At the beginning of 2020, I was lucky enough to visit Hong Kong’s K11 MUSEA  ‘Art Mall’ concept. Opened in 2019, the ‘art mall/museum’ overlooks Victoria Harbour, and the beautiful red sail junk boats which are so iconic to Hong Kong. It sits amongst the busy Tsim Sha Tsui district, overshadowed by skyscrapers. On first impression it didn’t stand out, sitting well beneath the spectacular skyline, but as soon as I entered, I was totally blown away.

The centre features a mix of 250 retailers, 70 restaurants, 40 artist installations, and a broad array of educational programs. Some of my favourites were: an interactive Golden Goose store, which distresses sneakers whilst you wait, the Loewe store with the most incredible shop fit out, and an Agnes b. store, serving tiny little cardigan shaped cream cakes. The best part was the atrium, which looked almost as if it had been sculptured out of wood, spiralling up towards a huge glass globe, which was suspended over the entire mall.

I’m not sure ‘mall’ is the right word to describe K11 ‘MUSEA’. It’s a far cry from our traditional British shopping destinations such as Westfield or the Trafford Centre. I didn’t think anything in Britain could compare until I watched a video this week on ‘The Outernet’, Consolidated Land’s new project on Denmark Street. Their ideas and concepts reminded me so much of K11, the way they incorporate history, art and culture within a cutting-edge retail and leisure environment. Placemaking and creating a destination is so important with modern developments, and I can already tell that ‘The Outernet’ will be a really exciting cultural hub.

Cargo is part of Bristol’s glamorous new Wapping Wharf development.  Whenever I visit my friend in Bristol, it is our go-to destination for lunch and a bit of shopping and is a great example of placemaking.

Cargo is a relatively large container park with approximately 35 local businesses operating out of it which has swiftly become not only a destination in its own right, but a wonderful community for the retailers who operate there, and a fantastic attraction to those looking for new homes in the development.

Described by many of the operators as the perfect solution to their requirements for their first bricks and mortar store, Cargo is a great launch pad for restauranteurs, entrepreneurs, retailers and up and coming niche brands.  Great examples are: The Pickled Brisket; a dedicated salt beef bar, serving locally sourced hot salt beef sandwiches, Something Elsie; vintage retro clothing and accessories, The Bristol Cheesemonger and The Clifton Seafood Company which sell seafood caught in home waters.  Not to mention Bandook – a fun, Bollywood themed Indian diner from the team that created the award-winning Mint Room restaurants in Bath and Bristol.

There is also yoga, massage and wellness, bubble tea, cider, craft beer plus a plethora of food, gifts and ethical clothing.

With regular events which see the retailers working closely alongside and supporting each other, Cargo really is a great example of the retail world being fantastically alive and kicking, just in a slightly different guise.  The community spirit and fun atmosphere translates into the customer experience and makes Cargo a place you want to keep going back to.

“You are 24 years old and you have never been to IKEA?!”, exclaimed my co-workers in disbelief as I pondered over visiting the new Greenwich store.  The embarrassment was reason enough to explore the latest outpost from the Scandinavian homeware stalwart, so it was a bonus to discover the incredibly sustainable foundations which the store has been created on.

Arriving on the Jubillee line, unavoidable signage ushered me towards the new store, and as I rounded the corner, I was to be greeted by a behemoth 344,445sq ft structure.  The Greenwich IKEA is the brand’s 22nd big box format store in the UK and is their most sustainable incarnation yet.  Inside, it is awash with natural light, greatly reducing the dependence on artificial lighting, however the glowing green credentials don’t end there.

The store also has a BREEAM Excellent accreditation, photovoltaic solar panels, rainwater harvesting and grey water treatment to reduce water consumption by 50 per cent; and as well as aiming to be powered by 100% renewable energy.

Snaking through the wonderful conveyor belt of sleek interior design, each room is beautifully put together and is instantly followed by a whirlwind of creative ideas for home, office, restaurant and retail premises. Spearheaded by Generation Z, interest in homeware has mushroomed in the UK, with traditional clothing stores such as H&M and Zara jumping on the trend, and providing stylish yet affordable solutions for the home. Gen Z are fuelled by social media and are attracted by the fast-fashion nature of the homeware ranges, with a strong desire to buy into the latest look.

