Page 51 - RLI June 2019

OXIGENO, Costa Rica
LATIN AMERICA Developer: Cuestamoras Urbanismo

RETAIL TRENDS

Gonzalo Montaño, President of MAC Architects &
Consultants takes some time out in order to discuss

the most recent trends in the Latin American market,
and he considered it convenient to analyse the

subject from two different perspectives: Retail and
Latin America
Shopping Centre trends.

1. Retail tRends: •Understand that the commercial exchange per-se is We must ensure that these thousand-year-old expressions •The organisation of special events for its clients, such as
“tRansactions Vs expeRiences” no longer the cause or reason of being of a physical store of human activity, recover their leading role so that our fashion shows, exhibitions, concerts and other cultural activities:
Reflecting on my views about the subject, a recurrent and, therefore, of the Shopping Centres, but now it is the commercial and mixed-use projects recover the preponderant “The idea is to frame all the experience and entertainment of
idea kept coming to my mind: “Fortunately we are Latin”. effect of a relaxed mood, produced in an cosy architectural role they have played in other times as drivers of the integral AMBIENTE LIVING in the brand. That is the most important”.
Reason is, I guess, that Latin-Americans usually share a environment, fun and iconic, supported by an unbeatable development of our communities and to become a vital •In summary, their personal business philosophy is captured
peculiar interest regarding people: A remarkable desire, and level of service. tool for urban regeneration and a new “branding” for the in this sentence: “We do not compete with the big players,
ability, to connect with our equals on a personal level, above community and/or the city. because those chains have other strategies. Ours is to meet
other simpler or more “pragmatic” attitudes, especially when 2. shopping centRes tRends: In short, so that they can give testimony of the new global our customers needs: to relish and enjoy an experience.“
related to retail. “the espiRit of ouR time” character of our culture and thus express the spirit of our time!
Such ability is part of our DNA and I truly believe it is Except for a few exceptions, we can say that the Architecture These two cases exemplify the “must be” in the operation “oxígeno”
quite useful when it comes to our specific retail practices of Shopping Centres that are being produced in general, NO of retail and the design of shopping centres, both cases of Regardless of market capacity, Oxígeno is an ambitious
and performance, because there is a big difference between LONGER SELLS. And it does not do it anymore, because those success in Latin America: project that aims to transcend and leave behind the obsolete
a middling “RETAIL TRANSACTION” and a memorable responsible for producing it (Investors, Developers, Architects) concept, distribution and expression of the traditional mall
“RETAIL EXPERIENCE”. no longer understand clearly how they work, or what their “ambiente liVing” or old “mall”.
A simple “Retail Transaction” is a cold and impersonal purpose is; they simply do not know how to adjust the old In Latin America there is a growing number of brands and Proclaimed as “the first Human Playground in the world”,
exchange of a good or service, which can be done through premises to the new and changing conditions and expectations. retailers that have made significant changes in this direction. Such this innovative commercial area, built in the province of
a “soulless” operation in a physical store, or through an It is worrisome to conclude that many Shopping Centres is the case of Patricia Vélez, a prominent Colombian entrepreneur Heredia, in Costa Rica, recently opened its first stage, offering
efficient e-commerce operation, while a “Retail Experience” in Latin America, including some of the most recent ones, who operates a group of 40 stores in Colombia, under five visitors a mixture of four different worlds that combine
is an unbeatable opportunity to establish a more emotional can now be classified as “exhausted shelf” products, “tired” different brands, and her most recent commercial venture: sport, nature, entertainment and retail offer.
connection between the seller and the buyer, which will buildings and spaces, uncomfortable and/or monotonous, Founded in 2014 and specialised in furniture, decoration According to its developers, the concept was inspired
allow them to weave bonds of trust and brand loyalty as whose shapes, environments and design elements generate and lighting, “AMBIENTE LIVING” is a brand of lifestyle by the agora of the city-states of ancient Greece, an open
long as the retailer takes special care to maintain an honest few, or none, emotion, experience or “happening” that may that is conducted with a strategy defined as: experience central space that was the centre of commerce, culture,
and permanent attitude of customer service. be relevant or memorable for the visitor. store. Among the innovative practices that contribute to its sports, and even the politics of social life. Thus, in Oxígeno
Therefore, the two “global” trends to be pointed out are: Throughout history, the great buildings have always recognised differentiation and success, stands out: visitors can go shopping, eat in a restaurant, practice athletics,
•The urgent recognition that stores can no longer be mere reflected the zeitgeist, or “spirit of their time”; what shows •The temporary sale of products from other categories, such swim, go to the gym, attend a concert, have fun and be in the
physical spaces for “exhibiting and exchanging merchandise”, or reflects the intellectual, social and cultural climate of an as costume jewellery, women’s fashion, gifts or cigars ...: “We put in central square, or simply climb the roof to observe the Poás
but must now be transformed into environments that, era. Since 1990, our zeitgeist is Globalisation, a concept that and take out collections permanently. The store is like a surprise.” and Barva volcanoes.
together with more sophisticated systems and more must be fully understood in order to start transforming and •The incorporation of a restaurant of healthy food for In the future, the project will include offices, residences,
dependable and qualified store dependents, provide reorienting our way of understanding and doing architecture. 80 diners enlivened with live music, with the peculiarity that a hotel and access to the suburban train, that will facilitate
“memorable experiences” that nurture trust and increase Globalisation is a dynamic process that continuously absolutely everything that is used in the restaurant is for sale: accessibility to the rest of the Central Valley.
customer loyalty through an authentic offer of unexpected impacts and transforms all activities and forms of human “The concept is that the restaurant works and is perceived As they express it: “Oxígeno is a space designed to
attention and services. expression, including Art, Commerce and Architecture. as part of the store’s DNA”. surprise us, make us enjoy and live out loud”.

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