Unknown to many others, DP or Design Partnership was responsible to present Singaporeans with its first major atrium-style shopping centre in 1970. People’s Park Complex with its natural ventilated atrium was a milestone in shopping centre design. Shoppers experienced for the first time streets in the sky and multi-directional atriums. For a long time, this was the only viable alternative to street shopping. 30 years on, design went full cycle and returned to the street with the very successful Bugis Junction. Suddenly, there was light and shopping centre was to bring people back to the concept of town rather than sealed boxes. Still in the business of creating new shopping centre models, DPA now embarks on larger experiments both local and overseas.

On the home front, DPA completed the urban typology studies as part of the “Orchard Road Experience” together with relevant government agencies. The valuable lessons learnt were put to good use in several remodeling exercises. Most notably was the creation of the now famous alfresco dining water court of United Square where once again Singaporeans discovered that dining outdoor could be pleasant with the help of generous water-scape. In the age of SARS and sick-building syndrome, this was a breath of fresh air. In Wisma Atria, this month’s feature project, the concept of engaging the street was explored by extending the building façade closer to the street thus slaughtering the sacred cow of buffer. The highly animated and transparent façade highlight the importance of friendliness and shop front display.

More significantly, the years of retail experience was put to good use with the commission to design the world’s largest mall in Dubai, the second feature project. At 5 million square feet, this massive mall requires all the skills to create an exceptional shopping experience. Streets or animation, DPA is in its next lap of shopping experience creation and we seek to search for solutions that defy the conventional – a gravity-defying act continues. Lets talk some “MALL” and do some “MALL”!