IKEA’s responsible efforts transcend beyond their building and into the lives of their customers and employees as they seek to integrate in to the community with products, workshops and advice to help them lead healthier and more responsible lives.

The Swedish mantra, “Lagom är bast” means “the right amount is best”, and they believe it to be the key to sustainable living.

The community focus within the new store includes a multitude of opportunities for people to use the area as a somewhere relax, unwind and socialise. The grand shop also features ‘IKEA’s Learning Lab’, which is an in store creative hub where upcycling workshops and demonstrations take place, creating opportunities to reuse more and waste less.  There is also a serene rooftop pavilion and garden with panoramic views over London, which can be used as a workstation and to be rented out for functions.

When mainstream stores and landlords begin to realise the importance of sustainability in the design and construction of their units, we should begin to see rapid and major changes in the retail and property landscape.

Until we do see more trailblazing efforts to set a new sustainable standard in retail, you may see me in IKEA more often.

Tucked away in Brooklyn’s DUMBO district (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass in case you’re not a New Yorker) is FEED, a café and shop on a bit of a mission to make more than a dent on world hunger.  Founded by Lauren Bush in 2007, this is the foundation’s first bricks and mortar shop, and combines retail and coffee elements to give you a chance to fully engage in its mission.

Lauren started FEED following her travels around the world as honorary spokesperson for The World Food Programme during which she witnessed poverty first hand.

It started with the simple idea of creating products that would engage people in the fight against hunger in a tangible way.  Every product has a number stamped on it that signifies the amount of meals or micronutrient packets provided with its purchase. On the day I visited, the counter display said they had provided 103,321,347 meals to children globally, so I felt instantly compelled to purchase a coffee and pastry so I could add to this total!

As I munched away, I was able to take in a carefully curated selection of spoils from their website which they display in the shop on a rotating basis, mainly bags, lunch boxes, mugs and pins each imprinted with the amount of meals their purchase would provide.  I ended up buying a FEED shopping bag which had “ten” imprinted on the back, and I instantly felt more cheerful.

Since its inception just over 10 years ago, FEED has evolved into a whole movement, offering events at its café, and a whole following of people who regularly host suppers at their homes to raise money.  Bruce Gillingham Pollard is expecting to see more bricks and mortar offerings from charities as they engage consumers in their causes.  I can definitely vouch for the little bit of happiness it brings to your day!

Bruce Gillingham Pollard recently took a break from the office to explore Lisbon, Portugal’s ‘City of light’.  In the wake of Portugal’s economic recession, Lisbon has emerged an avant-garde, cultural hub of restless creativity, its ancient foundations reinvigorated with a vibrant, youthful energy.  Nowhere does this new Lisbon synchronize so eloquently with its historic bedrock than within the gates of LX Factory.

This strip of delapidated fabric factories, now decked out with vibrant street art, has reinvented itself as a hub of cafés, bars, independent art spaces, vintage shops, restaurants, concept stores, yoga studios and music venues. Of all LX Factory’s enticing qualities, we found ourselves most impressed by its integrity.

After an hour of sucking in our breath, dodging overladen lorries carrying marble on the national highway to Delhi, we arrived at the kilometre long driveway leading to our hotel, with its stark silver on black signage. The imposing sight of Devi Garh, the 17th Century fort cum palace occupies one of the most strategic passes in Rajasthan and rises from its perched hill position with terrifying dominance. The uplighters casting impressive shadows against its many towers, balconies, and crenulations. Very rarely are our expectations exceeded, but on this occasion a Howitzer blew them out of the water. Uniformed guards saluted our arrival, porters scurried to open our doors and we exhaled a sigh of satisfaction. We hopped out and followed the long low-lit path to the main entrance and staff sporting designer black Nehru tunics greeted us. We gathered our jaws off the manicured central lawn as our eyes struggled to take in the magisterial sight of Devi Garh, domineering, stark, confident and undeniably the most impressive translation of hospitality we had encountered in Rajasthan. Stone sculptures lay casually strewn across the lawn as if ditched from the sky by the gods.

