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November 6, 2026

10 minutes

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Singapore has plenty of shopping malls. But do they all feel the same?

Veteran interior designer Mike Lim believes malls need to rethink their role as places for shopping, gathering and socialising. His projects in Kuala Lumpur offer a glimpse of what is possible.

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“The latest mall we designed went viral.”

It’s not every day that you hear such a statement, especially when Singapore’s retail scene has been attracting criticism lately. But when it comes from veteran interior designer Mike Lim, you sit up and pay attention.

It turns out that the project he was talking about is in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ombak KLCC is a six-storey retail podium that attracted attention on social media following its opening in August, thanks to its curvaceous, skylight-topped atrium that begs to be admired from below. Its floors recede as the building rises, much like the terraces of the tea plantations in Cameron Highlands that provided the inspiration.

A veteran of the interior design industry, Lim has built a 25-year career shaping the spaces within all types of buildings, especially malls, offices and civic and community institutions. Since 2007, he has been doing so under the auspices of DP Architects, before assuming leadership of its interior division, DP Design, in 2012.

Preferring to remain under the radar, Lim admitted that he used to be content focusing on his work and and helping to nurture the next generation of designers. The latter he does through teaching at local institutions and volunteering with professional associations including the Society of Interior Designers Singapore.

Ombak KLCC attracted attention on social media following its opening in August 2026, thanks in part to its striking, curvaceous atrium. (Photo: DP Design)

Some of his most notable projects include The Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates and The Exchange TRX in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as well as the renovation of Wisma Atria, Heeren, 111 Somerset and Paragon in Singapore.

However, given the recent hullaballoo over the decline of malls in the city-state, especially along Orchard Road, he felt compelled to stick his neck out to weigh in on the subject.

“Our retail scene today is operating in a sea of sameness and increasing homogeneity,” he lamented during the interview. “Such spaces are not just for shopping – they have to include a social element, among other things. Designers and developers need to be conscious of this.”

RETHINKING THE SHOPPING MALL

Lim is no stranger to this topic. As early 2016, he had already identified how the rise of e-commerce would have a significant impact on mall development. He expressed these thoughts in an article titled Today’s Malls, Tomorrow’s Social Spaces, published in DP Architect’s internal newsletter.

“I predicted that both individual shop units and malls would have to establish a strong, differentiated creative identity in a competitive retail landscape, which includes the digital space, in order to retain footfall through repeated visits,” said Lim, 59.

Apart from the physical and digital integration of brands, Lim recognised how immersive storytelling was an important part of the in-store experience. This could involve craftsmanship, history, art-related exhibitions or even collaborations with like-minded labels.

The Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates is among the major international retail projects in interior designer Mike Lim’s portfolio. (Photo: DP Design)

Drawing on his experience as an educator, Lim also suggested giving young talents the opportunity to take over a physical boutique. Doing all this would help to differentiate the store’s identity above and beyond mere product offerings.

More broadly, Lim was certain that malls would become places where people would congregate, eat, drink and meet loved ones. The social element would rank high, turning them into venues for interaction and networking, rather than simply commercial spaces.

In property developmental terms, it meant looking at their design through a different lens. He explained: “The layout of the mall has to be flexible to offer spaces and amenities suitable for social events, such as multi-label pop-up retail events, multi-media experiences and performances. Instead of feeling worried about e-commerce, retailers can think about ‘s’-commerce or social commerce, to appeal to targeted groups with interesting activities.”

These elements were top of mind for him when he was designing The Exchange TRX in Kuala Lumpur. Its vast area of 17 acres meant he had to break down the interiors into a network of distinctive malls, seamlessly integrated under the rooftop park.

Among the highlights is a grand flight of social steps, designed into a sunken courtyard and generously landscaped. It connects an event space to the public park on the podium roof, where Apple’s flagship store is located.

At The Exchange TRX, Mike Lim helped design a network of distinctive retail spaces integrated beneath the development’s rooftop park. (Photo: DP Design)

PLACES FOR GATHERING, SOCIALISING AND SHOPPING

Ten years on, in May 2026, Lim felt a sense of validation when he saw a story in the news on how suburban malls were fast becoming the get-together venue of choice for seniors. These were the findings of a study conducted by Frasers Property Singapore and the Singapore Management University’s Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA).

The findings also raise a question: How can malls accommodate a growing demand for social spaces while remaining commercially viable? “This is where good design, a strategic retail mix and thoughtful retail planning matter. Together, they can balance consumption, branding and strong community building. We can have our cake and eat it too,” said Lim.

