Due to a significant rise in online shopping, recently exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘bricks-and-mortar’ retail environments are becoming increasingly obsolete. These often-large and well-situated areas are being abandoned in locations worldwide. This is expected to happen here in Australia due to the convenience and ease that online shopping offers. Another issue to be addressed is that the large majority of shopping centres have not been designed sustainably, meaning that they are significant contributors to greenhouse gases and waste due to their large size and power-hungry nature.

The rapid and consistent rise of technology uptake has indefinitely changed business and consumer behaviour in society today. The ABC recently investigated how a technologically advanced society was impacting the retail sector alongside the global pandemic. April 2020 recorded the worst plunge on record for in-store retail, where online shopping increased by 20% and physical shopping decreased by 20%. This is a stark reminder of the challenges traditional retail stores are facing.

I am approaching this issue by re-examining the purpose of in-store retail. This resulted in a focus on prioritising and reimagining the ‘shopping experience’, which online shopping cannot provide. To achieve my final solution, I have included increased technology integration and multi-purpose immersion spaces combined with sustainable practices like utilising natural lighting and ventilation.