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When Nike relaunched its ACG line, it didn’t open a store.It launched a train. The All Conditions Express . A fully reimagined Italian commuter train became a moving brand environment, transporting guests from Milan into the Alps as part of a four-day immersive journey. This wasn’t a campaign.It was world-building . From Storefront to Experience Inside the train, every carriage was transformed into a functional extension of the brand: A café inspired by alpine refuges Gea

As traditional big‑box retail continues to struggle, millions of square feet of empty retail space are opening up across the country. But rather than seeing these vacant properties as liabilities, forward‑thinking developers, landlords, and brands are treating them as blank canvases with enormous potential. Gensler outlines five innovative ways to reinvent underutilized retail space and what they mean for the future of real estate: 1. Immersive Food Experiences Transforming l

March Break used to mean one destination.A mall. A movie. Maybe a museum. Today, families are choosing something different. They’re gravitating toward experience districts  — mixed-use neighbourhoods where retail, food, culture, entertainment, and public space come together in one walkable ecosystem. Because March Break isn’t about errands. It’s about memory-making. The most successful districts right now aren’t defined by square footage. They’re defined by what you can do  t

In a recent piece by Gensler,, the conversation shifts away from struggling malls and toward something far more overlooked: the retail strip mall. As many once-dominant retail formats struggle to stay relevant, the humble strip mall is quietly emerging as a surprising opportunity in the evolving retail ecosystem. Far from being relics of the past, strip malls, when thoughtfully designed and curated, can become vibrant, community-centered destinations that meet people’s needs

Melbourne-based cycling brand Maap  has just opened its largest retail space to date. The Maap Lab in Darlinghurst, Sydney. But this isn’t just another store opening. It’s a statement about where physical retail is heading. The Maap Lab isn’t just a place to buy bibs, helmets, and vests. It’s a place to gather. Coffee.Weekly group rides.Community events. In other words, retail as infrastructure for belonging. Sydney’s retail scene continues to demonstrate what leading cities

Not because they shop differently — but because they experience differently. Despite growing up fully immersed in digital worlds like Roblox  and AI tools like ChatGPT, Generation Alpha , roughly those born between 2010 and 2024 are showing strong preference  for in‑store shopping. According to Retail Brew , about 73% of Gen Alpha prefer shopping in physical stores  over online even though many are too young to have personal spending money yet. This isn’t nostalgia. It’s a st

The bankruptcy filing by Saks Global, parent to Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman has reignited a familiar question in retail and real estate circles: is the department store model outdated, or simply mismanaged? The answer is more nuanced than the headlines suggest. What a Department Store Is — and Why It Still Matters At its core, a department store is an aggregator of brands. It enables discovery, comparison, and access, particularly for emerging brand

As organizations redefine how, where, and why people work, 2026 is poised to be a pivotal year for workplace strategy and design. Beyond location choices and schedules, the next wave of workplace transformation centres on human experience, technology, flexibility, and inclusivity. Based on insights from Spacestor’s Top Workplace Trends for 2026 , here’s what design and business leaders should know as they plan environments that support productivity, wellbeing and organization

Even as organizations invest in hybrid policies, return-to-office plans, and office redesigns, many companies are missing the mark. According to Cushman & Wakefield, only about 60% of employees believe their office actually supports the core purposes of collaboration, culture-building, and connection.   That means 4 out of 10 workers don’t feel their workplace delivers what it promises and that disconnect is more than just a statistic. It’s a signal that the way we design and

Source: BioMed Realty Gateway of Pacific, South San Francisco, California. Photo by Jason O'Rear. For decades, the office was seen as a simple stop on the workday. A place to get tasks done before heading home. But that concept no longer fits the realities of the modern workforce. Recent research and design thinking from a recent Informa article shows that the physical workspace plays a far more strategic role in engagement and performance. The question isn’t “how do we get p

The way we work has changed more in the last decade than in the previous fifty. Shaped by technology, accelerated by the pandemic, and continually evolving, work today happens everywhere: at home, in cafés, across time zones, in boardrooms, and increasingly, somewhere in between. The office is no longer a single destination, but one node in a much broader ecosystem of work. This year at the 2026 Interior Design Show,   How We Work   explored that reality through a series of i

Experience-First Retail Moves from Trend to Standard Retail isn’t just about product anymore it’s about feeling the brand. Immersive storytelling, interactive spaces, and emotional engagement are becoming the expectation, not the exception. Short-Term Retail Goes Mainstream Pop-ups are no longer seasonal gimmicks they’re core strategy. Brands are using short-term spaces to test markets, launch exclusives, and create cultural buzz.   “Phygital” Retail Blends the Online + Offli

For decades, real estate value has been measured in the same familiar terms: square footage, ceiling heights, amenity lists, and location. Bigger was better. Newer was premium. That equation is changing. According to Gensler’s 2026 Design Forecast , experience, not size, is emerging as the true driver of value. Buildings that deliver emotional resonance, narrative, and connection are outperforming those that simply offer space. In a market shaped by hybrid work, digital retai

Major companies like Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, AT&T, and Instagram are doubling down on return-to-office mandates for 2026. Leadership wants collaboration, culture, and innovation back in the building. But there’s a problem: many offices no longer have the space to support it. As reported by   Business Insider , employees returning to the office are encountering desk shortages, overcrowded floors, and workstations that no longer align with full-time occupancy. In some cases, te

For years, retail strategy has chased one goal: convenience. Faster che ckouts. Fewer steps. Less friction. But according to   Gensler’s 2026 Design Forecast , the future of retail isn’t defined by how quickly customers can move through a store. It’s defined by how deeply they remember being there. Retail is being reshaped by a push and pull between digital efficiency and the irreplaceable value of physical presence. While e-commerce optimizes speed, global brands are reinves

As office construction hits record lows and tenant expectations evolve, developers face a critical question: how do you create office spaces that attract people, foster community, and remain valuable for decades to come? Experience Matters as Much as Floorplate Tenants increasingly want offices that feel   part of a community , not isolated towers. The new “trophy” office is defined by the experiences it offers: outdoor terraces, hospitality-driven design, curated events, and