Design of shopping centers: features, norms and recommendations

Over the creation of modern shopping centers, there are whole groups of specialists of different profiles. The main work touches on the implementation of the technical part of the future complex, but the successful operation of outlets is impossible without planning the flow of customers and the thoughtful organization of comfortable recreation areas. Accordingly, not to do without the help of designers with marketers who will make their own adjustments. Also designing of shopping centers is impossible without thoughtful communication support. Careful calculations of engineers and energy specialists will ensure the stable operation of the center even in cases of failures on the central lines.

The rules and requirements for the placement of shopping centers

When choosing the location of the shopping complex, you need to focus on several criteria. The center should be located in the area most accessible to the residential area - on average this distance is 500 m, since in the intermediate area there are also infrastructure facilities. If the design of shopping centers is provided in conditions of dense development, this can cause problems with pedestrian and traffic traffic. This is especially true for large complexes, which will also be used to calculate the possibilities for servicing the customers' private cars.

There is a mandatory provision for the possibility of travel for fire trucks. So, along the front part of the passage area should be for single-storey buildings 5 m, and for high-rise buildings - 8 m. The pedestrian zone is specially designed. Initially, the design of shopping centers should provide for the creation of recreation areas outside the premises, green plantations on the territory of the complex, objects of small architectural forms , etc.

Preparation for project development

Before the direct design, the customer must decide on the concept of the future object. In the future, the support and development of the plan will be undertaken by specialists of different fields, but the preparatory stage is the most important from the point of view of formulating the main idea. At the same time, the design of shopping centers should not be based on general and abstract concepts. The customer formulates the directions within which the work will be carried out, but also determines the main parameters of the center. For example, as a source data, the designer receives information about the areas of the premises, the number of storeys, the minimum infrastructure, the style of the design of the furnishings and finishes.

In addition, the list of services that the shopping center will provide will help developers in the future to choose the best means of arranging the complex or its individual components. For example, if the construction of a music studio is planned for the design of a shopping center, it will not be superfluous to calculate optimal noise insulation in building and finishing materials. But, unfortunately, before the development of the project to think over all the permissible options for the use of retail space can not be in every case.

Logistics of trade and consumer flows

A modern shopping center can be successful only in the case of well-designed and properly implemented logistics. This primarily relates to the principles of the organization of consumer flows and channels, through which the shops will be serviced. With regard to the first aspect, the effective organization of flows is achieved through the rational distribution of inputs and outputs from stores, the use of elevators, stairs, travolators, etc. If you plan to build an escalator when designing a shopping center, then it should be possible to free the points of approaches and exits to This object. At a minimum, designers create wide indentations in such zones, so that customers do not interfere with each other during crossings. Special attention should be paid to the organization of traffic flows on the territory of the complex. In today's conditions there is no chance to survive the shopping center, which does not have its own parking zone. But its availability does not at all guarantee an increase in the attractiveness of the object, if the scheme of arrival, departure and location of cars was incorrectly calculated. The same applies to pedestrian flows, which, with the exception of residents of nearby areas, will use public transport.

Basic parameters of the complex

This is the main part of the work of designers, engineers, architects and technologists. The result of the work at this stage should be a basic technical solution, in which the key parameters of the complex will be indicated. The finished plan should include schemes with premises, an indication of the areas and a description of the technological support. Also for the builders a package of documentation with requirements for the execution of structural elements is compiled. The development of this part takes into account the design standards of shopping centers in terms of compliance of the construction site with technological loads. In particular, engineers can take into account the characteristics of crossbars, columns, equipment, warehousing equipment and other objects that increase the load on the foundation and supporting frame.

Planning project

For the compact placement of functional objects with the possibility of further modernization, the flexible layout concept is used. It enables the introduction of new technical means of the infrastructure and communication complex. In accordance with the idea of flexible planning, stores are developed according to unified schemes, in terms of location and operation. In addition, the design of shops and shopping centers in almost every case is focused on saving space. This is achieved by increasing the number of storeys and rational use of the underground area. At the same time, the close arrangement of stores on one floor also determines the increase in the requirements for providing fire safety equipment.

Features of designing an entertaining part

The basic aspects of the design of shopping and entertainment complexes include careful calculations in the creation of schemes and plans for the structural part, but the creation of conditions for a comfortable and interesting leisure in the center is of no small importance. According to statistics, 70% of the areas in shopping centers are occupied by shops, and the rest is reserved for operators of entertainment zones. For obvious reasons, the development of plans for such areas has its own nuances. So, if a recreation area is planned in the design of a shopping center, a special finish with increased insulating qualities should be initially calculated. Functional and technical filling of such zones can have different character depending on the direction in which the premises or a separate part of the complex will be operated. The general rule for entertainment zones of any type is the creation of an original design, which can be expressed in the form of non-standard finishes, forms of architectural objects, furniture and decorative design.

Development of an energy supply plan

The creation of a project solution for energy supply is included in the general package of documents with engineering support plans. In the process of designing, specialists form optimal wiring distribution schemes for all rooms and halls, taking into account the peculiarities of their operation. Further, the design of the electricity supply of the shopping center provides for the selection of equipment, installations and units that will practically allow the implementation of the prepared plan. At this stage, technologists are also guided by the use of secondary energy resources and progressive energy-saving devices, which will minimize the cost of maintaining the facility.

Criteria for project evaluation

Often, shopping centers receive negative feedback from customers, on the basis of which in the future a negative opinion is formed about the authors of the project. However, not always there is a connection between the quality of the project and the attractiveness of the implemented complex. This is explained by the fact that during the operation the impression is formed and other aspects that do not depend on the quality of the original technical solution. Even if the construction and design of shopping centers is carried out by highly qualified specialists with rich experience in this field, the result of their work can be overshadowed by the wrong price policy of stores, logistical processes and other operational factors. The project itself, as a rule, is evaluated according to the opportunities that it provides to operating customers. The success of the complex depends on how the owners manage the potential built into the center.

Conclusion

A modern shopping center is an object in terms of planning and construction. The implementation of such projects involves the involvement of many resources and technological methods in the process. Especially it demonstrates the design of shopping and entertainment centers, which, in addition to the marketplace, are a cultural and leisure facility. That is, on the one hand, the authors of the project have the task to ensure the efficiency of trade and technological processes, and on the other - the goal of creating comfortable conditions for leisure of visitors. The most successful are those complexes, in the projects of which a balance was found between these two aspects of development.