Gateway Mall in design fete

Gateway Mall, the country’s upscale lifestyle destination right in the heart of the metro, proves that it is definitely a mall like no other as it is cited among eleven finalists worldwide in the 2006 International Design and Development Awards Program.

The International Design and Development Awards of the International Council of Shopping Centers recognizes excellence in retail and redevelopment projects. Gateway Mall has been chosen for its innovations in mall design and amenities, serving as the catalyst for the renaissance of the urban district that is the Araneta Center, the pioneer lifestyle center in the Philippines. Other shopping center finalists chosen include Max Center Mall in Wels, Australia; LaLaport Koshien in Japan; Principe Pio in Madrid, Spain; Dolce Vita Coimbra in Portugal; and other malls that surpassed the criteria for innovation and development. Winners will be announced on November 30, 2006 at the Marriott Desert Ridge Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona during the ICSC Centerbuild Conference.

As the only mall directly connected to the Araneta Coliseum, home of the biggest sporting and entertainment events, Gateway Mall’s unique design features include The Pavilion, the mall’s grand ceremonial entrance with intricate metalwork celebrating the motifs and colors of the Philippine fiesta. Bright shopfronts and hallways offer uncluttered displays for discriminating shoppers, showcasing a myriad of top international retail brands and dining establishments. Elevated walkways link the mall to the two major mass transit lines, the MRT-3 and LRT-2, offering convenience in a mobile lifestyle. The Gateway Cineplex features a cinema lobby skylight, providing cinemagoers a taste of Hollywood. A haven for weary shoppers await at The Oasis. Known as the only floating garden in a mall, The Oasis is operated by the Mandarin Oriental Café and Deli, and showcases a variety of exotic flora in a lush tropical setting. All these amenities and an improved streetscape reflecting Araneta Center’s grand redevelopment plan led to Gateway Mall’s recognition as one of the most tastefully-designed malls in the world.

To be able to compete among other malls worldwide, Gateway Mall formed a task force composed of the key people behind its conceptualization and operations.

Headed by design architect Sudhakar Thakurdesai AIA, the task force includes Ed Tejerero, vice president and chief of staff of the Office of the President of the Araneta Group; Grace Magno CMD, vice president for marketing of the Araneta Group; John Castelo, vice president for business development; Antonio Mardo, senior vice president for operations; Cecile Marvilla, Gateway Mall marketing manager; and Christine Diane Cruz, business development officer. With the help of Araneta Group’s Plans and Design, Creative Services, and Leasing Teams along with Paulo Alcazaren who did photography for the competition shots, Gateway Mall is definitely on its way to bring a sense of pride not only to its immediate community, but to the whole country as it sets the benchmark in developing new urban lifestyle centers.