Tel Aviv | Last weekend, the opening of Israel’s largest shopping mall drew hundred of thousands of shoppers to northern Tel Aviv. But the new mall is also a showcase of the latest digital signage concepts – especially transparent LEDs in many forms dominate the brand new open-air shopping center. LED seems to replace LCD outdoor, as well as instore. invidis was on site for a site inspection.
Our most recent business trip to Israel coincided with the opening of Israel’s largest mall. The Big Fashion Mall follows the European open air concept and not the typical fully air-conditioned shopping centers that are otherwise common in the region. Spanish Inditex brand Zara alone presents its fashion and home products on 4,800 m² (51,700 sqft) – almost like a department store of its own. Today, global fashion brands serve as the anchor tenants of shopping centers, a role previously held by department or electronics stores.
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A total of 160 global brands have opened stores in the Big Fashion Mall. Shopping center specialist Big invested 500 million euros in the new complex, located north of Tel Aviv. The local retail giant Fox alone operates 16 store concepts, covering 6,000 square meters of sales space.
Transparent LED everywhere
From a digital signage perspective, the widespread use of transparent LED displays in shop windows and as room dividers within stores is striking. Classic LCD displays are hardly to be found anywher. Even in many of the restaurants, digital menu boards are often displayed on wide LED screens rather than on displays. A notable exception is McDonald’s, which uses Videri screens for its menu boards throughout Israel.
The architects of Big Fashion Mall designed the mall around dynamic facades, often used for vertical LED installations or pillar wraps. Israeli Zara competitor Renuar even incorporated a 3D-LED screen into its striking facade, albeit the 3D effects weren’t particularly impressive on the opening weekend. The digital creative agency still has room for improvement in this area.
Impressive storytelling on an 80-meter LED facade
The shopping center borders Israel’s largest cinema complex and two of the country’s main highways. A 80-meter wide facade functions as the visual landmark of the new mall, complementing a soon-to-be-completed 43-floor office tower. From a digital signage perspective, the animated facade is one of the standout features of the new shopping complex.
LEDs integrated into curved facade elements create digital shadow plays across the 80-meter-wide facade. Animated runners, cyclists, dancers, and basketball players move across the entire width of the mall’s facade. Simple, yet incredibly effective.
Less digital but equally impressive is the natural air conditioning of the open-air mall. The two parallel shopping streets are designed to allow the wind from the nearby Mediterranean to provide cooling, even in summer. Large sun sails are integrated in key areas and are dynamically moved at night as part of the project.
