Within the past 40 years, shopping centres have increasingly formed the European cityscape and gained in importance, not only from an architectural and urban planning perspective, but also from an economic and social point of view. Owing to its rising significance, the European shopping centre necessitates an analytic statement on the part of architectural research. By comparing the shopping centre sector of a selection of countries, this pilot project offers a holistic approach to a better understanding of the shopping centre's role in the architecture of our cities and the urban structure of our countries. The project is organised in a top-down structure and subdivided in three research levels. Beginning with the survey of two European countries and their 1,616 shopping centres on the first level, the focus shifts towards a selection of 40 sector-relevant cities with 645 shopping centres on a second level, before focusing on eight cities with 124 shopping centres on the third and final level. The deductive analysis of a rising number of basic key features on every research level aims to evidence the constants and variables of the building type. The constants outline the essential basic properties that are considered indispensable for the efficiency of a shopping centre. Again, the variables show the adaptation of these basic key features to the various local conditions and particularities, allowing conclusions in terms of their adaptation, improvement, difficulties, and opportunities. Together, the outcomes of the three research levels assemble a detailed overall picture of the shopping centre sector from the perspective of architecture and urban development, leading to a general characterisation of the building type in the selected countries. From a scientific perspective, the study offers a methodology and basis of comparison for the evaluation of other European countries while, from a practical perspective, the findings can be used as recommendations for future shopping centre projects.

Shopping Center sind heutzutage f r jeden ein gewohnter Anblick, wie selbstverst ndlich stehen sie in den meisten St dten und befriedigen die Kaufgel ste bequemer Kunden. Shopping Center pr gen zunehmend das Stadtbild und gewinnen eine immer gr ere Bedeutung sowohl in architektonischer und st dtebaulicher als auch in wirtschaftlicher und gesellschaftlicher Hinsicht. Als solide Arbeitsgrundlage und erste grobe Vorauswahl eignet sich eine ebenen bergreifende Materialrecherche zu allen deutschen Shopping Centern. Die gew hlten Objekte werden anhand bestimmter Schl sseleigenschaften, wie zum Beispiel die Gr e oder Grundform des Centers, in einer Tabelle zusammengefasst um eine bersichtliche Gliederung aller Shopping Center zu erm glichen. Durch diese Ordnung ergeben sich mehrere Gruppen aus denen jeweils ein repr sentatives Beispiel eingehend untersucht wird. Die kritischen Einzelanalysen werden in verschiedene Bereiche architektonischen und st dtebaulichen Schwerpunkts gegliedert, so dass ein objektiver Vergleich m glich ist. Das abschlie ende Ergebnis bilden Vorschl ge, die es erm glichen, von Fall zu Fall ein ma geschneidertes" Shopping Center zu entwickeln, was vor allem in Bezug auf Integration und Synergie mit dem jeweiligen st dtischen Umfeld nachhaltig funktionieren kann.

This comparative analysis of global shopping centers provides a greater understanding of their influence on urban architecture and infrastructure. The volume identifies the essential characteristics of an efficient shopping center and their adaptation to different geographical locations, drawing a complete portrait of the shopping center sector from the perspective of architecture and urban development.