Santa Monica Place Opens, Transforms Enclosed Mall Into Vibrant Outdoor Urban Center

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Los Angeles-based The Jerde Partnership today announced the opening of the new Santa Monica Place, which transforms an indoor, suburban-style mall into a vibrant, open-air center. The project, nearly a decade in the making, was designed by Jerde to resurrect the old-style mall as an urban hub that will realize its potential as the heart of the city. In addition to removing the roof from the enclosed center, Jerde planned key communal spaces and a circulation pattern that will promote pedestrian connectivity between the bustling Third Street Promenade, historic pier, civic center, and the city's other popular attractions.

Santa Monica Place first opened in 1980 as a suburban-style, enclosed, three-level mall that would draw department stores to the area.  Despite the rising popularity of the city and nearby attractions, Santa Monica Place became less popular among shoppers and retailers as the adjacent, outdoor Third Street Promenade grew in popularity.  Macerich, a prominent shopping center owner, manager and developer based in Santa Monica, acquired the center in 1999 and began to work on its redevelopment in 2002.

"We approached the design of Santa Monica Place with the primary goal to give this project back to the city and its people," said David Rogers, AIA, Jerde partner and principal designer of the project. "Santa Monica is best experienced outside in the sunshine and ocean breezes, so removing the roof was a necessary part of tying the new project into the urban experience. To make Santa Monica Place function like a part of the city, we also took great care both to make it look and feel like a natural part and to create new gathering spots and destinations that will become a vital part of downtown."

The project is designed to physically and aesthetically connect to its immediate surroundings. Its northern entrance is designed as a pedestrian street whose scale, materials, and landscaping seamlessly extend the Third Street Promenade, while the western edge features an open feel with organic forms and soft colors inspired by the beach and pier. The southern and eastern elevations, respectively, reflect a formal gateway from the civic center and urban corridor connecting to the restaurants and residences on Fourth Street. The center of the project is a large elliptical plaza with offsets at the upper levels that maximize natural light. The plaza is animated with water features, seating areas, and spaces for exhibits, performances and other local events.

Another key communal space is the upper-level Dining Deck offering views to the Pacific Ocean, Palisades Park, and local mountains. The Dining Deck, which features communal seating, an outdoor fireplace, cabana-style lounges, and a mature olive tree, creates a rare public space with views that are often reserved for limited-access establishments, such as restaurants and hotel rooms. Formal and fast dining options are offered along with a food market that will house more than 20 independent purveyors offering gourmet, organic and artisanal foods.

In addition to six chef-driven restaurants, the new Santa Monica Place is anchored by upscale department stores Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom.  To date more than 70 retailers and restaurants – representing a broad mix of experiences and price points – have been announced for the new property.  

"There are hundreds of challenged malls across the US that need to be reactivated, and this will present a key opportunity to domestic developers in the near future. Transforming existing mall structures into viable urban places can be a complex undertaking," said Richard W. Poulos, AIA, Jerde partner and executive vice president. "With Santa Monica Place, we have demonstrated that our designers can closely collaborate with the developer, city officials, local design teams, community groups, and other stakeholders to resolve practical needs with creative solutions that remain within budget."

The new Santa Monica Place is expected to achieve LEED® certification, which recognizes Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. In addition to the sustainable concept of improving pedestrian access and opening the mall to natural light and natural ventilation, other green design features include a solar roof over retailer areas that will save enough energy to power 90 homes, water-efficient technologies, and recycled materials.

"The residents and leaders of Santa Monica take great pride in their city," concluded Rogers. "We worked very hard to design this project to reflect the intimate character and lively spirit of the city, and to be a fitting host to its residents, workers, and visitors."

The opening of Santa Monica Place extends Jerde's legacy of innovative urban retail centers that provide social, cultural and economic value to their cities. Since its first project, Horton Plaza, opened 25 years ago, Jerde has revolutionized retail design by including a full mix of uses, connecting to mass transit hubs, and establishing parks and other open spaces. In addition to Horton Plaza (San Diego, 1985), the firm's award-winning retail projects include Del Mar Plaza (Del Mar, 1990), Canal City Hakata (Fukuoka, Japan, 1996), Beursplein (Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1996), The Gateway (Salt Lake City, 2001), Roppongi Hills (Tokyo, 2003), Namba Parks (Osaka, 2003 & 2007), West Hollywood Gateway (West Hollywood, 2004), Kanyon (Istanbul, 2006), and Zlote Tarasy (Warsaw, 2007).

About The Jerde Partnership

The Jerde Partnership is a visionary architecture and urban design firm that creates unique places that deliver memorable experiences and attract nearly 1 billion people annually. Founded in 1977, the firm has pioneered "placemaking" and designed projects throughout the world that provide lasting social, cultural and economic value and promote further investment and revitalization. Based in a design studio in Los Angeles with project offices in Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Jerde takes a signature, co-creative approach to design and collaborates with private developers, city officials, specialty designers and local executive architects to realize the vision of their projects. The firm has received critical acclaim from organizations including the American Institute of Architects, Progressive Architecture, American Planning Association, and The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. To date, nearly 100 Jerde-designed places have opened in diverse cities, such as Atlanta, Budapest, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Osaka, Rotterdam, Seoul, Shanghai, Tokyo, Warsaw, and others.

SOURCE The Jerde Partnership