The document has four case studies that
are deeply analyzed into different
categories and then compared to each
other using tables.
Case Studies
Documentations
and Analysis
ARC 520
1. Hanadi Ghannam
2. Noorhan Khaddam
3. Ruba Bdair
1011526
1004419
1004419
Case Studies Documentation and Analysis
In order to get better knowledge regarding program, areas, and design aspects of the proposed design: a
medium sized shopping mall, information and data about four case studies were gathered and analyzed.
The case studies are totally different from each other to add as much information as possible. They were
carefully chosen to cover different reasons and wanted data.
The first case study: Al Wahda Mall, was chosen as an example of a
successful shopping center in a location similar to the proposed design:
Abu Dhabi.
Second is a case study from India: the mall of West Delhi: it has a similar
size of the proposed program and it has simple plans and circulation that
area easy to analyze.
The Third case study, Konoha, was chosen as an example of a green and
sustainable building with an attractive organic shaped design. It also shows
how the choices of materials and colors play an important role on making
a building a more attractive space.
Finally, ION Orchard, it is an example of an iconic shopping mall with an
interesting concept. It is designed and built to be an example of a 21st
century mall with a complex glass and steel structure.
Each mall is analyzed to gather data regarding the following:
Background and information about the mall
Analysis for the design, lighting, materials used, etc.
Analysis for the functional areas and circulation.
Strengths and weaknesses for each design.
After that, the data collected separately from each case study is then analyzed in a table to compare the
results between each mall.
The analysis from the comparison is a great tool in order to better build a program for the proposed project:
a medium-sized shopping mall in Abu Dhabi.
1|Page
Case Study [1]
Al Wahda Mall
Introduction about the building:
Al Wahda mall [figure 1] located in the heart of the city of Abu Dhabi, is a well-known and loved
shopping mall that was given the ward of the Best Shopping Mall in Abu Dhabi over the years
(2010-12).
Its known of its traditional exterior theme and the many activities and campaigns it runs for all
family members.
The mall has a cozy, welcoming interior where people go to shop, entertain, and have fun.
Figure 1: Al Wahda Mall Exterior View
Why this case study was chosen
Aside from gaining the award of the best mall in Abu Dhabi for the last three years, the building
has some good architectural and interior features that helps making it a good case study for the
proposed project.
Since the proposed project is also located in Abu Dhabi, this is a good case study to consider any
local considerations, if exist.
Although its considered a large shopping mall in size, it still has a clear circulation map which
makes it easy to analyze the different areas and facilities.
Furthermore, it joins between a traditional exterior theme of the gulf countries, and a modern
contemporary interior.
Background
Al Wahda mall is located in UAE, Abu Dhabi, Hazza bin Zayed Rd.
The mall was opened in 2007, and an extension was added to it in 2012.
It has a size of over 2.8x105 m2, which makes it a medium-large sized mall.
It contains over 300 shops and brands, a health club, an entertainment center, a cinema, and two
food courts with more than 35 restaurants and cafes, and 4000 parking slots.
Cost: 350 million AED.
Number of floors: Five floors and a basement.
2|Page
Description
The concept of the mall is a traditional UAE building with wind towers. Although it does not
function as a traditional building, the buildings entrances are designed similar to the traditional
wind towers. The exterior walls are painted in the colors of sand without cladding. The interior,
however, is modern and contemporary.
Analysis:
o Design features:
The building is a big concrete structure that contains 6
different floors. Some of the exterior walls are left for
handing advertisement boards which change
occasionally.
Theres only one curtain wall in the main entrance for
the old Wahda mall building. [figure 2] The extension,
however, has more windows and a big circular curtain
wall with a glass dome as an entrance.
The building has two main entrances with other a few
sub-entrances. The entrance is raised from the ground
level of the street to make it more noticeable, and its
topped with a wind tower-like structure to make it more
attractive.
Along the hallways, natural daylight is provided with
either skylights or tensile structure. Skylights are
supported with metal trusses that are supported with
columns.
Figure 2: Main entrance
To avoid unwanted direct sunlight, many panels are
installed as a part of the skylights.
