7.2 boxpark

7.2 Boxpark

Developed by Meraas, Boxpark is a unique destination in Dubai that is exclusively made from containers placed, stacked, and juxtaposed with each other to build a quirky new tourist destination on the high living street of Jumeirah. It is believed that the idea of a high street pop mall came from London, UK. London hosts 3 successful Boxparks which have been a stimulus for various emerging cities across the world to adapt the Boxpark concept. The Boxpark in Dubai is spread on the two-kilometre stretch of the Al Wasl Road, ideally located next to the new Dubai Canal leisure destination. Boxpark is a stark contrast to the city’s familiar malls. The old residential neighbourhood where the Boxpark is built-in has been slowly transforming into a strong retail district. The regeneration has the potential of encouraging start-ups meanwhile giving the whole area a new pizzazz.

Map indicating built space in Boxpark, Dubai (Source: Author, Mariette Robin)

There was a demand to have a quick-to-build and easy-to-operate informal shopping and activity destination to pull in a young, millennial crowd. The neighbourhood solution is circulated from several cosmopolitan cities, where 220 shipping containers are put together to form a one of a kind destination. This leisure destination comprises an area where Shipping containers are stacked together to form stores and restaurants and supplemented with precast concrete structures. These modified and insulated containers allow for a smaller store footprint of the outlets they house. In addition to shopping and leisure, Boxpark offers its visitors some valuable services such as 210 free parking spaces which are available directly in front of the shops. In addition to these facilities, with playgrounds for children and shaded resting areas around them, Boxpark seems to be an age-inclusive destination that is extremely successful. With multiple popular brands selecting Boxparks to gain traction, Dubai rests its confidence in this next concept.

During the last decade, the city experienced a revival of the old souk concept. Brought down to the human scale, the spectacle is being redefined with the introduction of various new materials, utilization of digital technologies that transform the building surfaces to interactive ones which aim at engaging society. Modular construction was able to achieve this success as it is one of the construction methods which became popular due to its relatively low cost, time and labour, textures, layers, and colours replaced ornamentation and fully air-conditioned spaces replace the passive performance of traditional architectural spaces. Learning from its past experiences it can be assumed that this evolution is not stopping soon and there is still more to watch as Dubai through import, export and circulation of ideas and solutions offers more to the built environment.

Focus on uses and users: The report of the site visit

Along the same road as the City Walk and towards the southwest on the Al Safa road is this colourful urban infill project. Our visit to the destination left us with the impression that Boxpark attracts crowds from younger who belong to the upper-middle class who come here to unwind. It runs a stretch of about 1.2 kilometres covering 3 urban blocks commencing at the Emraat gas station and concluding near a block of low-rise structures. It is high street retail, outdoor dining, and entertainment destination in a hip and modern setting. It is a fine example of contemporary architecture with the aesthetic of shipping containers. The industrial character dominates throughout the container system which is adorned with a vibrant lighting system.

Street vendors and stores have been part of the retail and urban fabric of many cities across the globe. Pop-up shops are usually retail stores that operate for short periods, something that came to be known for its ability to adapt to the rapidly evolving retail industry. This comparative research on Boxparks outlines the origins

Site study map of Boxpark, Dubai (Source: Author, Sneha S Kumar)

Boxpark, Dubai layout details (Source: Official website Boxpark)

and nature of these stores. The most convenient mode of transportation to access this development was through a private vehicle with little or no access to public transportation. Because of this one lane of parking runs parallel to the stretch (see image 3) apart from a dedicated parking space provided in the middle of it. A recent installation of structures providing shade receives the user throughout the stretch of Boxpark (see image 1). But contradictingly the plazas of the development remain unshaded in spite of having urban furniture and stand alone scanty trees (see image 2, 4 and 6)

What seems to be dull and unpopular during the day changes completely as the sun sets. The colourful lights focused on the structures with the setting sun in the background (see image 7 and 8) attracts more dusktime visitors. In these peak hours, the service lane running parallel to the parking lane eases some of the traffic on the Al Wasl road (see image 3 and 5).

