FX.co ★ Top 5 Unique Shopping Centers

Markthal Rotterdam (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

The Markthal Rotterdam shopping center was designed and built in 2014 with the participation of Dutch architects. The key principle in the design of the building is organic inclusion in the urban space. Markthal Rotterdam's feature is the combination of many functions along with space savings. The shopping center contains shops, restaurants, a residential complex, an indoor city market and a unique art object. The building is located in the center of Rotterdam and is a large-scale arch. In the supporting part of Markthal Rotterdam there is a residential complex of 228 apartments, parking and several shops. The arch of the building forms a city square, which during the day functions as a market, and in the evening becomes a place of rest. The inner vault is decorated with works by artists Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam. The «highlight» of the collection is the digital composition «Cornucopia», demonstrating floating images of fruits, flowers and insects. Pixar Animation Studio participated in its creation.

Westside (Bern, Switzerland)

The Westside Shopping and Leisure Centre was built in 2008. The design of the project belongs to the American architect Daniel Libeskind, one of the ideologists of deconstructivism. Most of the works of D. Libeskind are the so-called architectural interventions in classical buildings. A distinctive feature of D. Libeskind's style is the abundance of sharp corners. And the design of the shopping center building with broken, complexly composed edges and sharply protruding volumes perfectly demonstrates this feature. The shopping center was conceived by the architect as a link between the city and the village. The building seems to be on the border of two worlds, while organically fits into both the urban environment and the natural landscape. The Westside Shopping and Leisure Centre has become a bridge between the city and the surrounding area.

Forum Gdansk (Gdansk, Poland)

The concept of the Forum Gdansk shopping center project was implemented in 2018. The architects sought to create a compact urban complex that harmoniously interacts with the environment. The shopping center is located in the historical center of Gdansk, on the site of the old market settlements. The building is a chain of several large structures. According to the architects, this concept saves the shopping center from massiveness and fits it into the urban environment. The Radunia Channel, created in the 14th century, passes through the Forum Gdansk shopping complex. In this way, the architects emphasize the historical continuity. The design of the shopping center also echoes elements of historic buildings in Gdańsk, such as the material reminiscent of red ceramic bricks. It should be noted that this element is characteristic of traditional Polish architecture.

Morocco Mall (Casablanca, Morocco)

Morocco Mall, the second largest on the African continent, was opened in 2011. The building, 628 meters long, stretches along the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean and covers an area of 10 hectares. According to the calculations of the architect Davide Padoa, the building fits organically into the local terrain. The design of Morocco Mall is distinguished by smooth lines, and the walls of the building are devoid of sharp corners. According to D. Padoa, this architectural solution plays with the unevenness of the coastline. The concept of Morocco Mall is based on the «matryoshka principle»:inside the Morocco Mall there is a branch of Galeries Lafayette with a separate entrance. This architectural delight made it into the Guinness Book of Records as the largest facade inside a trading floor.

Sony Center (Berlin, Germany)