Come up with a theme. Whether it’s Steampunk, Victorian, ultra-modern, or chic, coming up with a motif for your mall can make it stand out from everyone else. It can also attract like-minded tenants and, most importantly, shoppers. Keep it simple, stupid – Some designers want to get all fancy on designs, making them multi-level, weaving in and out of other pathways, exploding into the sky, and so on. While this may look great on paper, it makes your mall impossible to navigate (see above). Some of the best designs I have seen (and the best ones I’ve come up with myself) follow a simple path; ICOW Island, for instance, had a simple gently-curving main boulevard, where all the shops lined up along the edges. Simple, to the point, and allowing for some great views, the ICOW design was elegant for letting shoppers walk up and down the pathway and discover all of the shops in mere minutes. Some other great designs are Lalique and The Abyss (pictured), forgoing complex pathways for simple shapes. Constrain the shoppers – this ties into the last tip. If you funnel your shoppers into one or two main paths, you can maximize the exposure your tenants will have to eyeballs. While you may be tempted to use all 65k square meters of space, you might be able to elegantly pile everything into half that size, or even a third. It all depends on good design and how many tenants you’re going to have. Smaller sizes mean less walking for your shoppers, meaning increased sales and efficient marketing. Don’t forget to hide your empty areas – I can’t tell you how many half-empty malls I’ve seen, with nothing more than a floating sign prim saying “STALL FOR RENT”. This is ugly and puts off shoppers who see nothing but wasted space. If you have a lack of paying tenants, hide your empty areas. Put in props (crates, trees, etc), place signage over the empty area (advertising, notices for your existing tenants, or other messages), or simply close off that area of your shopping area. Making your mall look full regardless of how many tenants are in it make the shopping experience better for everyone.
Lalique Layout