Redevco's Erzurum Shopping Center opened its doors to the public on Wednesday, 21 October, 2009, after a spectacular ceremony and an opening speech by the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan.
With more than 130 stores, a food court and leisure facilities, the center offers a multitude of inviting opportunities to shop, eat and enjoy. Erzurum Shopping Center is the first green shopping center, and the first BREEAM-certified building, in Turkey.
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality Ahmet Küçükler, Palandöken Municipality Mayor Orhan Bulutlar, Managing Director of REDEVCO Turkey Patrick van Dooyeweert, and many others. A crowd of up to 10,000 enjoyed spectacular shows and performances held throughout the day. The Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan, addressing the crowd by live video, congratulated REDEVCO and the Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality on the shopping and cultural center, which meets a need for social and leisure facilities in the run-up to the 2011 Winter Universiade. The Turkish Health Minister Recep Akdað also held a speech via video conferencing.
Brand new shopping experience for Erzurum
Erzurum Shopping Center adds a new dimension to shopping in Erzurum, offering the best national and international retail brands. The key tenants are CarrefourSA, Cinebonus, Boyner Department Store, LC Waikiki, Teknosa, Playhouse and Koton. The center also offers other brands such as Sarar, Intersport, Hatemoðlu, Network/Fabrika, Benetton, Nike, Ramsey KÝP, Loco Poco, Süvari, KRC, Yeþil Kundura and Ayakkabý Dunyasý. Some of them, like Cinebonus, Boyner, Sarar and Yeþil Kundura, are new to the region. With its eight screens, Cinebonus is the biggest cinema complex in the region, combining the ultimate in cinema comfort with the latest technology. CarrefourSA, with 8,000 m² gross leasable area, is the first hypermarket and Teknosa the biggest technology market in the region. Erzurum Shopping Center is bound to appeal to visitors of all age groups, and will delight even the youngest, with a 1,000-m² kids play area operated by Playhouse.
Enclosed parking facilities, directly under the shopping center and equipped with the latest features, offer 1,200 spacious and well-lit parking spaces.
The center will be managed by REDEVCO Turkey's in-house mall management team.
Economic stimulus for Erzurum
"Erzurum Shopping Center will be a key driver for the economic prosperity of Erzurum," says Redevco Managing Director Patrick van Dooyeweert. The shopping center has created 1,500 new jobs and will strengthen Erzurum's central position within the region, serving a catchment area of more than 800,000 people. It will also be sure to attract tourists to the city center.
Architecture
The design of the building, located in the heart of a dense residential neighborhood, is eye-catching, a sculpture composed of several volumes sitting on a rough stone plinth. The long lines of a four-meter cantilevering canopy and a rhythm of arches create a solid and strong image. Attached to the shopping center, opposite the mosque, is a cylinder-shaped cultural center, with a distinctive colonnade of rough grey pillars. The art displayed throughout the complex is by Hanny Raessens (www.hannyraessens.nl). The snowy peaks of Palandöken provide a magnificent backdrop to the whole scheme.
Two entrances along the main road give access to three levels of retail on top of two levels of parking. In the interior, natural stone, wood and steel have been used to create a warm atmosphere. Three squares, each with their own identity and color, have been created within the center. The biggest of these holds the food court, partly divided from the outside by glass windows offering a panoramic view.
The Erzurum concept was designed by Redevconcepts, the in-house concept team of REDEVCO, and incorporates new installations to meet the latest energy efficiency requirements. The architecture was designed jointly by Chapman Taylor Architects