The government is helping to bridge this gap. The Urban Redevelopment Authority offers gross floor area incentives if malls include spaces that are non-profit, endorsed by a relevant government agency, and have a strong public-outreach component. Another way is to introduce privately owned public spaces that support pedestrian movement, community activities, rest and social interaction.

At Odeon 331 in Singapore, a naturally ventilated ground-floor lobby has been reimagined as an urban park, with greenery and informal seating that encourage people to linger. (Photo: Finbarr Fallon)

Although not in the suburbs, Lim’s design of Odeon 331’s naturally ventilated ground-floor lobby is a good example of how such spaces can be incorporated into a development. Reimagined as an urban park, it flows seamlessly into the neighbourhood, offering a breezy, open setting with eye-catching furniture pieces like bird-shaped benches that invite exploration and connection.

“Beyond office users, students and families began using the through-block circulation and occupying the space. It has now organically evolved into a vibrant urban connector shared by many,” said Lim.

Other ideas he has include libraries in malls as well as wellness and sports components, such as a public pool alongside a commercial gym, a community garden next to a commercial farm-to-table restaurant, or a cooking studio in collaboration with the chef of a restaurant.

“This could create a win-win outcome for mall operators in suburban locations that struggle with low footfall and limited differentiation. I believe this approach can turn today’s malls into tomorrow’s social spaces – commercial centres that also serve as genuine community hubs.”

Beyond his work at DP Design, Mike Lim contributes to Singapore’s interior design profession through teaching and involvement in professional associations. (Photo: DP Design)

ELEVATING ORCHARD ROAD’S MALLS

It is not just suburban malls that he is thinking about. For the last 20 years, he has watched, with an increasingly heavy heart, what he sees as the decline of Singapore’s original shopping precinct, Orchard Road. To him, it is a street lined with many big, box-like malls. “In this, it is one of a kind,” he quipped.

From the turn of the century, similar developments started coming up not only in the city centre but also in the new towns. Then, there was the opening of the two integrated developments in Marina Bay and Sentosa. All competed for the same pool of tenants and consumers were happy to flock to them, given Singapore’s efficient transport network.

“Orchard Road, in the meanwhile, did little to reinvent itself, resulting in the loss of its customer base to other more exciting, similar-style retail offerings in the country,” Lim said.

There is hope yet, though it will require the cooperation of retailers, mall owners, the authorities and the street’s business associations. Lim envisions car-free days and festivals tied to national holidays to anchor the tourism event calendar. Capitalising on its plantation origins could reinforce its identity, such as through landscaping with special plants and outdoor furniture to enhance the overall environment of the street.

He is especially adamant about humanising the boulevard. This could mean breaking up various sections of the road with distinctive placemaking elements. Each mall can then extend past its own plot boundaryto let the spaces flow more seamlessly from inside to out. For instance, retail, F&B and entertainment activities could spill over onto the sidewalks.

The steps outside Wisma Atria were designed not only to meet flood protection requirements, but also to create a stronger connection between the mall and Orchard Road. (Photo: DP Design)

During Wisma Atria’s renovation in 2012, he introduced a stretch of steps running parallel to the facade facing the Orchard pedestrian boulevard. Not only did they resolve the required flood platform level, but it also opened up the mall to the outdoors, providing better interaction and a social space for all. Today, it is a well-loved hang-out spot for tourists and residents alike.

“What matters the most is to break down the boxes and leverage the road as one whole to transform the retail experience into like no other in the world. I believe that only in doing so can Orchard regain its lustre.”

Lim points to the increasingly vibrant retail scene in Kuala Lumpur as an example of how to get it right. His work there has proven that it’s possible to have two malls in the same city that are completely different – in terms of design, layout and tenant composition.

Ombak KLCC is certainly no carbon copy of The Exchange TRX. Apart from its soft, smooth forms and expansive, open spaces, there are clear sightlines to every floor that subtly reference gotong-royong, a Malay phrase expressing community spirit. The central atrium is like the open field in a kampung, where games, social gatherings, retail pop-ups, promotions and bazaars take place.

Lim said: “Seeing Malaysians take pride in the mall, with many people appreciating its interior and sharing it widely on social media, makes all the years of work feel purposeful and worthwhile. I am delighted to see how it is used by many in the KLCC community as their social space. This is something Singapore can learn from.”