Initially an American innovation, the mega retail centres and particularly the shopping mall has spread in metropolitan cities in India and elsewhere, in the 21 st century, as the unparalleled powerful engine of commerce. It is now a global, polymorphous multicultural experience. Retail is a highly competitive business and developers have aggressively positioned their schemes, responding to the urban customers' expectations, recreating the retail centres in the light of the new demand of changing lifestyles and aspirations. There new challenges facing the designers with the continual emergence of new types of retail centres. New urban types of retail facilities incorporate a synergistic trinity of retail, catering leisure facilities, form retail entertainment centres geared towards attracting large population.

Shopping experience is an expression of consumer lifestyle. Basic trading stalls in conventional market have grown into various shopping formats which we have today, with increased size. Those employed in the retail industry make up a large proportion of a country's workforce. Today, the footfalls we witness in large shopping malls can be compared to footfalls in some of the largest railway stations and stadiums. Retail centres

generate large traffic volumes derived from public access to shops. Public transport, serving shopping centres, need to be integrated and made applicable and relevant, and also available and accessible to those who are likely to use it. Inter-nodal transit facilities created with metro stations, and airport facilities providing important hubs with transit shops mixed with food consumption and increasing leisure facilities, are creating a broad spectrum of consumer use. The mixeduse developments require design skills include the different building types and public realm design capabilities.

Today, it is about going out and getting a shopping experience, about collecting different aspects of a lifestyle and not just buying a commodity which can also be obtained by going online shopping. Shopping environment should establish a sense of place and create a local identity, and today's retail environment should be a more safe and convenient place to shop. Middle of the road generalised shopping facilities, as practised in many parts of India, will not be sufficient enough to attract enough customers to allow retail centres to survive.

The challenge for designers is how to make a shopping environment a memorable experience. Shopping trips are becoming more important than the purchase. The requirement for shopping facilities to be convenient and enjoyable to use will become increasingly important in a pressurised society where available time is scarce and shopping is easily available through other means like Internet, mail order and other centres. Going to shops will need a clear advantage of choice, convenience, contentment, value and experience over the alternative formats if it is to avoid failing into a decline. The experience will include the type and organisation of shops, ease of movement, quality of amenities and the means of finding a particular product. Providing choice and variety will become an increasingly important criteria in the overall scheme. Shop units are becoming big for tenants to provide a full product range.

Eaton Centre located in the prime area of downtown Toronto (1977-1979) despite its age is emulated by many subsequent centres today and is described as doyen of urban shopping centres. It is one of the largest town centre shopping developments in Canada with 145.000sq m of retailing and catering space. The shopping element forms over two thirds of a larger mixed-use development totalling 300000sq m of retail, offices, parking and connections to public transport infrastructure. The Mall of America in Minneapolis. USA. is a highly successful shopping and entertainment machine providing 390,000sq m of accommodation. The centre operates over four levels. Mall of Emirates in Dubai is an entertainment and shopping paradise. Wafi Mall, again in Dubai, houses the world's most valued brands.

Specialty shopping, emerging as a major attraction for tourists with the charm of a bazaar such as Covent Garden. London 1980, has led to exemplar developments. Focused retail centres also referred as themed retail centres, are not new in itself. The shopping environments emerging at transport hubs are taking advantage of the large pedestrians using metros. Newly designed airport concourse retails have also exploited a large number of passengers, and are described as shopping malls with runways attached. Airport operators are modifying existing airports and planning new ones to incorporate substantial retail facilities. Retail consultants and specialist architects are now involved in the earliest planning stages of new airport facilities. Transport oriented retail is fast becoming the order of the day.

With increasing competition between different retail centres providing the right level of facility can make the difference to success. The level of amenities in many shopping environments is now parallel that in hotels. Provision of refreshments, disabled facilities and crèches can no longer be positioned in remote areas and inaccessible parts of a centre. They are fundamental to the planning and organisation of a centre and must be considered at the outset. With more of the youthful society, trendy and greatly aware of international trends, the places they shop must be tailored to suit their requirements with the right level of safety and security. It is this generation which is generally well travelled, experienced and knowledgeable that wants shopping to be a positive, memorable experience. It also has high expectations allied to close attention to detail. The traditional shopping which earlier took place mainly during the festival season is now spread to all seasons. This emphasises the importance of shopping habits of today's generation. Many retailers now expert to operate across more than one country. They have set new standards in shop front and fit-out and have set new benchmarks taking new ideas from one country to another.

Shopping centres should have a sense of space and set good examples of urban design. The quality of the environment of shopping amenities from arrival to departure has improved and will continue to do so. because people will go somewhere else if it is not right. The public is well aware that there is another centre within a radius of 30 min drive time. Retail centres have become destination places besides being social centres, become tourist destinations.

Many retail centre interiors are naturally lit. bright and mixed with artificial light. The design of the artificial lighting needs to balance between the general and feature lighting and the combined installation needs to be controlled by energy management systems with economy. Contemporary high quality materials with granite or imported marble, glass and metal balustrades with toilet interiors matching five star hotel standards are used. The back of the house areas of shopping centres which are hidden from the public are integral to the design and this is where the designers play an important role in efficient planning and coordination.

An atrium is an important focal design in large retail centres to draw maximum people and becoming the place for fusing art and architecture. The atrium brings light and air down the spaces that are extremely dense with the customers. At the same time, one is losing important ground for retail. This is true for ground floor where more showy labels - jewellers, perfume and other high end items are located to attract the customers.

For architects today, there is a great opportunity for creating civic destinations which can be a rewarding experience being involved in the retail environment. New emerging types of shopping facility eventually add to the diversity of the existing range. Future prototypes have to explore sustainable design. With changing regulations, more stringent standards for energy consumption and requirement for more sustainable design, large shopping environments of the future will need to incorporate a wide range of sustainable and low energy features to meet these new targets. Retail has evolved and we have seen shops gradually developing second spaces shared other buildings become splendid individual buildings with their identity.

However, each new retail centre will require new skills and technical understanding from those involved in their designs. Architects are required to balance the different objectives and requirements of the principal stakeholders and even when the customer is the king and the developer is the instructing client. As the market matures and the large opportunities are completed and there will be fewer opportunities left resulting in a move towards making better use and expansion of existing retail centres. The continual emergence of new types and with the shopping development and lifestyle stores being integral to the formation of city centres, one can see the future of retail architecture very exciting and bright, and an inventive time for designers, and for both retail developers and the customers, it is a win-win situation.