A few miles down the River Thames, the iconic Battersea Power Station redevelopment has revived the long-abandoned riverside site with a buzzing mix of retail, food & beverage, residential, health & wellness and tourist/entertainment facilities.

In the Netherlands, the Leidsenhage shopping centre has been redeveloped and rebranded as the Westfield Mall of the Netherlands, offering an expanded choice of over 250 retail, entertainment, and food & beverage options. A new arcade centre has added multiple leisure facilities to the mix, and a strong daily goods offering is once again seeking to strengthen ties with the local community. Yet again, the concept has proved to be a hit with locals – visitor numbers have surged since the re-opening, and demand from retailers has also strengthened significantly.

France has been equally receptive to the new approach. La Part-Dieu in Lyon – Europe’s biggest downtown shopping centre – has been extensively redeveloped, adding over 325,000 square feet of commercial and public space including a cinema complex, a state-of-the-art climbing facility, rooftop hanging gardens, 80 new shops and new restaurant spaces.

“Leisure and dining have become a huge part of the shopping experience,” Ludwig says. “It’s really important to have spaces where people can relax and communicate, both indoors and outdoors.”