves as experiential destinations. And of course, taking into account the main themes of this year’s REBUILD, technology and sustainability.

These professionals began their debate by agreeing that retail has transformed malls into spaces where not only shops are found, but also experiences that reflect the identity of the brands.

These spaces are increasingly integrated with technologies to offer personalised experiences considering eco-friendly designs and brands committed to the environment. They do not simply seek to sell products, but to create engaging communities for today’s generations. As Miquel Àngel said, “the physical space combined with the digital (phygital) is the best branding a brand can have”.

With this, Miquel Àngel began by introducing the premise that a project must clearly start with the creative strategy part (in which he is an expert), to then continue with the conceptualisation and design, whether of spaces, products or services.

We must know the creative concepts to continue with a quality implementation and management of architecture and engineering, because without good management it is not possible to introduce a good design.

And, obviously, the professional expert in Retail, did not forget to mention that everything strategic and creative, would not take place without construction professionals to make reality, everything planned, that is to say the intangible. The innovation process goes from the intangible to the intangible, “if you don’t do what you imagine, you don’t innovate”.

This is something that the moderator works first hand with Grup Idea’s method, the Design & Build Method. This ensures that the whole company works in a clearer way and makes decisions according to the needs of its clients, as, thanks to this, it is clear where to go at all times. This makes it possible to be flexible and to manage the implementation of projects effectively, so that the “good design” that everyone is looking for lasts thanks to management.

The debate continued with the presentation by Pablo Soto, who was in charge of contextualising the emergence of “shopping centres as a response to the need to concentrate supply in one place”.

These spaces, which were initially born as centralising facilities for public activities, have become social and leisure phenomena that explore new trends such as the thematisation of spaces, the gourmetisation of food areas and the organisation of periodic events.

The mall is a model that has colonised the world due to its versatile typology, and its ease of establishment in any geographical environment. It can be found anywhere, whether it is more or less luxurious. Moreover, its action is applied in such a way that it adapts facilities that we use on a daily basis, such as transport, cultural, tourist, sports, religious and gaming facilities, making shopping one of the most popular leisure activities on the planet. As Miquel Àngel said, “Leisure is Business”.

“Will shopping centres continue to be built?” Pablo was asked. The professional insisted that the creation of these in Spain had only just begun and in their evolution, Pablo Soto imagines more flexible spaces that adapt to different needs, including the combination with other services such as transport, catering and tourism, which allows architects to better express their ideas and create a unique image for these spaces.

Consider that many communication hubs such as train stations or airports have been transformed into a kind of commercial place that can be reached by train or plane.

Taking over the design phase, Borja Berna continued with a more creative point of view. The retail expert discussed the importance of implementing sustainability and creativity in design from the very first minute.

Sustainability allows us to create and design from a different point of view, and those who work in design must take this into account in order to be able to imagine and devise new concepts. For Borja Berna, adapting these points to the creation of shopping centres allows innovative concepts to be generated and places to be created that are not only for buying and selling, but also for the enjoyment of the consumer.

Borja, trained as an architect like Pablo and Miquel Àngel, indicated that creativity has always been at the heart of his CuldeSac studio, but in his new approach it makes no sense if it does not drive the business of the brands they work for and help them to create value. He stressed the need to “create unique experiences for consumers and tailor designs to the specific needs of each brand”.

At CuldeSac, they prioritise consumer experience over product display, focusing on creating an architectural environment. To do this, a pre-design strategy is needed to offer a service rather than just a purchase, driving innovation in retail architecture.

Therefore, Borja identified the evolution of these spaces in a non-commercial way and directed towards the emotional connection with brands, mentioning the case of WOW as an example of this trend, where they have helped in the creation of the second space.

Following the debate, Alejandro Mora, CEO of Grup Idea and engineer by training, stressed “the importance of a good implementation and design management of retail projects once all the previous strategic and design part has been defined. Without good design management, there is no design”. Alejandro continued the debate by showing his expertise in the field of retail and his experience with Grup Idea’s vast projects in this type of buildings.

He stressed the need for architects, technical architects, specialised engineers and a good administrative team for licences and permits. These multidisciplinary teams are necessary to be able to materialise creative ideas smoothly and in compliance with regulations.