The entrance is linked with a long waiting line for taxi
cars, but there is no direct stop to for busses.
Food court:
A fountain surrounding the food court [figure 5]
Some tables are separated with partitions, which gives
some privacy for some families within the food court.
The lobby:
Just after the entrance there is a big hall that is used for
different purposes: shows, exhibition, activities, or to
Figure 3: main entrance for the extension
present a big prize such as an entire car [figure 4]
Figure 5: food court and fountains view
Figure 4: main lobby view
3|Page
o Materials
Exterior:
The walls from outside have a rough
concrete finish [figure 2]
Some metal strips for decoration.
Interior:[figure 6]
The floors are made from different
colored tiles.
For handrails: glass with metal strips
and topped with a wooden strep.
Roof: wood panels in the extension
parts. [Figure 7]
o Color schemes
Exterior: sand colors to reflect the
traditional theme.
Interior: white, brown, and blue
[figure 6]
Figure 6: interior view shows lighting and colors
o Lighting and accessories
Recessed light: along the hallways
Surface mounted light: in some parts
of the extension
Strip light: around some columns.
Cove light: in the food court.
Figure 7: view for the new extension interior
Analyze the areas and circulation
Al Wahda mall has a total of six floors including a basement for Lulu hypermarket. The following
analysis is meant to show the circulation around the mall, the vertical escalators and lifts location,
and the different functional zoning for most of the floors.
Following the diagrams, a program for the building will be provided showing the different areas and
approximations of areas.
4|Page
5|Page
6|Page
7|Page
8|Page
The following is a list of all function in each floor and their area:
1. Ground floor: 37500 m2
Parking
4000m2 + 16000 for the extension
Shops
7725 m2
Restaurants/caf 675 m2
Circulation
8425 m2
Toilets:
500 m2
Musala:
175 m2
2. First Floor: total area: 35250 m2
Shops:
22125 m2
Toilets
1100 m2
Restaurants:
850 m2
Circulation
7175 m2
Parking:
4000 m2
3. Second Floor: total area: 35250 m2
Food court:
5450 m2
Restaurants
1800 m2
Shops:
12820 m2
Circulation:
6280 m2
Management:
550 m2
Entertainment center: 3250 m2
Toilets:
1100 m2
Parking:
4000 m2
4. Upper second: total area: 5010 m2
Food court:
400 m2
Circulation:
85 m2
Restaurants:
450 m2
Toilets:
75 m2
Parking:
4000 m2
5. Third Floor: total area: 22100 m2
Cinema:
3250 m2
Shops:
5890 m2
Restaurants:
1250 m2
Toilets
700 m2
Circulation:
4310 m2
Parking:
4000 m2
[Table 01] aside shows the calculation for all the above area.
Table 01: Summary for Al Wahda Mall
Program (without basement)
Shops
48560
Restaurants/Caf
5025
Food Court
5850
Entertainment Center
3250
Cinema
3250
Toilets
3475
Circulation
26275
Management
550
Parking
48000
Total area 144235
9|Page
Summary and conclusion for the analysis
Strengths:
o Accessibility: Multiple street access with 4000 available parking slots.
o A cozy with warm colors interior that attracts people.
o Many different functions in one building: shops, food court and restaurants, cinema,
entertainment center and a health club.
o Big lobby in the entrance for people to meet
o Skylights and curtain walls for natural lighting in the morning.
Weaknesses:
o Circulation: only in the extension part, some hallways are curved in a way that people
cannot see the end of the curve, which makes it unpleasant.
o No direct bus stop which encourages people to use cars instead of public transportation.
o Some areas are not well-air conditioned, such as some restaurants in the upper second
floor.
Lessons learnt:
Regarding the design:
o The entrance should be the main focus of the buildings exterior to easily grasp the users
attention and to be easy to find.
o Including natural lighting in form of skylights and atrium is important to save energy and
to make the interior space healthier.
Regarding the Areas:
Excluding the Parking area, almost 50% of the total mall area is for shops
Circulation takes a lot of space and should be included in the program.
Food courts and restaurants take above 10% from the total area.
