Discovery — Shopping Center | Blank Architects

New Discovery shopping center is a part of the Discovery Residential Complex developed by MR Group. Discovery is firstly made for those who appreciate a green environment: five buildings up to 31 floors high will be located in the “ecological triangle” — between Khimki Forest Park and Druzhba and Grachevsky Parks. Blank Architects designed a multifunctional retail center for the residents of Discovery.

Concept — Starfall

The shopping center is located in 2 minutes walk from the "Belomorskaya" metro station and
7 minutes walk from the "Khovrino" metro station. Its concept is described as elegant,
cozy and inspiring.

This concept develops the idea of residential areas. We imagined a strict, somewhat restrained, yet cozy and warm space. The interior design is inspired by a starfall. Every minute myriads of stars come into the world and disappear. If you look closely into the heavens, you can find your own sky. The lighting and the art-installation in the atrium penetrate the space vertically like a spacefall, interlinking the floors of the shopping mall. The inviting, cozy interior consists of bright white and honey-like tones.

Navigation - Colors and Minimalism

For convenience of wayfinding in the space of the floor and the intuitiveness of the search for a parking space, we propose to divide each floor of the parking into 4 blocks — A, B, C, D on 2 floors for 500 car spaces. 

Each block will be identified by the color of the floor/zone, the letter symbol of the block and the range of places, that follow the direction of travel. Parking space numbers are indicated on a contrasting band, painted in the color of the corresponding zone.

For the intuitive orientation of pedestrians from parking spaces to the entrances to the towers of the residential complex, wall charts are used to indicate the direction of movement towards the towers in accordance with their names.

Directions of movement to the towers and the shopping center are indicated by floor graphics in the form of pedestrian paths, in which signs are embedded, with the names of the towers, the shopping center and arrows.

A pedestrian walkway from the corresponding carpark block leads to the mall entrance. Wall graphics assist with the identification of the entrance from afar. The color scheme echoes the design of the columns in the parking zone for visitors to the shopping center, which intuitively connects them to each other.