Mixed Use and Retail Development: a Story of Value-added by Design

• Proeksa Meas
• 31 December 2015
• Construction Focus
• 1861 Views

A mixed-use and retail development is a real estate mission with planned integration of combinations of retail, office, residential, hotel, recreation or other functions. It is pedestrian-oriented and contains elements of a live-work-play environment. From a developer’s perspective a development should maximize space usage, bear upscale amenities and strong architectural expression that tends to mitigate traffic and sprawl.

A mixed-use development is not a standardized product form. It acclimatizes in locality because of its existing and appearance in a city-center or upcountry area. The density levels are generally higher in a city-center setting but not necessarily in some cases or depending on market outlook by country.

In Thailand or countries in South East Asia, there is a strong trend for property developers considering a mixed-use development as being a popular format as an extension to their core business lines, particularly from residential, because it is perceived as having the convenience of live-work-play options in a single location and satisfying its inhabitants’ desire to live in a community environment in a big city. However, there are issues of risk inmixed-use developments and this is where design thinking comes in play.

Design thinking for mixed-use developments is a concept whereby a design should reflect the dynamic of public space for place making with a combination of architecture and the right mix of retails and entertainment. The design should speak to the space and vice versa. Design can instill and provide good leverage between the designer’s concept, the community perspective, communications, and, most importantly, connectivity that creates values and cultures.

Mixed-use is all about place making by design thinking. The best definition for place making in this context is a creation of vibrant, pedestrian-friendly areas with a mix of complementary land uses whereby a designer’s thoughts bear a significant aspect throughout the development process.

In terms of retail, place making by design thinking means shopping or dining that is less about selling and more about creating an experience for anyone. Mixed-use should be sensitive to the market area’s history or its prospective attitude and strongly visually tie its design features into it. The mixed-use design needs to be superior in all of its aspects; it could be of moderate quality in some aspects but not all. The idea leading to success for such developments is based on upon striking the right dynamic balance.

Seamless design is another relatively new concept for the retail market in Asia based on the design thinking paradigm. The architect becomes the client’s consultant by infusing and collaborating with multi-faceted or multi-branded concepts of individual space usage thus effectively transmuting architectural, interior, communication and landscape designs into a single original master design based on the platform.

At JARKEN we believe that innovation arises from creativity, intelligence, and understanding. There are no absolute answers in design without strong and rigorous attempts to pursue any unanswered quests. To add value onto a built environment, mixed-use and retail should answer to a large number of publics over time horizon. Financial and economic aspects for success may be of great importance, but so are astuteness and belief in design that allows for the interaction of both.

By JARKEN Group of Companies