The Avenues

Overview

Opportunity

Solution

Impact

Team

Inspired by the world’s great cities, The Avenues transforms retail into a climate-protected cityscape of streets, plazas, distinctive districts, shopping, dining, and gathering in Kuwait.

Location

Kuwait City, Kuwait

Client

M.H. Alshaya Co.

Expertise

[FPO] Mixed Use [FPO] Retail Centers Mixed Use & Retail Centers Cities & Urban Design Retail & Consumer Experience

Opportunity

The client sought a new kind of retail destination that could turn shopping into a varied, magnetic, and distinctly urban social experience.

The Avenues Phase III presented an opportunity to move beyond the conventional enclosed mall and create a destination shaped by the character of great cities. The development needed to connect seamlessly with the existing Phase II while giving visitors clear orientation across a vast new environment. It also had to support hundreds of retailers, restaurants, and cafes while offering varied experiences for Kuwait’s social shopping culture. The challenge was to bring distinct districts together as one legible, lively, and commercially viable place.

Why This Matters

01
A Destination, Not a Mall
02
Connection at City Scale
A clear circulation framework had to link the existing development with six new districts while helping visitors navigate an exceptionally large destination with greater confidence.
03
Distinct Yet Cohesive

FPO Quote

Solution

Gensler organized Phase III around the 425-meter-long Grand Avenue, a tree-lined boulevard that acts as the project’s principal circulation and orientation route. Six districts: The Mall, Grand Avenue, SoKu, The Souk, Prestige, and The Bazaar, each establish a distinct experience through regional, European, and contemporary architectural influences. Courtyard plazas provide space for cafes and restaurants, while a transparent roof brings natural light into the development and supports the atmosphere of an outdoor city street within Kuwait’s climate.

From brief to build: how Gensler combines urban design and retail planning to transform a vast commercial program into connected streets, plazas, and distinctive districts.

The design team applies urban design strategies and retail principles to transform a large commercial program into a clear sequence of places. Grand Avenue forms the main organizing spine, connecting the existing mall with new districts and gathering spaces. Each district establishes its own architectural language and retail character, while consistent circulation and a unifying roof create cohesion. This layered approach balances operational requirements, tenant visibility, climate protection, clear orientation, and the social experience of moving through a city.

Impact

The Avenues earns industry recognition for transforming a complex retail program into a distinctive destination organized around varied and clearly defined urban districts.

Its cityscape-led design supports hundreds of retail units, including dining outlets, while Grand Avenue connects the development through one clear organizing route.

What Changed Because of This

01
Retail Experience
Visitors move through a sequence of recognizable streets, plazas, and districts rather than a single conventional enclosed shopping environment.
02
Social Connection
Cafes, restaurants, and courtyard plazas create inviting places to pause, meet, and participate in Kuwait’s social shopping culture.
03
Clear Orientation
Grand Avenue provides a strong circulation spine that connects old and new phases while helping visitors understand the development.

The Avenues completely redefines the shopping experience for the consumer; it is as much about placemaking as it is retail design.

Recognition

01

MEED

MEED named The Avenues GCC Leisure Project of the Year, identifying Gensler as architect for Phase III and describing its seven distinctive districts.

02

interiors+sources

interiors+sources profiled Phase III’s expansion, highlighting Gensler’s six distinct shopping experiences, international cityscape references, transparent roof, and placemaking-led retail design.

03

e-architect

e-architect covered Phase III’s construction, crediting Gensler as lead architect and designer of its interiors, wayfinding, marketing materials, and six retail districts.

Team

Project Leadership

Tariq Shaikh

Tariq Shaikh is a Principal and Co-Managing Director of Gensler’s Middle East offices, leading the delivery of transformative projects across the GCC. With more than 30 years of experience, he is recognized for shaping complex destinations, communities, and mixed-use developments.

[FPO] George Miller-Ramos

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[FPO] Ross Burgoyne

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[FPO] Gordon Lindsay

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FAQ

01

Where is The Avenues located?

The Avenues is located in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

02

How does The Avenues encourage visitors to spend more time at the destination?

A network of streets, plazas, cafes, restaurants, and six distinct districts creates a journey of discovery. The variety of experiences gives visitors reasons to explore beyond shopping, turning the destination into a place to meet, dine, and spend time.

03

What makes The Avenues different from a traditional shopping mall?

Rather than organizing retail around a conventional enclosed mall format, The Avenues is designed as a collection of streets, plazas, and six distinct districts that create the experience of exploring a city.

04

How does the design help visitors navigate?

The 425-meter-long Grand Avenue acts as the principal circulation and orientation route, connecting the existing development with the new Phase III districts.

05

How does the design create a sense of place?

Each district draws inspiration from a different architectural and cultural context, creating distinctive identities while contributing to a unified destination that encourages exploration and discovery.

06

How does the project respond to Kuwait’s climate?

A transparent roof brings natural light into the development while providing solar protection and varied opportunities for shade.