A vibrant and crowded Boxpark (Source: Meraas website)

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Image key of site visit 1. Shaded walkways on some stretches of the development 2. Plaza with the barrier that seperates Boxpark from the residential buildings 3. Parking running parallel to the stretch 4. Unshaded open air plaza with Urban furniture

5. The development lies in Al Wasl. Seen here is the service road that gives access to the parking 6. Boxpark Plaza in the third segment 7. Pedestrian and bike paths accessing the development 8. Nightime lighting of the containers

(Source: Arjun Mani)

Boxpark Circulated

Puma City, Multiple global Ports (2008 onwards)

Boxparks across the globe might have been a trend started by the first one in London but the concept of using shipping containers for retailing for the first time was by the firm LOT-EK architects for their client Puma. The containers were reclaimed from the waterfront in Boston to develop an Incredibly dynamic public space design that is both flexible and eco-friendly. At 11,000 square feet of space, it is the first container building of its scale to be truly mobile, an experimental one that takes full advantage of the global shipping network already in place. The structure is comprised of two full retail spaces on the lower levels, both designed with large double-height ceilings and 4-container-wide open spaces – as a counterpoint to the modular box quality of the container inner space (Container homes website). The second level houses offices, press area and storage, while a bar, lounge and event space with a large open terrace is placed at the top (PUMA city official). Made of twenty-four shipping containers, the building was disassembled and reassembled several times at different international ports to retrofit and transform into a transportable retail and event building.

Boxpark, London (2011 onwards)

In an attempt to develop the world’s first pop-up mall, Roger Wade a UK-based entrepreneur opened Boxpark made entirely from refitted shipping containers in London. Sprouting from an idea he had at a German trade show, it was launched with a vision to support young businesses in a fast-changing sector. The concept gained popularity within a short time and just five years after opening Boxpark Shoreditch in 2011, Boxpark Croydon was opened followed by Boxpark Wembley in 2018. What started as a place to just shop eventually evolved into a leisure destination for food and lifestyle. Boxpark Wembley exhibits this evolution hosting vendors for food and drinks as well as a large space to host concerts, conferences and sports screenings.

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Puma city, built across multiple global ports and for the first time in 2008 (Source: Google images)

Boxpark, London (Shoreditch) built in 2011 (Source: Official website)

Boxpark, London (Croyden) built in 2016 (Source: Official website)

Boxpark, Dubai (2011)

As mentioned in detail before, Boxpark Dubai, developed in the same year as the first one in London, could be difficult to say which city circulated the concept from which city. But Boxpark Shoreditch claims to be the first one with many articles crediting them. There is a possibility that both simply took inspiration from Puma city.

Boxpark, Seoul (2018)

Inspired by the success of the Boxpark in London, the mayor of Seoul, Kolon industry and the Seoul business agency signed a business agreement to establish one in Seoul as well. This Boxpark in Kolon common ground near the Konkuk industry is the world’s largest container mall housed in the garage of Daehan taxi. They plan on building these kinds of retail stores in multiple unused lands in underdeveloped regions bringing together smaller brands and popular restaurants to rejuvenate local commercial areas. While the business agency offers financial support to the project, the government offers administrative support and land and the Kolon industry supplies the shipping containers and support for marketing and distribution.

Boxpark, Doha (2021)

When it comes to the most picturesque of all Boxparks, the one in Doha ticks all the boxes. Opened in March 2021, the development is filled with colourful repurposed shipping containers overlooking the sea. The project features cafes and retail stores in an extremely appealing setting making it the most evolved version of Boxparks comparatively.

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Boxpark, Dubai built in 2011 by Meraas developers (Source: Official Website)

Boxpark, Seoul builtin 2018 by Partnership between Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, Kolon Industry and the Seoul Business Agency (Source: Official website)

Boxpark Doha built in 2021 (Source: Google images)

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