Dubai's biggest Mall paves the way for a new shopping era (page 1 of 2)

Developed by Emaar, the Dhs73bn mall will cover a total of 12 million sqft, with an internal floor area of 5.9 million sqft, equivalent to 50 football pitches, and 3.77 million sqft of gross leasable space.

It is expected that some 30 million shoppers will visit it in its first year.

Access to Burj Dubai

According to an estimate by the World Travel and Tourism Council, the UAE's travel and tourism sector grew by 13.5% this year.

With Dubai's target of 15 million tourists by 2015 we expect the numbers to be quite substantial.

'The access to the Burj Dubai observatory tower from Dubai Mall, will help increase traffic through the mall, which, in turn, will complement the attractions,' says Badour.

The mall will have more than 1,200 retail outlets, two anchor department stores and over 120 food and beverage outlets.

Galleries Lafayette, France's leading lifestyle retailer will be the first department store to anchor the mall. This is the first time the retailer has opened a shop outside the European Union.

The Fashion Avenue section of the mall, which is dedicated to haute couture, will carry over 70 signature stores highlighting the latest trends in global fashion.

Amongst the leading names that have confirmed opening at Fashion Avenue are Versace, Burberry, Roberto Cavalli, Hugo Boss, Loewe, Galliano, Hermes, Givenchy, Cerruti, Missoni, Tom Ford, Escada, Ermenegildo Zegna and Badgley Mischka.

The Dubai Mall will also feature the Gold Souk, the largest of its kind in the world, which will showcase a collection of over 220 of the region's gold and jewellery retailers.

An adjoining 5-star hotel - The Address, Dubai Mall - will bring added value to the mall, with 250 rooms, 450 serviced apartments, and 14,000 undercover car park spaces.

Keeping families entertained

Coming to design, The Dubai Mall will have a variety of custom-designed areas dedicated to specific retailing concepts Badour explains.

There are many different themes and designs to the mall's internior and exterior design. Fashion Avenue, for example, is served by a dedicated VIP entrance, leading into the most prestigious area - a dedicated circular atrium where the world's top designer labels can be found.

'The atrium will be accentuated by premium finishes including onyx cladding, white marble flooring and high-grade carpet. The ceiling is lifted by a glass circular skylight allowing for a natural ambient feel.'

Catering to families, The Dubai Mall will host KidZania, a children's 'edutainment' concept that is being brought to the region for the first time.

Kidzania will be made up of a 76,000 sqft Sega indoor theme park; a 22-screen Cineplex; and an Olympic-sized ice rink.

One of the most interesting precincts in the mall is an open-air streetscape called The Grove. This section has a retractable roof, which is aimed at bringing an outdoor community feel complete with tree-lined walkways, cafes and restaurants.

Niche-driven sector

Based on Emaar claims, Dubai Mall is expected to be the world's largest shopping mall and when it opens it is bound to change the face of the retail sector in the Gulf.

Badour notes that retail has grown massively in the UAE, along with real estate and construction.

These have managed to defy current global trends, which have been manifested in the repercussions on regional economies.

'Dubai has unveiled the Dubai Strategic Plan, which projects economic growth at an average 11% annually through 2015.