For a long time, shopping centres were the object of no architectural reflection. During the years 1960-1970, the architectural aestheticism was relegated in the background, the developers paying their attention and their efforts on the location of the centres, on the costs of construction which constituted the main commercial logics. In this period, it was necessary to build equipments quickly and with a lower cost; the important thing being to sell cheaper in a setting which counted little. 1980s marked the revival of the interest of the architects for shopping centres and appearance of a new attention of the developers carried in the architecture of their shopping centres. In a more and more competitive market, the architecture becomes an important factor of differentiation. The stakes which surround the realization of a shopping centre are now such as numerous developers seek famous architects. The sector of the factory outlet centres does not escape this phenomenon. Several developers of factory outlet centres appealed to this media architecture during these last twenty years. What does this architecture provide in term of image and attractiveness? What are the other stakes which are attached to it? This study, entirely dedicated to the architecture of the European Factory Outlet Centres which realization was confided to architects of international fame, brings to light profits bound to this media architecture, also called « star architecture » or still « architecture star-system ».
_
-* Read the full study in PDF (french only)