Summary: The chosen area for the new mall – Obor – is not only a historical commerce area, but also one of the city’s most crowded and dull. Hence, the worthiest promise a neighbourhood mall could make was a sizeable urban greenery close to the homes of many who crave it, a place where one could stop rushing and take one’s time. On top of this promise, we also wanted the new identity to convey a traditional feeling, thus preserving the area’s commercial heritage.
The biggest commercial centres in Bucharest, Romania, are visited by up to 300,000 people a day, which could be reason enough to build some new ones. In recent years, shopping malls have been sprouting like mushrooms after the rain, and are now fighting over Bucharesters’ money, with a few of them even shuttering as recession took its toll.
Precisely because there are so many choices when it comes to shopping malls, our client felt the need for differentiation. They understood that what would set this project apart didn’t rest upon a prettier logo or a smarter choice of tenants, but chiefly on a strong brand promise and a particular shopping experience.
The chosen area for the new mall – Obor – is not only a historical commerce area, but also one of the city’s most crowded and dull. Hence, the worthiest promise a neighbourhood mall could make was a sizeable urban greenery close to the homes of many who crave it, a place where one could stop rushing and take one’s time. On top of this promise, we also wanted the new identity to convey a traditional feeling, thus preserving the area’s commercial heritage.
The name we created – Veranda – and the brand descriptor – Shop & Stay – suggest cosiness and affability, contrasting with everything Bucharest dwellers know and expect of Obor. The colourful V-shaped rug is a nod to the Romanian traditional rugs found in rural and suburban homes, where people still live at a slower pace.
The new shopping mall has opened its doors in October 2016.