Toilets, although are barely 4% of the design, are very important and they should be spread
around the mall and near the food court.
o Emergency escapes should be provided in the form of stairs.
o Escalators are the main vertical circulation tool. However, elevators should also be
provided in some areas.
o
o
o
o
Regarding the circulation:
o Avoid steep curves in walkways to help users find their ways.
o Avoid a lot of branching in the circulation since stores that are not directly seen are
difficult to find by users.
10 | P a g e
Case Study [2]
Introduction about the building:
The mall of west Delhi [figure 1] located in the bustling sector of Rohini, It is located in a strategic
place where it has a residential buildings in the neighboring areas.
It has variety of international brands as well as a unique local brands, which make it the most
popular between young people.
It has open areas with well-designed landscape to encourage people to enjoy an outdoor
experience.
The mall has an easy accessibility from all the nearby suburbs and promises because of the close
by metro station.
The mall Delhi mall is considered as a popular place for shopping, entertainment and dining.
Figure 8: The mall of west Delhi Exterior View
Why this case study was chosen
a. The mall of west New Delhi has clear architecture and an interesting exterior and interior features.
b. As Emaar MGF Land Limited is a joint venture between Emaar Properties PJSC ("Emaar")
of Dubai and MGF Development Limited ("MGF") of Indi, it gives a global view of designs
done in another country.
c. it is a medium size mall that is similar t the program required, which gives an idea of the
mall spaces, areas, and requirements
d. Also, it is a joined between Dubai and India, it mix the features between different cultures.
Background
a. The mall is located in India, New Delhi, in the active sector of Rohini.
b. The mall has a size of 38526 m2 which make a medium mall.
c. the mall if west Delhi has around 195 shops, advances hyper market, a gaming and
entertainment zone, a cinema, and two food courts, and 1300 parking slots.
d. Number of floors: Five floors.
11 | P a g e
Description
a. "The vision and concept of The Mall of West Delhi has been centered around 6 key words dynamic, iconic, modern, lively, playful and continuity. The Mall would be dynamic, iconic
and modern representing Indias global aspiration as a world class retail destination. It
would be lively and playful, embodying the city and countrys vibrant culture & tradition. It
would encapsulate continuity in its seamless integration of the city, neighborhood, mall and
the users experiencing it."
b. analysis:
i. Design features:
1. The building is 5 stories height. it has an outer parking area
2. The exterior is a mix of concrete walls and curtain walls to allow natural
alighting. A lot of the exterior walls is used for advertisements.
3. The building has 3 main entrances, 2 in the front side of the building and 1 the
back side.
4. The structural system is mainly columns and beams, there is no underground
parking as the parking area is provided in the surrounding landscape of the
building.
5. Natural lighting in the Delhi mall is provided either by the curtain walls or by
skylights.
6. The circulation of the building is clear and easy, it gives the mall's visitor an
easy movement experience around the place.
7. The third and fourth floor is dedicated for food court, cinema and
entertainment which separates it from shops to gives each visitor a pleasant
experience.
Figure 3: bird eye view
Figure 9: pedestrian view
12 | P a g e
o Materials
Exterior:
The walls is painted concrete walls, and curtain walls.
Interior:
The floors are made from different colored tiles.
Roof: concrete, and sky lights for natural lighting.
o Color schemes
Exterior: earthy colors mixed with light colors glass
o Lighting and accessories
Recessed light: along the hallways
Surface mounted light.
Cove light: in the food court.
Analyze the areas and circulation
The mall of west Delhi has a total of five floors. The following analysis is meant to show the
circulation around the mall, the vertical escalators and lifts location, and the different functional
zoning for most of the floors.
Following the diagrams, a program for the building will be provided showing the different areas
and approximations of areas.
