Ayala Malls revamps four flagship locations

The renovation started this year.

Ayala Land is undertaking a significant redevelopment of its four flagship malls this year– TriNoma, Glorietta, Greenbelt, and Ayala Center Cebu.

"These four malls are a critical part of our flagship portfolio, our premium offerings," Paul Birkett, COO of Ayala Malls said. "These premium malls give us about 30% of our annual footfall across those four destinations. But I think if we're being honest, they're dated. Some of those malls are over 30 years old, and the impacts of recent changes have made us look at a call to action."

The retail landscape has shifted dramatically, with customer habits and preferences evolving rapidly. Birkett acknowledged the competition from online retail and emphasises the unique value of physical retail spaces in the Philippines.

“Prior to the pandemic, we saw online retailing grow, so we've had to come back harder to really counter the threat that online retailing poses," he stated. "The bricks and mortar retail landscape, which is so dominant here in the Philippines, represents the emotional context of retailing, not just the transactional based retailing which exists online."

Ayala Malls aims to redefine "third spaces"—places outside of home, work, or school where people spend time. "Our ambition is that it sets a new standard in retail place making that resonates with both current and future generations," Birkett noted. "This is a bold step for us to reinvent four malls simultaneously."

New retail concepts will be introduced to attract customers, transforming the malls into remarkable spaces with unique and best-in-class experiences. "The exterior and interior features are going to be completely refreshed to give a much more modern aesthetic, intuitive wayfinding and circulation, and a much more cohesive experience," Birkett explained. "Lush greenery and open space, that's a signature Ayala Malls feature."

Pop-up spaces will host temporary shops and unique experiences, keeping the mall environment fresh and engaging. "We intend to keep the mall environments fresh and engaging whilst providing multifunctional spaces and a platform for emerging brands and local artisans and entrepreneurs," Birkett said. "You can expect experiential stores that combine shopping, entertainment, technology, and interactive elements."

The redevelopment also aims to bring global best practices to the Philippines. "One of the frustrations I heard very early on in my time here was that it's good enough for the Philippines, and that can't be the right approach," Birkett stated. "We're working on spaces with major brands to create multi-level retail stores in spaces that have previously not been considered."

Ayala Malls is integrating advanced technology to enhance the new mall experience. "We're driving hard to ensure that we're able to enter the age of hyper-personalization," Birkett said. "We need to be able to mirror the recommendations you'd expect to see when you shop online for products that are going to resonate within the physical stores as well."