When Colombians take visitors around Bogotá, they invariably make a stop at Andino, that country’s famous shopping mall. Those visitors are among the 1.8 million that shop this mall every month, attracted by the tenant mix, its design and its location within the Zona Rosa de Bogotá, one of Latin America’s most exclusive neighborhoods. Retailers unable to secure space in the 220-store mall settle for the nearby streets, which are regarded as an extension of the mall anyway; among these are Cartier, Forever 21, Lacoste and Zara.
Andino has undergone two expansions since it opened in 1993. The latest, in 2013, opened up the facade to the street and added nearly 2,300 square meters (about 24,750 square feet) and 24 retailers, plus additional food court space on the fourth floor. The goal was to “accommodate the high demand from global retailers, particularly luxury ones, as Colombia has become one of their most desired markets,” said Clara Ferro, general manager of Andino. Retailers wishing to get into Andino generally sit on a waiting list for three or four years, she says. “We also wanted to fix the fact that Andino was turning its back to the surrounding zone,” she said with reference to the way the new design integrates with the neighborhood.
Built by Pedro Gómez, Colombia’s -pioneering mall developer, Andino is located in the exclusive El Retiro residential neighborhood. It is one of Colombia’s 140 condominium malls, though an owners association owns and leases out 26 of its stores. The area around the four-story mall, known as Zona T, is a pedestrian zone packed with stores, restaurants and offices. In recent years the -neighborhood has ranked first on Cushman & Wakefield’s list of the most expensive rental districts in South America.
“The zone’s leasing prices tend to be very high because of the low offer of space,” said Aurora Turriago, marketing and research director at Colliers International Colombia. “Zona T is the premium retail zone with the flagship stores of major retailers as well as fashionable restaurants, bars and entertainment destinations.” Retailers want to be there because of its cachet and the affluence of the visitors, she says.
Andino’s 2013 expansion, which took a Gold this year at the ICSC Latin American Shopping Center Awards, included a 2,200-square-meter (nearly 24,000 square feet) glass ceiling that floods the interior with natural light. The exterior underwent enhancement too, including the installation on one side of ceramic tiles that resemble wood. The work took about two years, during which the mall remained open for business, says Ferro.
“One of the biggest challenges was to rescue and take advantage of the retail synergy between the mall and its surroundings,” said architect Andrés Buitrago, design director of Bogotá-based Cure MDDG SAS, which designed the expansion project. The new space houses such retailers as Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana and Tiffany. Dolce & Gabbana’s second Bar Martini (the other one is in Italy) is a tenant too.
