Commercial real estate photo galleries.
Jan. 17, 2013
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In China’s Taiyuan, a city centered on the oil industry, which, consequently, has a predominantly male population, Shanxi Tian Mei Century Plaza targets high-end fashion for men. The center’s design vocabulary takes its cues from masculine finishes and a hospitality-based approach to shopping. RTKL Associates’ design team merged three separate buildings to create one seamless space while its interiors team designed a transition from the mall area to the department store. RTKL created a flowing space with a six-story atrium and a comprehensive graphics and signage scheme.
Jan. 17, 2013
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Modern banks have made a lot of aesthetic changes. Gone is the desire to create an intimidating structure that at the same time conveys a sense of safety and stability. Now banks want to engage their customers and make them feel welcome, a global trend that holds true for the National Bank of Canada. So Ruscio Studios and WZMH Architects brought the bank a whole new design concept while solving some site challenges.
Jan. 17, 2013
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Macy’s City Creek was the third project to receive accolades in the department store category. Ultimately, the judges were impressed to see three “distinctive and singular” approaches for the category. With Macy’s, the jury was impressed by how FRCH Design elevated the City Creek Macy’s overall aesthetic above and beyond a typical Macy’s, bringing the look and feel of the store more in line with Bloomingdale’s. As one judge put it, “It’s really reassuring to see Macy’s putting that kind of money into their stores and reinvigorating the brand.”
Jan. 17, 2013
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Last year, FRCH Design’s submitted Liverpool store project in Mexico City—Liverpool Polanco—took home the Grand SADI. FRCH nearly duplicated that feat this year. This year, its design for Liverpool Interlomas so impressed the jury that it shares the top spot in the department store category. One of the strongest features of the design for Liverpool Interlomas is that FRCH succeeded in creating a series of distinct rooms throughout the project. Each is appealing and complements the other areas. ...
Jan. 17, 2013
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Liberty Wharf has rapidly become a popular retail and entertainment destination on a new pier spanning a historic seawall in Boston Harbor. The jury was impressed by the cohesiveness of the project, which spans multiple levels and includes five restaurants, office space, outdoor decking, a marina, and 570 ft. of public boardwalk. The Liberty Wharf site was previously occupied by Jimmy’s Harborside, a Boston icon since it first opened as the Liberty Cafeteria in 1924 but which blocked public access to the water.
Jan. 17, 2013
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Although it’s called a department store, the Hyundai project in South Korea is vastly different from department stores in the United States. For one thing, at more than 500,000 sq. ft., it is massive. For another, many of its “departments” are standalone retailers. And the breadth of its merchandise is much wider than that of a U.S. store. For these reasons, it’s more appropriate to view the project as an enclosed center—and it succeeds brilliantly on that front.
Jan. 17, 2013
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The inspired decision to include a dramatic full-height and brightly lit showcase of suspended cured meats almost singlehandedly won over the SADI jury to Hambar. The design is a transformation from Hambar’s former club-like atmosphere, which was created by an all-black scheme with sealed-off windows. Architecture firm GH+A has reversed the restaurant’s feel by creating “a sparkly, white, glamorous space, a trendy and casual space, where specialty cured meats and ham are the stars of the show.”
Jan. 17, 2013
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The challenge for the Fixtures Living project was to create a place for people to learn about and purchase kitchen appliances and bath fixtures outside of the typical warehouse-type setting. The project’s architect, FITCH, succeeded on those counts. As one judge said, “They’ve created an opportunity for customers to sit and talk about what they are buying. I like that. It makes sense to me.” The design also responds to the trend of manufacturers caring less about whether customers buy a product in a store or online.
Jan. 17, 2013
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Eataly was a bit of a polarizing project entry for the SADI jury. The project, designed by TPG Architecture, is tremendously successful as a retail space and also a “phenomenal transformation” of the landmark Toy Center building on New York’s Fifth Avenue. There was a debate about Eataly’s plan, as it’s a challenging site, and the layout creates some bottlenecks for the mass of consumers who visit daily. But some jurors thought a little bit of chaos was not such a bad thing. “They successfully created an experience that is original,” one judge said. ...
Jan. 17, 2013
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City Creek Center triggered an intense debate at the SADI judging. As one juror encapsulated it, “It’s a little ersatz and hokey, but the materiality is first class. ... And there is a richness and experiential quality that is quite convincing. ... There is not a detail missed.” Other jurors balked at what they perceived to be some hokiness within the design. Ultimately, the jury decided that the aesthetic was consistent with the design mission and therefore successful.