13 | P a g e
14 | P a g e
15 | P a g e
16 | P a g e
17 | P a g e
18 | P a g e
The following is a list of all function in each floor and their area:
6. Ground floor: total area: 5025 m2
Shops
Circulation
Toilets:
3250 m2
1500 m2
275 m2
7. First Floor: total area: 5025 m2
Shops
Circulation
Toilets:
3250 m2
1500 m2
275 m2
8. Second Floor: total area: 5025 m2
Shops
Circulation
Toilets:
3250 m2
1500 m2
275 m2
9. Third Floor: total area: 4450 m2
Food court (over 500 seats)
Circulation
Toilets:
theaters
entertainment center
1800 m2
1050 m2
150 m2
1150 m2
300 m2
10. Fourth Floor: total area: 1990 m2
Circulation
Toilets:
theaters
350 m2
140 m2
1500 m2
Table 01: Summary for West Delhi
mall Program (without basement)
Shops
9750
Food Court
1800
Entertainment Center
300
Theaters
2650
Toilets
1115
Circulation
5900
Total area 21515
19 | P a g e
Summary and conclusion for the analysis
Strengths:
o Accessibility: Multiple street access with 1300 available parking slots.
o Circulation: clear and easy circulation.
o Many different functions in one building: shops, food court and restaurants, cinema,
entertainment center and a health club.
o Big lobby in the entrance for people to meet
o Skylights and curtain walls for natural lighting in the morning.
o A nearby bus station which make it easier for people to reach the mall.
Weaknesses:
o No underground parking witch waste a lot of the surrounding landscape.
Lessons learnt:
o Big areas such as cinema halls, food courts, and entertainment centers area usually in the
upper floors.
20 | P a g e
Case Study [3]
Hashimoto Konoha Mall
Introduction about the building:
Konoha mall, located in Japan, is one of its kind since it introduces the application of eco-friendly
building design elements in a shopping mall.
Having many interior gardens that were inspired from the traditional Japanese culture, this mall
offers a new experience for people aside from its benefits for the environment.
Figure 10: exterior view for Konoha mall
Why this case study was chosen
The mall focuses on new ideas other than shopping and entertaining:
o Environment: the design itself reflects the shape of leafs. The building has gardens, green
walls and green handrails, and to be even greener, it provides the parking space at the top
roofs rather than at a basement.
o Local community: the different facilities the mall provides is designed to support the
community and the surrounding context.
o A sky-open walkway in the middle with shops open to it, allowing natural light as well as
natural ventilation.
Background
Located in Hashimoto, Japan.
The mall was opened in 2011
Total area: 84,000 m2
Project by: Jerde Partnership.
Client: Fukuoka Jisho Co.
Number of floors: Four floors
21 | P a g e
Description
The concept of Konoha mall is to bring nature and sustainability into the building. Both the
buildings interior and exterior reflects the concept clearly through the use of green-colored
materials, garden walk, and planted walls and handrail.
The Building contains two main floors for retail, shops, restaurants, kiosks, a food court and a
health club. It also has an entertainment area despite the small size of the mall.
Analysis:
o Design features:
The building looks organic: it has a wavy shaped
plan that takes the users into the different gardens it
contains, its topped by shading devises that look
like huge leaf, and it has an air-opened walkway
that reflects its sustainability.
The garden [figure 9]: it contains many items that
are inspired from the Japanese culture and its
shrines, such as water features, stones, trees,
flowers, and they are all combined with nearby
seating areas and shops to help bring back the idea
of a shopping center from ancient ages. The garden
also contains a kids playground [Figure 10] that
has the same traditional feature of the Japanese old
lifestyle.
Figure 11: view for the open garden-walk
Figure 12: another view for the garden shows the walkway and the kids playground.
22 | P a g e
Bridges are provided to link the upper floors and yet to allow for the garden view.
While the ground and first floor are left for retail and restaurants, the upper floors are for the
parking spaces.
The building has an organic form, yet its structure is simple, based on columns and beams
on a curvy plan.
Figure 13: View for the main entrance, also shows the leaf-like shades on the roof
o Materials
Exterior:
A colorful integration of tiles, teak, and painted ALC [figure 11]
Some areas are left with a plain concrete finish.
Strips of light colored tiles integrated with glass.
Figure 14: diagram shows some of the materials used in the front elevation
23 | P a g e
Interior:
Soft tones: colored tiles for the floor. [Figure 13]
Wood tiles for the roof in some areas. Paint and strips of glass in others.
Plants: it is considered an important material for walls, floors, and handrails.
