What is claimed to be the world’s largest themed mall is now getting its finishing touches and is set to open later this month.

The Ibn Battuta Mall, as it is now known, has already seen its anchor store – the Geant hypermarket – open to the public late last month.
Previously known as the Gardens Shopping Mall, this highly distinctive mall in Dubai has aimed to capture the adventure and excitement of the life of Ibn Battuta, the famous 14th century Arabian traveller and scholar throughout its single-level expanse which stretches for over a kilometre.
Developed by Nakheel, the mall combines retail, entertainment, restaurants and family activities all within a uniquely themed environment. It is segmented into six distinct architectural zones, representing key destinations visited by Ibn Battuta. It also features a 21-screen cinema Megaplex, including the UAE’s first IMAX cinema, themed garden areas and a uniquely-designed food court.
The Ibn Battuta Mall has a total built-up area of 3.5 million sq ft with a gross leasable area of 1.2 million sq m. It will include more than 275 retail outlets and more than 5,000 parking spaces.
Located adjacent to Sheikh Zayed Road between interchanges 5 and 6, the mall enjoys easy access by three roads from Sheikh Zayed Road. In addition, keeping in mind the fact that access is critical to customer satisfaction and a shopping mall’s success, the Ibn Battuta Mall has built its own interchange. The Nakheel Interchange – situated between Interchange 5 and 6 – will allow direct access to the mall. The interchange will consist of two bridges acting as directional links to the mall.
The architecture of the mall will not only appeal to regional customers but also generate interest among the tourists who will find the mall exotic, entertaining, educational and at the same time enable them to experience a themed, shopping experience, according to Andrew Chambers, general manager of Ibn Battuta Mall.
“People can shop anywhere but at Ibn Battuta Mall, they enjoy the historical perspective in the six themed courts, based on Ibn Battuta’s adventures as he journeyed through Andalusia, North Africa, Egypt, Persia, India and China,” he says. 
The themed environment has been created with the help of MTE (Marketing Themed Environments) Studios – a specialist in themed environments and no expense has been spared in order to ensure that each court is able to maintain the look and feel of the represented regions through the attention to detail in the architecture.
For example, the major Egypt Court mirrors 14th century Cairo, while the minor court and exterior is themed with hieroglyphic friezes.The Persia Court will highlight the theme of Ibn Battuta’s discovery of a hidden cave of gold and other treasures. Likewise, in the China Court, a life-size Chinese junk boat similar to the one used by Ibn Battuta during his voyage through China is positioned in the centre of the court. As Ibn Battuta’s boat had crashed off the shores of China, visitors will be able to walk in through an opening in the front of the boat and experience a virtual 3-D aquarium.
“No aspect in the construction of the mall has been overlooked,” says Chambers. “The architecture is going to capture people’s imaginations, allowing them to experience a world that has long since disappeared. Our customers will benefit from the best of all worlds – 14th century-style architecture in a 21st century shopping mall.”
“The architecture of the mall is not only impressive, but awe inspiring as well; design and its sheer size will have a dramatic effect on its visitors. We had no intention of creating a mall with just size in mind. Being the largest themed mall in the world was a complete accident,” adds Chambers.
“Engaging MTE Studios to handle Ibn Battuta Mall’s themes was easy as their credentials worked perfectly with our requirements. The materials they use are of the best quality and their main asset is their international team of art directors, designers, engineers and architects, ensuring that the mall is in the hands of experts who have had extensive experience in their line of work,” Chambers stipulates.
MTE Studios has also adapted retail zoning into the planning of Ibn Battuta Mall to ensure that consumers enjoy a trouble-free shopping experience. The zones are divided into four sections, the first being family convenience, major department stores, upmarket brands and lifestyles and entertainment and leisure.
The mall is anchored by Géant – part of the French retailing giant Groupe Casino – covering a floor space of 200,000 sq ft. It will also host a number of major fashion groups such as Alshaya group, Sharaf Group, Paris Gallery, Ocean Star Trading and many established and new retail brands.
The food court will house 16 food outlets ranging from Western contemporary to old favourites like Indian and Chinese. The mix will include options such as Japanese food, and a sandwich and juice bar. The chief consultants for food court and the restaurants at the mall are FSR and DesignInc, which have aimed to bring to Dubai a completely new dimension and an entirely new concept in dining.
“This will be the first food court of this calibre in the region and we are delighted to be an integral part of such a landmark project.  Instead of the food courts we are accustomed to seeing in the Gulf, we at DesignInc have taken internationally tried and tested design elements that are sophisticated yet comfortable, in order to move the food court into the future,” says Caroline Varney of DesignInc.
The Ibn Battuta Mall promises to offer a consumer environment that people will want to revisit having many memorable experiences, Chambers concludes.