The largest shopping and leisure destination in Central Switzerland is opening.
FREO Financial & Real Estate Operations GmbH, a pan-European investment manager, and developer, has celebrated the opening of the Mall of Switzerland, north of Lucerne.
Over 1,000 guests, from the fields of politics, business, and tourism, enjoyed the autumnal temperatures.
Before it was transferred to Halter AG in 2014, the site was owned by lift maker Schindler and its former partner Nüesch Development AG. Halter still has an interest in Mall of Switzerland, as general contractor. The capital is now provided by the sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi.
Freo Switzerland AG acted as developer for the project. In addition to the overall concept, it was responsible for managing the tenant mix. “We are proud to have realized such a forward-looking concept as Mall of Switzerland in only three years. It combines lifestyle, leisure, and shopping uniquely”, comments Bernd Hofer, CEO of FREO Switzerland AG.
Following its completion, the Mall of Switzerland, which has a total area of 65,000 sqm, is the largest shopping and leisure destination in the heart of Switzerland.
The ground-breaking concept combines an attractive mix of shops and café/restaurant operations with excellent leisure and sports facilities, a unique “Kinderland” for children, a 12-screen multiplex cinema with one of giant IMAX screens and Switzerland’s first indoor surfing wave, which will be open for business in spring 2018.
As well as fascias such as H&M, Bershka, and Mango, the retail tenants include Adidas (with its only flagship store in Switzerland), Footlocker and Swarowski.
The international fashion labels Hunkemöller, Stefanel and Sketchers, are represented here for the first time in Switzerland. Trendy international names such as Original Penguin, Bijou Brigitte, O Bag, Vivo Barefoot and Hotic are even opening their very first Swiss stores in the Mall of Switzerland. In addition, many brands such as Terra Nova and Müller Drogerie are opening their first branches in Central Switzerland.
The innovative pop-up stores will give a few tenants the opportunity to test the mall and the location. The car company Tesla and coffee producer Nespresso have already taken advantage of this option.
The varied café/restaurant offer includes not only established operators, like McDonald’s and the Migros restaurant, but also new concepts including Papazziano, Sweet Life, and Wonderwaffel.
An over 2,000 sqm gym and wellness club provide the opportunity to train and relax.
The modern architecture of the MOS was designed by the Berne-based architects Burckhardt+Partner AG. The branding and interior design of the mall, which includes the so-called “jumping” facades that enable each tenant to create its façade design, evocative of a city-center shopping street, were created by the Dusseldorf architects Schwitzke & Partner.
8 NOVEMBER 2017, Switzerland