Two for Germany, one for Portugal. That was the decision made by the top-class jury of experts for the ACROSS Award 2012, which was awarded to outstanding shopping centers in three categories yesterday.
The ACROSS Awards 2012 were handed out on the 26th of April at 5 PM in a ceremony that was part of the 14th Regioplan Shopping Center Symposium at the Palais Ferstel in Vienna. All European shopping centers that opened their doors last year were eligible. 17 ambitious projects in Portugal, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Greece, Turkey, Poland, and Finland made the cut and were shortlisted.
Reinhard Winiwarter, editor of ACROSS and Managing Director of sma—Standort Marketing Agentur GmbH, explains: “Innovation is becoming ever more important in the industry. It is thus no wonder that the term is high on the list of firms’ demands, especially during project development. Innovative shopping and retail centers stand out from the crowd, thereby gaining a Unique Selling Proposition. In this spirit, I offer my sincere congratulations to the winners of the ACROSS Award 2012.”
Exceptional: Pasing Arcaden, Thier-Galerie Dortmund, Forum Sintra
The Pasing Arcaden in Munich won the race among shopping centers with a “leasable area of up to 25,000 sq m.” mfi Management für Immobilien AG developed the project. The center is integrated into the city and features built-in mall connections to the surrounding area, thus creating a network of urban facilities. When they considered all this, added to its excellent design and lighting concept, the jury was convinced.
ECE won the ACROSS Award 2012 for its Thier-Galerie Dortmund in the category “up to 50,000 sq m of leasable area.” “This project is an example of the successful integration of a shopping center into a city center. The combination of historical and contemporary architecture is particularly interesting,” the expert jury agreed.
The race for the most innovative shopping center with “more than 50,000 sq m of leasable area” was tight. In the end, Forum Sintra, in the Portuguese town of the same name, took the gold. The project was developed by MULTI Development and designed by Chapman Taylor Architects. The unique architectural style, along with the center’s commitment to sustainability (recently gaining official certification) were crucial factors in the decision.
