|
Speaking from a professional standpoint, one of advantages of being involved with the retail sector in the Middle East is being able to witness the level of diversity, interest and association that it offers both the work and non-work aspects of our lives. This involvement offers the retail professional a window of opportunity to explore both the depth as well as the level of interaction that the sector offers us as consumers, and ultimately therefore how the sector has an unavoidable impact on our daily lives.
Consequently, it is worth considering how the growth, of the real estate juggernaut in the Middle East is continuing apace. As a result, it is possible to spot the development trends that will be setting the standard for future generations and how these trends will impact those that will be living, working and playing here in a generation's time. The interrelationship of the living and working environments are rapidly coming together in the form of multidimensional spaces that cater to all our lifestyle needs, and never has this been more pertinent than in the mixed-use developments emerging in the region.
This however is not a trend only in the Middle East, as the suburban mixed-use centre is the current land-use of choice for developers and architects alike as they offer near instant town-centres, as well as the ability to concentrate areas of population. In effect, what these developments offer is a solution that urbanises areas very quickly, that not long before may well have been, quite literally, desert.
From a retail perspective, the plus points are many. However, the main reason really has to come down to the fact that various facets of the sector can be interwoven through the very core of such developments, ultimately indicating that the retail component in these developments truly act as the facilitator of the community.
Problems
Potential problems abound, however, and these are mainly due to an underlying necessity to complete everything yesterday. The upshot is that although developers require a unique point to distinguish their products, the desire to differentiate combined with the necessity to develop often leads to a lack of forethought.
There is no panacea to creating a truly successful mixed-use development. However, a little bit more dedication is needed to truly understand why such developments in this region are being built. As a consequence, exploring who the development is realistically targeting as an end-user group, in addition to considering what style of architecture and personality is suited to the product, would go a long way towards driving the design and architectural style of development, and from a retail perspective, the product mix.
The real issue, then, is creating diversity in these mixed-use developments and then ensuring that this diversity is replicated in the retail mix. Hence, the strength of these new communities or town centres lies not in their ability to be the first, but in their respective abilities to differentiate themselves. If the retail markets in the Middle East are to truly diversify and culturally mature, their ability to shape the downtowns of tomorrow will be their most defining and long-lasting legacy.
The writer is Head of GRMC Retail Services, Dubai.
|
