When designing the original shopping centre in 1997, we anticipated that the centre would grow over the coming years to match the demand for retail in the area, and would attract a large variety of shops and leisure facilities capable of serving the population of Brno, its surrounding districts and even beyond. In effect, it would become a regional shopping destination.
However, that growth was always going to be incremental, and so the centre had to be realised in phases.
Phase 1 was completed in 1999, and the next stages followed within 10 years. The simple scheme linear Mall was converted into a resort with four main malls and the six basic courts. In total, the shopping centre has grown from the original 90 retail units to 191, supplemented with 21 restaurants and cafes, a 10 screen cinema, bowling and a children's corner.
The centre’s exterior was conceived as a dramatic collection of spaces with bold coloured roofs making the centre stand out from a distance. It was intended to be unique and instantly recognisable.
The interiors were intended to be light and airy covered streets, where the strong architectural vocabulary would create a stimulating backdrop to the intensity of the shops and leisure facilities within it. The floor finishes, wall finishes, colours, and structure were all intended to contribute to and establish the Olympia identity.
