Retail Centers

With the advent of the internet and online shopping, retail centers need to be more compelling than ever to draw people away from their computers and into physical stores. Design can capture the interest of potential shoppers, and pay off in a big way for business owners.

Rendering courtesy CFC

June 17, 2020 | David Malone, Associate Editor

New cannabis dispensary under construction in Northbrook, Ill.

The project will be a national flagship location for Greenhouse.

Boxyard RTP will be the first retail complex within the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. Rendering: CallisonRTKL

May 22, 2020 | John Caulfield, Senior Editor

‘Cargotecture’ is coming to North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park

Boxyard RTP, made from 38 shipping containers, will serve as a community gathering and social s...

Starbucks in Bothell, Wash., gets CO through a virtual building inspection

This Starbucks and an adjacent bank in Bothell, Wash., were opened thanks to a virtual building inspection by the city. The coffeeshop's drive-thru has stayed open through the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 13, 2020 | Avalon Development

COVID-19 alert: City conducts a 'virtual building inspection' to allow Starbucks and bank to open

Bothell, Wash., issues a certificate of occupancy to developer after inspecting the property on...

Galleria exterior as seen from the street

All photos courtesy OMA

March 27, 2020 | David Malone, Associate Editor

New South Korean retail building looks like a molting insect

OMA designed the project.

All renderings courtesy The McBride Company

February 28, 2020 | David Malone, Associate Editor

Eat with the Peanuts Gang in this new experiential cafe concept

The McBride Company partnered with Peanuts Worldwide LLC to design the concept.

A huge all-glass roof provides a stunning view into the esplanade of Place Ville Marie, a mall and gathering place in downtown Montreal. Images: Sid Lee Architecture

January 30, 2020 | John Caulfield, Senior Editor

An all-glass roof hovers above a refurbished shopping mall in Montreal

This $200 million project provided the installer, Seele, with some valuable lessons learned worki...

January 21, 2020 | David Malone, Associate Editor

New Vienna IKEA will include green façades and no parking

The building will include 160 newly planted trees.

All photos: Richard Cadan

December 16, 2019 | David Malone, Associate Editor

KFC opens urban prototype in the Bronx

FRCH NELSON designed the project.

KFC drive-thru only restaurant in Australia

All photos courtesy KFC

November 13, 2019 | David Malone, Associate Editor

World’s first drive-thru only restaurant in Australia

FRCH NELSON designed the project.

Top 70 Retail Engineering Firms for 2019 7-Eleven Lab Store, dallas, top retail construction firms, photo by Dror Baldinger, FAIA courtesy CallisonRTKL

7-Eleven Lab Store in Dallas. Photo by Dror Baldinger, FAIA, courtesy CallisonRTKL

October 24, 2019 | BD+C Staff

Top 70 Retail Engineering Firms for 2019

Jacobs, Kimley-Horn, Henderson Engineers, and Core States Group head the rankings of the nation's...

Top 125 Retail Architecture Firms for 2019 Nike store 5th Ave, top retail engineering firms for 2019, Giants 300 report, Photo by Jonathan Morefield

Nike Store on 5th Ave. in New York City. Photo by Jonathan Morefield

October 24, 2019 | BD+C Staff

Top 125 Retail Architecture Firms for 2019

CallisonRTKL, Gensler, MG2, NELSON, and Stantec top the rankings of the nation's largest retail s...

Medical offices are filling space vacated by retail, Rosedale Center in Minnesota's Twin Cities

A rendering of an expanded Rosedale Center in Minnesota's Twin Cities, which when completed will include a medical office building. Image: Rosedale Center

October 01, 2019 | John Caulfield, Senior Editor

Medical offices are filling space vacated by retail

Healthcare developers and providers like the locations, traffic, and parking these spaces offer....

Another well-known retailer files for bankruptcy: Here's the solution to more empty anchor stores

A robust click-and-collect facility would allow customers, as well as third-party delivery vendors, faster access to merchandise. Rendering: NELSON

September 06, 2019 | Eric Arter, AIA, LEED AP, Vice President, Mixed-Use Studio Leader, NELSON Worldwide

Another well-known retailer files for bankruptcy: Here's the solution to more empty anchor stores

Where can you find the future of retail? At the intersection of experience and instant gratificat...

A giant version of Puma's iconic suede shoe is one of the design flourishes in the company's new North American flagship store. Images courtesy PUMA

September 03, 2019 | John Caulfield, Senior Editor

Puma’s flagship in North America creates immersive experiences for its sports-focused patrons

Technology and curation allow customers to personalize their product selections.

August 06, 2019 | Marc Fairbrother

Saving the American mall in 5 steps

CallisonRTKL Vice President Marc Fairbrother explains how struggling American malls can turn it a...

June 20, 2019 | Jonathan Barnes, Contributing Editor

Nation’s largest Nissan facility opens in Houston

A 162,500 SF dealership building set on 16 acres, Central Houston Nissan, in Texas, is being tout...

All photos courtesy Apple

May 22, 2019 | David Malone, Associate Editor

Foster + Partners converts historic D.C. library into an Apple store

The building was the city’s first public library.

April 30, 2019 | David Malone, Associate Editor

Is this the future of retail? Walmart seems to think so

The retail company recently unveiled its new AI-enabled store in Levittown, N.Y.

April 02, 2019 | Jason Stephenson

Brick-and-mortar retail is not dead—here’s proof

We continually hear that “retail is dying,” but there are many foundational retail types essentia...

All photos courtesy indiGo Auto Group

March 19, 2019 | David Malone, Associate Editor

Porsche’s next-gen showroom prototype opens in Palm Springs, Ca.

The dealership is the first to showcase Porsche’s new design philosophy, ‘Destination Porsche.’...

Photo: Pixabay

December 03, 2018 | Sabrina Hilfer

Biotrack your shop

Sabrina Hilfer, a specialty retail designer, talks about the integration of biometrics in the ret...

The interior of the redesigned Container Store

Courtesy The Container Store

November 08, 2018 | David Malone, Associate Editor

The Container Store moves into the next generation courtesy FRCH Design Worldwide

The next-gen prototype is located in Dallas, Texas.

October 22, 2018 | Erich Dohrer

Stuck in the middle: What can save the average American mall?

Erich Dohrer doesn’t want to talk about the “dead mall” or the great mall success story—he wants...

Courtesy Starbucks

October 09, 2018 | David Malone, Associate Editor

Kengo Kuma designs Taipei Starbucks from 29 shipping containers

The store will be part of a new shopping mall.

September 27, 2018 | David Malone, Associate Editor

Turkish bazaar takes the shape of the surrounding mountains

The project is designed by PDG Architects and ANTEPE.

Hong Kong Duty Zero © Propaganda Studio Asia

September 26, 2018 | Kevin Horn and Shirley Cheng

The future of travel retail

Kevin Horn and Shirley Cheng explore how a new generation of travelers is disrupting airport reta...

Image by Rasmus Hjortshoj.

September 20, 2018 | David Malone, Associate Editor

BIG designs ‘restaurant village’ just outside of Copenhagen

The restaurant comprises 11 spaces, each with their own unique function.

For Comcast Studio Xfinity's new flagship in Washington, D.C., Gensler created an engaging experiential brand program that informed the store's interior design and created a warm, social, and inviting environment. Image © Chris Leonard.

September 17, 2018 | Ryan Cavanaugh

Iteration vs disruption: Designing for a great customer experience

One way to solve for the future is to disrupt the expected.