He emphasised that experience and the ability to react to unforeseen events are key to the success of the project. Therefore, “Grup Idea’s work methodology, with international teams adapted to each context, guarantees efficient implementation”.

The experience of Alejandro and Grup Idea means that these brands and innovative designs are implemented in the premises, adapting to the different regulations of each geography and space, whether it is in a street-level premises or inside a shopping centre where there are often additional regulations to those of the municipality or region itself.

This implementation is carried out thanks to parallel teams of architects and engineers who help to create projects based on logistics and have control at all times. Thanks to Alejandro’s experience, we could see the importance of planning, especially permits, because, as he made clear, it is very different to work on a project in different countries, even in one’s own region.

In the end, what the client wants is to sell and having that security thanks to the experience of great professionals makes everything run smoothly. The customer is looking for peace of mind and we have to offer it to them.

In the evolution of shopping centres, Alejandro envisions an evolution towards greater flexibility, allowing the creation of unique experiences that attract the community. Hybridisation and adaptation to current needs are fundamental to maintain their relevance.

The whole debate would not have made sense without professionals who can build everything that is designed, managed and coordinated. To this end, and finishing with the last part of the presentation, we were able to listen to Cándido Zamora, COO of Exsitu, the first industrialised construction system.

Cándido Zamora showed the importance of carrying out a construction plan with innovative and more sustainable materials. He also explained how his part was to bring the world of ideas, an intangible world, to the tangible thanks to construction or, as he presented, to the implementation of buildings with prefabricated concrete.

Cánido insisted that, for all this to be tangible, you need someone who knows how to materialise the ideas in the physical construction of a mall. As he said, it seems the greyest and least attractive part, but it is currently heading towards a future of efficient and sustainable construction.

Although the whole process is not yet automated, it is industrialised to ensure efficient pre-planning. His vision drives the implementation of more sustainable and efficient buildings in the shopping centre environment, changing its evolution towards a more environmentally committed future.

In the end, the implementation of an industrialised building system becomes a choreography, something previously thought out, being a representation of a planning that has been carried out beforehand.

To conclude, Cándido Zamora highlighted the importance of sustainable construction in the evolution of the malls. He understands “prefabrication as a way of life”. He mentioned how the industrialisation of the construction process with innovative materials and precast concrete can improve efficiency and sustainability.

This panel discussion highlighted the importance of Retail in modern Architecture and Construction, highlighting its role in creating unique experiences for consumers and the need to integrate sustainability into all aspects of the design and construction process. Both Borja and Alejandro, reminded that without good construction by someone who knows how to “build design”, it is very likely that the objectives set out in the design and implementation phases will not be met.

Architecture and Building are adopting innovative and sustainable approaches, especially in the field of Retail, as was also demonstrated at the “Visions of Tomorrow” pre-conference at REBUILD. Although not exclusively focused on Retail, the panel moderated by Ignasi Perez Arnal, Director of REBUILD, featured Carmelo Zappulla and Josep Cargol Noguer, whose ideas addressed relevant aspects for the sector.

Zapulla, also known for his work on Dimas Gimeno’s first WOW, advocated Innovation applied to Design. The discussion highlighted “the importance of going outside the box and adopting sustainable approaches in commercial architecture”.

We were able to see great ideas and how, for them, sustainability can be transformed as a new way of building. The talk was an exchange of ideas and visions to innovate with sustainable designs, how to adapt to already built environments and how to adapt with natural environments.

This trend reflects an evolution in the perception of retail within the architectural discipline, promoting the creation of immersive retail spaces that foster community and customer experience.

Shopping centres make sense in this sector for much more than just being a building. The collaboration between retail and architecture is crucial; without these ideas, retail projects lack tangibility. The question is not really where we make that centre, but what business model is behind it.

In short, Retail drives Innovation in Construction. As Miquel Àngel said, “the future, which is already present, is (Re-)”. From Retail, we rebuild spaces, challenging the established and its presence in events such as Rebuild highlights its importance in architecture.

This article is an extended version of the one that appeared in Interempresas published last May 10th. Here is the direct link to this article so that you can read it: https://www.interempresas.net/Construccion/Articulos/561884-(Re-)tail-en-(Re-)build-2024.html