
Spaces to engage people and places
The evolution of permanent retail spaces beyond a place to purely hold and distribute product demonstrates a clear opportunity for these spaces to be repurposed, providing greater meaning in people’s lives.
Brand spaces can and should play a vital role within our communities, connecting people and places to build a sense of belonging and human connection that can’t be replicated online. Taking up the mantle as facilitators of social engagement, brands can utilise new and existing spaces to address the isolation and disconnect felt in our digital age, picking up where public services and local governments have fallen short.

The future of retail
Retail is witnessing unparalleled and accelerated levels of change, but there has and will always be a need to evolve and keep pace with shifts in culture, technology and economics. However, the possibilities change presents for brands, developers and their creative collaborators to reimagine the future is limitless. Even the smallest of retail spaces with the most purposeful and resonant experience can become the most impactful of places.
This post was extracted from Exchange, Make’s thought leadership series which explores some of the challenges and trends that the property industry is encountering. Issue No. 2 looks at retail and is available to download.