October 10, 2017

What roles do mall developers play in shaping our urban and business landscapes? Malls seem to be sprouting up all over Asia! A/P Hendrik Meyer-Ohle (Department of Japanese Studies), in Two Asian Malls: Urban Shopping Centre Development in Singapore and Japan (2009), compared the development of two shopping malls, VivoCity launched in Singapore in October 2006, and Urban Dock Lalaport Toyosu opened in November 2006 in Tokyo. Both malls were seen as milestones in the two countries’ retail scenes. His study revealed that strong developers drive mall construction, actively differentiating malls through bold concepts and themes. Toyosu Mall was designed to integrate closely with its residential neighbourhood, while VivoCity was branded as a destination mall for leisure and entertainment. These transnational mall developers work closely with tenant chains that operate multiple stores within the same shopping mall, while providing inroads for businesses to expand internationally. The role of shopping complexes is thus evolving as they contribute to the larger redevelopment of cities and the flourishing of cross-border activity as malls offer companies internationalisation opportunities.

The shifting relationship dynamics between developers and tenants, and the international dimension of their activities, remain important research areas that help enhance our understanding of retail trends and business networks in Asia.

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