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A GARDEN OF A MALL BLOOMS IN DUBAI

this easy to access facility combines retail, entertainment, family activities and a very different kind of food court.

The inspiration behind the mall's motif and architectural integrity is derived directly from the travels and adventures of the Islamic world's most celebrated explorer, Ibn Battuta. The mall has been planned in six distinct architectural zones, representing key destinations visited by Ibn Battuta and reflecting in each theme a specific cultural tradition and way of life.

The mall's food court demands special mention because a great amount of detail, effort and thought has gone into the singular design of the food outlets. It promises visitors a 'new and unique' dining experience and a completely novel dimension in entertainment. Gardens Shopping Mall promises to be a very special experience and a highly valued addition to Dubai's shopping and dining reputation.

City Times talks to Francis Loughran, managing director of FSR and Caroline Varney, principal of Design Inc, retail food and beverage specialists, primarily engaged to develop a master plan for developing food and beverage outlets for the entire project. Loughran has worked in the food and beverage industry for over twenty-seven years and has a deep understanding of the retail food industry.

FSR (Food Services Retailing) is globally recognised as a master planner of food and beverage retailing. Excerpts from the interview.

Are you looking into the design of the complete mall or just the food court?

Francis: In reference to food and beverage, we avoid looking at just one particular area but rather focus on the bigger picture. So to answer your question yes, we look at the complete mall, we then get an idea of what elements are necessary to create the right mix. Our goal is to offer visitors something different, we always keep in mind that people are constantly looking for choice and we aim to deliver.

How long have you been involved in food court design and where has that involvement taken you over the years?

Francis: I've been in the food and beverage retailing business for the past twenty-seven years. I've participated in projects all over the world, specifically in England, Australia, China, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.

What are some of the changes you have witnessed in the area of designing from when you started until now?

Francis: Design has a very important place in the world today. An efficient, well-designed project is much more marketable. Now, more than ever, attention has been placed on detail. For example, food today has issues of freshness and people want to know if what they're eating is organic or not. People are more conscious of what goes into their food and the industry must respond to these priorities.

What are the common elements you've used in most of your food courts?

Francis: Every project is different, whether it's a food court in an airport or one in a shopping centre.

With all the different projects you have worked on, what is your personal signature you leave on them?

Francis: The signature is really about designing the food court to match the overall complex, because with whatever we do, we ask ourselves, who our customers are and what they want. Customers are going to be attracted to a number of factors here: the location, the marketing mix, the positioning treatment, the services, the brand names. And we have to provide the food and beverage to fulfill their requirements. We also try to stay ahead of trends, being contemporary in our focus because people are expecting that in many aspects.

What are the design elements you generally use?

Caroline: The trends now are for more natural environments that have moved away from the plastics, the neon's and overly synthetic environments, which usually come off looking very artificial. People want natural light, they want a view of nature and that's all very challenging. People feel at leisure and have a sense of freedom when they are outdoors.

How much of a natural element are you using in the Gardens Mall?

Caroline: The focus for the food court is to incorporate natural elements where we will be bringing in water, garden elements, the use of natural material for flooring, and an open section where you can sit outdoors — all of which were a challenge from the project management point of view. Light was another factor we took very seriously, as that can change the ambience of a particular area dramatically. We used filtered lights to get the desired effect.

What research did you do to get into the history of Ibn Battuta and his travels? How did you incorporate what you learnt into the design of Gardens Shopping Mall?

Caroline: When we took up this project, we researched the work of local designers who have a fresh approach to local architecture in the area. We decided to move away from traditional food court designs where food court tenants are accustomed to in terms of counter, point of sale and illuminated menu boards. What we've brought to the food court design is an innovative approach in that the food areas are spread out and not concentrated in one area. Then there are the natural elements I mentioned earlier. There is a higher level of sophistication in the retailing; there is a unified theme, rather than each tenant having a different one, which confuses people.

So while you are using your skills to complete the job, are you facing any curious challenges?

Caroline: I think the culture of food retailing is very different from what we've developed in other parts of the world. And the culture has become very fast food related, which means as many boards as possible at the point of sale. The biggest challenge here is to educate retailers on how to move away from that kind of environment and accept our food court model where kitchens are open to the eating area. Having the food on display, the customer sees what's being done rather than having to face the illuminated menu boards.

In your opinion, are food courts essentially the same around the world?

Francis: Every country has a different approach. In Japan, the food is very much on display. In some parts of Asia like Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore food is made to order in front of you... so every country is different. Food courts these days have a cafe culture where all cafes are clustered into one area and have common seating.

How many projects have you both worked on together?

Francis and Caroline: Around twenty-five

Which one do you rate as the most interesting project you've worked on together?

Francis: Gardens Shopping Mall is a project that we have enjoyed working on together. Due to its uniqueness and the necessary attention to detail, I feel that it could possibly be one of the most exciting projects we have worked on together. In fact, we believe it will be outstanding.