Gala, a home&living shopping mall in Lublin, Poland, struggles to stay competitive as the retail landscape evolves. To radically change the space, redevelopment into a mixed-used neighborhood emerged as the solution. As an innovation consultant, my role involved defining the scope of the project, building the team, leading the research and design activities, and guiding clients through the human-centered design process. The focus was on outlining a concept for the first part of the transformation - building a new, residential part.

After carrying over user interviews and service safaris, we identified five potential target groups across different demographics, needs, and attitudes towards a non-conventional model of living next to a shopping mall. Based on the personas, we developed scenarios for transformation around users’ housing and living needs.

Close proximity to the train station and city center, which allows accessing the downtow in 10 minutes and capital in 1 hour, determined the positioning towards groups that focus urban living. We focused the experience on the groups that favor proximity to culture, commerce, and services, favoring walking and cycling over commuting and enjoy a social life. We consider how those preferences define the brand and business scenarios for the shopping mall. In the second phase, based on the design brief, along with the client, and the architects, we defined living experience for an urban lifestyle. The concept for the building was tested with potential buyers during the home fair at the site.

The process led to outlining the value proposition for living and shopping experience, look and feel, public program and business transition roadmap for the shopping mall towards a more community-focused, sustainable living with services spanning from the farmers market, makers space, to educational and play services and co-working that create a sense of neighborhood for the new residents.