The economic boom in Asia is reflected in the development of modern temples of consumerism. Nine out of ten of the world’s biggest shopping malls are located in Asia. Offering much more than “shop till you drop” opportunities – malls are becoming amusement parks and lifestyle centers surrounded by shops.
Emporis.com generated the Top 10 rankings, which are based on the gross leasable area, the area used for revenue-generating activities. Historically, malls have always been the icons of America – the first mall ever was built in Minneapolis in 1956.
However, Asia’s economic boom has resulted in the rise of consumerism and the development of mega-malls. Nowadays, Asia has more malls than America, and the two largest are located in China.
The dimensions of the malls is demonstrated in this comparison: the second biggest mall, Golden Resources Mall, has an area of 557.419 m², the size of about 75 soccer fields.
But some mega-malls in Asia are experiencing problems. New South China Mall is the biggest mall in the world with 600.153 m² of shopping space – most of it empty, with little consumer traffic and a high vacancy rate. It has been classified as a “dead mall”.
In recent years, developers have invented new ways for the mega-mall to survive in this economy. Gone is the store-dominated shopping centre welcoming instead, an age of mixed-use “lifestyle centers”. The Dubai Mall offers an ice-rink and aquarium on an area of 350.244 m². The Persian Gulf Complex, once completed, will house an indoor amusement park, prayer room, and helipad.
Another strategy calls for ways to combine environmental solutions with architecture. An indoor rainforest with koi ponds and the largest rooftop garden in Southeast Asia was implemented by 1 Utama mall in Malaysia. CentralWorld in Thailand features an indoor salt-water lake with sea lions. Trends to include office and residential space, such as the Cehavir Mall in Turkey, are also a survival method of mega-malls. BD+C
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO VIEW THE TOP 10 LIST
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 5, 2015
New HOK designs for St. Louis NFL stadium unveiled
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has assembled a task force to develop plans for an open-air NFL stadium on the North Riverfront of downtown St. Louis.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
Charlotte, N.C., considers rule for gender-neutral public bathrooms
A few other cities, including Philadelphia, Austin, Texas, and Washington D.C., already have gender-neutral bathroom regulations.
Codes and Standards | Mar 5, 2015
FEMA cuts off funding to Indiana after Kokomo continues building stadium in flood zone
FEMA will withhold funding on $5.5 million worth of projects such as building tornado safe rooms in schools.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Mar 5, 2015
Chicago's 7 most endangered properties
Preservation Chicago released its annual list of historic buildings that are at risk of being demolished or falling into decay.
Office Buildings | Mar 5, 2015
Goettsch Partners unveils plans for dual office towers in Warsaw
The Mennica Legacy Tower development is divided into a 35-story tower located on the south east side of the site and a 10-story building on the west side.
Hotel Facilities | Mar 4, 2015
Hotel construction pipeline reaches six-year high
After a three-year bottoming formation, the pipeline for hotel construction has posted five consecutive quarters of double-digit year-over-year growth.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 4, 2015
Why China's CCTV building needed a WiFi retrofit
It took a year-long retrofit to get WiFi transmission issues solved at China's iconic skyscraper.
High-rise Construction | Mar 4, 2015
Must see: Egypt planning 656-foot pyramid skyscraper in Cairo
Zayed Crystal Spark Tower will stand 200 meters tall and will be just a short distance from the pyramids of Giza.
Transit Facilities | Mar 4, 2015
5+design looks to mountains for Chinese transport hub design
The complex, Diamond Hill, will feature sloping rooflines and a mountain-like silhouette inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paintings.
Energy Efficiency | Mar 4, 2015
DOE launches crowdsourcing website for technology innovators
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory launched a new crowdsourcing website called the Buildings Crowdsoucing Community to collect and share ideas by innovators for energy-efficient technologies to use in homes and buildings.