Figure 15: Interior shot for the mall shows the different materials used and the color schemes
o Color schemes
Exterior: gradients of brown, green,
and grey to reflect the plants, stone,
and sand.
Interior: Similar colors for the walls,
floors, & even the roof. [Figure 13]
o Lighting and accessories
Recessed light: along the hallways
Surface mounted light: in the food
court
Direct pointed light fixtures
Cove light: above the shops
Shaded skylights [Figure 14]
Figure 16: another interior view focused on the food court
Analyze the areas and circulation
Konoha mall is mainly popular of its open-air garden walk. The main circulation path within the mall
consists of different Japanese-themed garden with some shops and retail stores directly open to it.
The following diagrams describe the circulation within the mall and the basic zoning.
24 | P a g e
25 | P a g e
Some other Diagrams found for the building:
1. Elevations:
2. Plans:
Ground Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Parking Floor Plan
Diagram shows plans overlaying
26 | P a g e
The following is a list of all function in each floor and their area:
1. Ground floor: total area: 23400 m2
Shops:
8440 m2
Food court:
900 m2
Restaurant/caf:
1650 m2
Entertainment Center:
4000 m2
Garden:
2050 m2
Toilets:
1200 m2
Circulation:
4110 m2
2. First Floor: total area: 21650 m2
Shops:
11500 m2
Restaurants/caf:
450 m2
Health Club:
3300 m2
Toilets:
880 m2
Circulation:
5520 m2
Table 02: Summary for Konoha
Program (without parking)
Shops
19940
Restaurants/Caf
2100
Food Court
900
Entertainment Center
4000
Health Club
3300
Toilets
2080
Circulation
9630
Gardens
2050
Total area 92000
[Table 02] aside shows the calculation for all the above area.
Summary and conclusion for the analysis
Strengths:
o Green and sustainable building
o Gardens-walk offer a new experience that people would want to try
o Attractive choice of materials and colors
o Parking on the last floors to preserve street link between the building and people.
o Very simple circulation without any branches, giving all shops immediate accessibility
o Attractive access from the street.
Weaknesses:
o Location in a rural area far from city center.
Lessons learnt:
Regarding the design:
o Give respect to the countrys context and history
o Sustainability is an attractive feature for such type of buildings.
Regarding the Areas:
o Even small-medium sized malls can have many functions such as an entertainment center
or a health club.
Regarding the circulation:
o It is good to design for a clear yet attractive circulation.
o Avoid branching to give shops equal noticeability.
27 | P a g e
Case Study [4]
ION Orchard Mall
Introduction about the building:
Ion Orchard mall, one of the most unique shopping malls in Singapore, was designed to be the
center of gravity in the citys shopping district.
The name ION Orchard by itself reflects the concept: Center of Gravity.
The buildings unique design and exterior makes it very attractive and easy to notice.
Why this case study was chosen
The building has a strong concept and
a very attractive design.
It is a good example for a modern 21st
century shopping mall.
Background
Location: Singapore
Floors: 8 stories, 4 of them under the
ground level
Over 5.95x104 square meters
Designer: Benoy, and RSP Architect
planner and engineers
Opened in 2009
Description
ION Orchard is famous of its over
3000 square meters glass structure
roof which reflect dynamicity,
modernism, and transparency.
The design is vibrant, innovative, and
has a meaningful urban contribution
for the city of Singapore.
Its
considered
a
landmark
destination in Singapore in retail,
architecture,
and
construction
industries.
Also, it was aimed to introduce a
design beyond traditional model of a
retail center, allowing a vibrant
shopping, dining and entertainment environment.
Aside from being a shopping center, the mall has the capacity of staging many public evens of
different sizes, making it a public and civic meeting area.
28 | P a g e
Analysis:
o Design features:
The building is complex from outside and inside. The plans, as well as the exterior, are
dynamic and organic in shape.
It offers a new visual experience for the visitors.
The focus of the design is the beautiful structure of
the main entrance: a glass structure that is extended
from the roof to cover a part of the entrances plaza.
The huge glass structure is supported with many
trusses and modern-looking columns
The entrance is raised from the street level to give it
a better focus.
o Materials
Exterior:
Reflective glass panels all over the building that is
supported with steel trusses.
