Even before COVID-19, the shopping mall was under siege. As more consumers turned to online shopping and local, independent bricks and mortar retailers, it was not uncommon to see spaces for lease within malls and empty parking lots outside. In some cities, malls were being turned into mixed-use spaces, condos or distribution warehouses. Then the pandemic happened.
SLD decided to ask the question, what does the future of the mall look like? Based off three potential futures, our retail design team came up with a series of design concepts that incorporate factors such as pandemics, social distancing, and work from home. Though we don’t know exactly what the future will hold, these concepts provide an idea of how malls could adapt to certain scenarios.
Which concept do you think is the most realistic? Are there any design elements that you hope to see in your local mall? Scroll through the slideshow below and let us know what you think!
