What will the shopping and entertainment centre Akropole look like?

2019-03-10

The shopping centre sector is continually developing, adapting to changes in the lifestyle of visitors and ever increasing demands for innovations. The future shopping and entertainment centre Akropole with its total area of 98 000 square metres promises to be one of the most modern in the Baltics - the task of designing the building has been entrusted to the experienced architecture firm "Sarma & Norde arhitekti", while the interior will be designed by one of the world’s leading architecture firms “Benoy”.

As the retail environment continues to change and improve, the challenge for a shopping centre developer is to create a place that is exciting and attracts the attention of visitors, not only through a wide selection of stores and brands, but also through various leisure and entertainment options in first-class premises. “Akropole” will be akin to a city within a city. Total area of the shopping and entertainment centre, office building, parking lot for 2300 cars and surrounding territory is 150 000 square metres. Of that 61 000 square metres will be occupied by the tennants of the shopping and entertainment centre, while 8000 square metres will be the office space. The building’s design will reflect a combination of history and modernity, because territory that is home to the shopping and entertainment centre one housed the Kuzņecov porcelain factory. The atmosphere synonymous with the presence of industrial architecture will be enhanced by two preserved factory chimneys and part of the historical façade. In turn, modern materials will be used in the large façade planes - terracotta façade planes with a texture that forms an additional pattern. The interior designs of the shopping centre will reflect the very latest architectural and interior trends in the retail sector, at the same time preserving the presence of aforementioned historical attributes.

“Akropole’s” interior will be designed by the global architecture firm “Benoy”, which has been involved in creating shopping centres such as “Westfield” in London and "Mall of Scandinavia" in Stockholm, in addition to its involvement in major projects in China, Dubai, Singapore and elsewhere. In devising the design strategy for the shopping and entertainment centre “Akropole”, “Benoy” was inspired by the process of creating porcelain, which consists of the three main stages: formation, burning and glazing. This will also be reflected in the symbolic division of the shopping centre into three zones.

The first zone, drawing inspiration from the forms created in the making of porcelain, will be defined by elegant industrial design and audacious architectural forms in broad open-type spaces. The preserved porcelain forms will be cleaned and placed in walls behind glass. The mid-zone, where the Old Town zone, also known as Kuzņecov’s Alley, will be built from the former porcelain factory’s bricks at the crossing between both main entrances, will be cosy and inspired by the interplay between the contrasts and light synonymous with the process of burning porcelain, through a combination of ancient and contemporary interior elements. In turn, the third zone will retain the previously observed geometry of premises, symbolically reflecting the fluidity, fragility and texture characteristic of porcelain glazing.

One of “Akropole’s” most impressive features which visitors to the shopping centre will have the chance to appreciate will be the spaciousness and scope of the premises. The architects have taken care to ensure that outside the shops, buyer will have a lot of room and space - the inner shopping ‘allies’ will be broad with high ceilings and a lot of natural lighting. To ensure this, complex technical-engineering solutions have been devised, which “Sarma & Norde arhitekti” are especially proud of. The illuminated store façades will be created as separate design elements and will give visitors the feeling that they’re walking along a city street. For leisure purposes, various parts of the shopping and entertainment centre will contain comfortable zones for relaxation, including with varying degrees of functionality, including the possibility to charge your mobile phone and use Wi-Fi, etc. The shopping centre’s plan will be simple and convenient so that visitors can easily get their bearings.

The two floors of the multi-functional shopping and entertainment centre “Akropole” will not only include well-known fashion and lifestyle brands already popular with shoppers, but also brand stores making their first appearance on the Latvian market. “Akropole” will be the first and only shopping centre in Latvia, whose entertainment zone will include an all year skating rink alongside its cinema with nine movie theatres, modern gym, “O’Learys” entertainment zone with bowling, pool, interactive climbing wall and diverse leisure options for kids and adults. Reflecting its status as a central focal point of attention in the old town, cafés and restaurants will be arranged around it, thus creating an unusual atmosphere for a central square in the city.

Working hours

Shops
I-VII 10:00-21:00
Maxima XXX
I-VII 08.00-23.00
Euroaptieka
I–VII 9.00–22.00
Lemon Gym
I-VII 00:00-24:00