Interior:
Light colored marble floor. Even columns are coated
with marble.
29 | P a g e
o Color schemes
Exterior: Since a highly reflective glass is used, theres a gradient of colors that are reflected
from either lights or surrounding. It is mostly silver.
Interior: gradients of beige and brown to show luxury.
o Lighting and accessories
Mostly cove lighting.
Some fixed recessed lights in some places.
Analyze the areas and circulation
ION Orchard has eight stories for the mall itself. Four of them are underground.
30 | P a g e
It has over 350 shops and 27 restaurants and cafes. It has other facilities, such as public event space,
public concourse, and parking spaces in the basement levels.
This is a Layout for the building:
The following diagrams shows the circulation and functional zoning for the ground floor.
31 | P a g e
32 | P a g e
Above: Elevation and section architectural drawings.
Summary and conclusion for the analysis
Strengths:
o Very interesting and attractive design
o Luxurious Interiors
o A lot of facilities other than shops such as an Art center and a Music center
o Very attractive entrance
o A modern looking structure
o A circular plan which makes it simple to get to all shops.
Lessons learnt:
o Design using modern technologies and methods to achieve a modern 21st century looking
building.
33 | P a g e
The following is a table to show a comparison between the mentioned shopping mall:
Wahda Mall
West Delhi
Konoha Mall
ION Orchard
Total area
2.8x105
3.9x104
9.2x104
5.9x104
Floors
Shops
Restaurants
6
48560
5025
5
9750
1800
5
19940
2100
8
350 shops
27 restuarants
Food courts
Circulation
5850
4000 cars
5900
1300 cars
5900
2 stories
Lighting
Recessed,
Surface mounted,
Cove lighting
Recessed,
Surface
mounted,
Recessed,
Surface
mounted,
Direct pointed
Cove lighting
Cove lighting
Recessed
Materials
Exterior:
concrete.
Interior:
Marble, wood
tiles
Exterior:
Colored tiles
Interior:
Marble, wood,
plants
Exterior:
reflective
glass panels
Interior:
Marble
Theme
Traditional UAE
building with
wind towers
Japanese
garden
Dynamic
modern
design
Strengths
Accessibility
Cozy interiors
Skylights
Big lobby
Green and
sustainable
Attractive
materials
Parking on last
floors
Attractive
access
Interesting
design
Luxirious
interiors
Modern
structure
Easy plans
Weaknesses
Curved
circulation
No direct bus
stop
Interior does not
reflect the
concept.
Exterior:
concrete and
curtain wall
Interior:
Tiles,
skylights
A design
shows a link
between
different
cultures.
Accessibility
Clear
circulation
Different
facilities
Big lobby in
the entrance
Skylights
Nearby bus
station
No
underground
parking.
Location in a
rural area
34 | P a g e
Summary and conclusion for the analysis
The main area focus is the Shopping area, which takes about 50% of the total mall size, excluding the
parking spaces.
Circulation is an important element: should be easy, clear, and the area of circulation should be added to
the program.
A big lobby near the entrance is required for people to meet and gather.
A successful mall should include extra areas for exhibitions and campaign.
Food courts and restaurants are essential for a shopping mall: they take between 5-10% of the total mall
area.
Toilets should be located around the mall and near food courts.
Accessibility and location both play an important role. They decide how people would approach it, and
whether they would easily find the mall.
Consider sustainability as an attractive choice: skylights, gardens, natural ventilation.
The more shopping mall area, the more parking spaces provided. For a typical medium size mall, 10002000 parking areas should be included.
Lighting types used: mostly recessed and direct. Some malls use cove lighting to add extra luxurious
feeling.
The colors choice: should not be too light to keep the focus for the retail areas, and avoid using too dull
and dark colors so that it would not be unwanted.
Consider a modern design using new methods and technologies for the structure.
References:
1) Al Wahda Mall official website (2013), floor plans, retrieved 17th of July, 2013 from
[Link]/
2) [Link]
3) [Link]
4) [Link]
5) [Link]
35 | P a g e
