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´¡²ú³ó²¹â€™s The Point mixed-use development will soon center its experience around a public entertainment and dining hub, with terraces and sightlines intentionally oriented to a central gathering space. This design strategy creates energy, visibility, and a sense of shared connection across the site.

Retail as a Part of a Larger Ecosystem

Retail today must fit into the broader context of where people live, work, and play. A grocery store isn’t just a place to pick up essentials – it’s part of a network of destinations that might include a fitness studio, coworking space, or outdoor plaza where people linger and recharge rather than just checking items off a to-do list. A stadium isn’t just a place for sports and concerts; it can also be a retail and entertainment district where fans come early to eat and stay late to celebrate. Housing developments with ground-floor retail create daily interaction points, promoting community beyond the home.

Retail spaces that succeed are those designed to work in tandem with the surrounding community. This means thinking beyond single-use developments and incorporating complementary elements – residences, offices, medical centers, hospitality, and cultural institutions – that make a place feel active and essential. The shift from retail as a standalone experience to retail as a component of an integrated ecosystem is already transforming shopping destinations worldwide.

Placemaking with Purpose

The best retail developments don’t just happen; they are curated with intention. The mix of tenants matters, but the design of the public realm is just as important. In fact, data shows that centers with thoughtful placemaking and curated public spaces typically see a 20–40% increase in foot traffic compared to standard retail formats, while activated public realms can drive 10–25% higher lease rates, according to studies from ULI, JLL, and CBRE.

The most successful retail environments focus on:

• Social Spaces: Areas that encourage gathering, such as shaded outdoor seating, interactive art installations, and performance spaces.

• Walkability and Connectivity: Well-designed pedestrian paths, activated storefronts, and multi-use plazas that blend harmoniously with their surroundings.

• Programming and Experience: Events, pop-ups, and cultural activations that ensure the space is a destination, not just a pass-through.
• Wellness and Sustainability: Green spaces, water features, and biophilic design that create a sense of calm and balance.

Encino Courtyard in California puts these principles into practice. Once a dated retail center, the development was repositioned as a vibrant lifestyle destination by transforming a sunken courtyard into a central plaza, activating the street edge with outdoor dining, and improving pedestrian flow. The result is a dynamic, neighborhood-focused hub that encourages lingering and draws consistent foot traffic.

Terminal 1 at the Port of Vancouver in Washington follows a similar approach – revitalizing a historic waterfront by activating the street level with retail, dining, and community spaces. Designed to reconnect the community with the Columbia River, the development offers a walkable, public-facing experience that begins well before visitors enter a store.

Design for Longevity: The Bottom-Up Approach

Historically, many mixed-use developments were planned from the top down – prioritizing office or residential components first, with retail treated as an afterthought. But in order to create thriving environments, retail needs to be considered at the outset. Designing from the bottom up means ensuring that retail spaces are tailored to the surrounding community and adaptable for long-term success. 

A once-underutilized block, 8550 Santa Monica Blvd in California was reimagined as a vibrant neighborhood anchor. By integrating a mix of grocery, café, coworking, and green spaces, it became more than just a commercial corridor – it became a community asset. Similarly, the Hub on Campus developments º£½ÇÉçÇø designed in partnership with Core Spaces in Fullerton, California and Bloomington, Indiana, incorporate street-level retail that is designed to serve not only students but also the broader community, ensuring that ground-floor spaces remain active year-round.

The Future of Retail is Experience-Driven

Consumers today crave spaces that offer more than transactions – they want places that create memories, encourage interaction, and provide a sense of belonging. Whether it’s a third-space café, a live-work plaza, or a retail-anchored entertainment district, the key to successful retail is designing spaces that feel organic, integrated, and vibrant 365 days a year.

By focusing on the spaces in between – rather than just the storefronts themselves – we can redefine what it means to create a retail destination. The future of retail isn’t just about what’s for sale – it’s about the value of time, memory, and connection. Considering that a 1% increase in dwell time can lead to a 1.3% increase in sales, centers with integrated public spaces can see up to 30% higher repeat visitation over time. The ROI is clear: designing for the spaces in between isn’t just great for people – it’s also smart for business.

Learn more about our approach to placemaking and designing mixed-use retail environments for tomorrow.