To counter the increase in online shopping, there is a need for bricks-and-mortar retail stores and shopping malls to offer an inviting and engaging visitor experience to help attract and retain customers. Retailers and designers are consequently focusing on how to support interactions and connections – not just transactions – by placing users at the heart of retail development and experience.

Vicinity Centres has recently modernised two of its shopping malls, Roselands and The Glen, reimagining the retail destinations as places where people can engage and connect. With interiors designed by MTRDC, both feature Expormim’s Copa chairs in social spaces to help establish an engaging community experience.

The Copa chair is reminiscent of the classic peacock chair. Made of peeled and tinted rattan, it has a woven frame that wraps around the sides and back of the chair, providing an enclosure that is both private and transparent. Ideal for relaxing, socialising or watching the world go by, the Copa chairs are distinctive, eye-catching and popular additions at both Roselands and The Glen.

“The high back of the Copa chair has presence in the large-scale architectural spaces, and the cane provides texture and visual interest,” says Michelle Taylor, director of MTRDC. “The resort style of the chair in a retail environment also encourages customers to rest and refuel.”

Roselands in southwest Sydney opened in 1965. It was one of Australia’s first shopping centres and the largest in the southern hemisphere. Four Corners Gourmet was Australia’s first “food court,” and visitors would gather and marvel at the famous Raindrop Fountain water feature. Roselands has undergone successive renovations to continually modernise it, the most recent being a vibrant new fresh-food destination called The Markets. The one-stop destination for customers to eat, drink, shop and socialise offers fresh-food retailers and specialists, including Aldi, Coles, Woolworths and a wide selection of casual dining and quick-bite options.

Expormim’s Copa chairs take centre stage in the heart of The Markets, providing comfortable seating for visitors to enjoy the fresh food on offer. “This transformed fresh-food precinct brings an eclectic and multicultural experience to the south-west of Sydney, which we are confident locals will love,” says Roselands Centre Manager, Leigh Galvin.

The Glen in Glen Waverly, Victoria, also holds a longstanding place in the community. The retail shopping centre opened in 1967 and is currently undergoing a major redevelopment with a new public square, expansion of the centre to accommodate 100 new speciality stores and the addition of three apartment towers.

Stage 4 of The Glen opened in August 2019, unveiling the new premium fashion mall. Vicinity partnered with NH Architecture and MTRDC for the design of the mall to align with the stylish fashion brands. MTRDC selected furnishings and design elements more commonly seen in luxury residential and premium hotels. “The design was inspired by the experience and ambience evoked by galleries and public places to create a welcoming and modern mall. We transformed The Glen into a destination that delivers a world-class experience where our customers can shop, socialise, relax, dine and even live, now and into the future,” says Vicinity Centres CEO and Managing Director, Grant Kelley.

Copa Chairs are arranged in comfortable, inviting settings with occasional tables, area rugs, lounge chairs and oversized pots and plants providing a level of privacy. Oversized anthracite Cilindro Alto self-watering pots from Vondom are also throughout the retail centre.

Copa chairs from Expormim are available in rattan or matt painted aluminium for indoor or outdoor use and are distributed exclusively in Australia by KE-ZU.