Yemen
The Urban Bridge Mall
  • COMMERCIAL
  • URBAN DESIGN

Large malls can become barriers that block the urban flow when designed as introverted buildings. In this specific rich and contrasted site, the mall acts as a bridge between the old fine city grain, on the one hand, and the new civic center on the other. This urban bridge is composed of two generous urban stairs that lead to a raised open-air urban plaza. This porous design helps the mall to better function within its environment; the stairs can host cultural activities, street coffee shops, and bazaars; the raised plaza can still function even when the mall is closed. Both stairs enjoy open views to the old and the new parts of the city. The plaza is surrounded by a rich program; a kids playing area, a large food court, and a large cine complex, all can be directly accessed from that plaza. This urban configuration anchors the stairs and the plaza and therefore the mall in Sana’a city scape.