Spatial aspects of Warsaw shopping centres

The general aim of the study was to identify spatial aspects of Warsaw shopping centres in three main thematic areas. Firstly, location is the most important issue for every shopping centre. As a result, each centre can be described in terms of its site (local scale), and at the same time all centres shape spatial structure of Warsaw large-scale retail establishments (city scale). The first aim of the research, therefore, was the location analysis of all 35 Warsaw shopping centres, taking into consideration their specific location criteria. Secondly, along with development of modern shopping centres, new kind of retail, service and leisure space is being created – space of consumption. The second aim of the research was the qualitative characteristic of internal spaces of a few selected shopping centres in order to identify the most important general features and attributes of their space, as well as rules and principles of its design. Finally, shopping centres have significant impact on downtown shopping streets. The third aim of the study was to describe functional transformations of Warsaw main shopping streets in 1996-2010, when most of the Warsaw shopping centres have been built.

The scope of the research includes 30 Warsaw and 5 suburban shopping centres and 8 shopping streets (in the third part of the study about downtown retailing).