At each turn casual elegance promised mystery after mystery. Historic frescoes twinned with floor sculptures in the shape of lotus plants, housed in a courtyard riven with marble patios softened by jade clipped hedging. Even the air tastes tranquil here. Several flights of granite steps leading to secret chambers and a series of courtyards led us to our suite. Which was designed and assembled with an immaculate eye, sinuous marble with a quadruple aspect inserted with a window seat the size of a generous bed. The split-level led us to our low-slung marble based bed. We shrieked with a lottery winner’s surprise and with childlike fascination we explored cupboards, boxes, wardrobes, drawers and anterooms, gasping at the multi level dressing area and bathroom, rather than gilding the lily, this is simple opulence. That evening we celebrated our arrival with pre-dinner drinks, served in a bar styled from a Bond villain’s lair. The Maharani made herself at home with a ginger infused Champagne cocktail and I put up with…a Martini, of course. Dinner would have melted the hardest of hearts, the hotel was a scene lit by a thousand candles, soft glow resting on the curls of a carpet of rose petals.

Imaginative, modern Indian food was served buffet style, fireworks rocked the clear sky and we filled our mouths with food created by a gastro God. Being a nosy chef and food adventurer has its advantages. I wanted to meet the brigade behind the silkily smooth Murgh Palak (Spinach and Chicken curry) and their interpretation of a fiery Rajasthani classic, Laal Maas, mutton soaked and slow cooked in Kashmiri chillies, but this version was tempered with almonds and the gentle touch of buffalo milk. The region is known for its opulent and sometimes heavy food, however the talented chef, Rakesh and his team delivered course after course with the lightness of a ballerina’s pirouette. This kitchen was capable of delivering world peace with these astounding treasures, truly unifying and crossing cultural and culinary boundaries.Devi Garh attracts a cosmopolitan set, French Trustafairians, Hollywood casting agents, Scandinavian designers, Indian oligarchs and apparently Liz Hurley…in our situation it was definitely a case of ‘fake it ‘til you make it’. How to describe Devi Garh? In a fast changing culture which is thousands of years old, I think it’s the definition of Indian Heritage shod in a pair of Louboutins.

There has been a market in this building since 1882 and it was once the most famous fish market in Europe but in May 2014, part of the market hall reopened as the “Time Out” Food Hall,  housing 35 of Lisbon’s top chefs and restaurants. Set within a beautiful building topped off with a Moorish style dome, the large open space is a really a modern take on a food Court , focusing on local quality product and independent operators.

The food choice is vast but it remains authentic and maybe that’s the reason for the success. With no global chains in sight, you find everything from traditional Portuguese cuisines, beers, wines and plates of ham from Alentejo, Azeitao sheep’s cheese and the Lisbon classic, the custard tart. Other foods are also represented with Italian, Thai, fresh sea food and dessert counters all being served by local independents.  The quality of food is high, as some of Lisbon’s top operators are here.  One of Portugal’s top chefs  Henrique Sa Pessoa’s has a counter, serving the likes of truffle mash potatoes and Portuguese style steak and egg.  Other well known Lisbon names with representation, include Sushi from Confraria, Café de Sao Bento, who are acknowledged to have the city’s best sirloin steak in Lisbon and ice cream from Santini.

Each operator has a small kitchen area where they cook in front of you and then everyone shares the communal seating area located in the centre of the hall. The signage through out is a contemporary black and white style.  Simple wooden tables and chairs are shared by all the operators and although it’s a modern take on a food court, it has a great vibe and is busy throughout the day serving both locals and tourists. Open until 2 am at weekends, this venue is a great example of a destination which appeals to its immediate catchment as well as the international tourist. With meals ranging from 6 – 12 Euros, it really is an all day option and appeals across the board from families to the cool contemporary set.