India's largest mall in Kochi: Lulu Mall

The Lulu Shopping Mall is the largset shopping mall in India Edapally,Kochi. It is one of the largest malls in Asia and is built on an area of 3,800,000 sq ft, with total area for mall alone at 300,000 square metres (3,400,000 sq ft) and the remaining portion for a premium five-star hotel managed by JW Marriott Hotels. It is the largest mall in India, followed by High Street Phoenix Mall of Mumbai (3,300,000 sq ft). More than 360 outlets including food courts, restaurants, family entertainment zones and a nine-screen multiplex will all come together to make Lulu Shopping. The estimated cost for this project is more than 1500 crore rupees. The mall is run, managed and set up by the EMKE group, a business group with interests in Middle East, Africa and Asia. The EMKE group Managing Director is M. A. Yousuf Ali, who is yet another NRI hailing from Kerala, based in the UAE.

Special features

• Lulu Hypermarket (two levels)
• 4,500-seater Food Court that has eighteen multi-cuisine kitchens and three fine restaurants
• 71,000 square feet (6,600 m2), eight screen multiplex with computer games, bowling alleys, rides, and amusement
• 5000 sq.ft ice skating rink
• Expansive check-out counters
• Ample parking space that can accommodate up to 4800 vehicles
• Money exchange centres
• Bank counters
• Eighteen pairs of escalators, travelators and elevators
• Spacious corridors
• Large glass central atrium with translucent roof
• Facilities for the disabled

Design:

Atrium

• Lulu Hypermarket on the ground floor having an area of 25,800 square metres (278,000 sq ft) selling fresh, frozen, canned food, fruits and vegetables, along with butchery, bakery, hot food counters etc.
• Lulu Department Store on the First floor with 13,500 square metres (145,000 sq ft) of shop floor selling non food items like garments, footwear, luggage, white goods, cosmetics, electronic goods etc.
• International home furnishing store of area 49,500 square metres (533,000 sq ft)
• Gross leasable retail space over 19,800 square metres (213,000 sq ft)

Food court

• A fine dining restaurant of 4,500 square metres (48,000 sq ft) and a coffee shop of 1,800 square metres (19,000 sq ft) are located in the second floor
• A large Food Court to seat around 4,500 people serviced by eighteen kitchens will offer an array of exotic cuisine
• Three fine dining restaurants with terrace dining facilities on the third floor

Leisure zone

• An Amusement area of 7,500 square metres (81,000 sq ft) on the third floor comprising indoor thrill games, computer gaming zone and a bowling alley.
• A nine screen multiplex managed by PVR, occupying an area of 54,000 square metres (580,000 sq ft) on the fifh floor.

Five star hotel (Marriot)

A highlight of the Lulu Complex will be a five star hotel located adjacent to the imposing shopping mall run by JW Marriot. The 420 room property will offer royal suite rooms and Executive Suites with international standard multi cuisine restaurants, swimming pool, coffee shop, spa and privilege club facilities, etc. The hotel stands at a height of 84 meters and has a Helipad.

Source: Text, images from various sources

Posted in: Architecture, Contemporary Architecture, India