Dec 3, 2013 1:30 PM

Gallery: Trippy Mall Pushes the Limits of What Glass Can Do

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Emporia is a massive, mixed-used project that houses a three story mall, supermarket, office space, and residential units. The 2,228,130 square foot structure cost just over $390,000,000 with the hope of attracting commuters who travel through a nearby train station. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*
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The building features a dramatic, curved glass facade that will hopefully beckon potential shoppers towards it's almost unbelievable form. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*

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There are two entrances to the building. The amber entrance pays homage to semiprecious amber stones produced by resin from Sweden's vast forests. The "Sea" entrance is meant to echo the body of water behind the mall. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*
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"We explored the use of glass in many ways, both interior and exterior, from the high-tech colored glass entrances to handmade colored glass entrance door handles from Kosta in Sweden’s Kingdom of Crystal, to specially-designed colored glass railings, elevators, and escalators," says Gert Wingårdh. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*

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In partnership with a forward-looking glass fabricator [Crícursa](http://cricursa.com/), the individual panes were formed by placing glass sheets into molds that were heated to 540°C, allowing the glass to slump into its new shape under its own weight. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*
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*Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*

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Green space extends into the Emporia as well in the form of [Plantwires](http://www.greenfortune.com/), an innovative hanging garden system that suspends giant columns of jungle vines, flowers, and verdant leaves. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*
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Bold colors and striking angles are two key visual themes repeated throughout the building, no matter how mundane the application. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*

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The three story mall paired with the bold colors and unconventional layout creates no shortage of striking views. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*
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In most malls a hallway to a restroom would be a dull beige affair, but at the Emporia, no space goes unadorned with bright colors and careful attention. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*

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Elements in the Emporia will either command shopper's attention or escape their notice entirely. *Photo: Traian Cimpeanu*
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It will also be used to host concerts and other events. The unconventional covering also gave the the architects an opportunity to hide the ugly HVAC systems underneath man-made "hills," creating a seamless environmental experience. *Photo: [Fly Fotograf](http://flygfotograf.se/)*

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Designers on the project tried to avoid the "in-between scale," from one centimeter to one meter, to direct attention to the products in the stores. Practically, this meant replacing tiled floors with a terrazzo covering that allows for larger partitions and specifying handrails wrapped in fine grain leather. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*
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Ample use of glass helps reduce the energy demand of the mall by taking advantage of what sunlight is available in Sweden. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*

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Even parking garage spaces are filled with color. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*
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A rainbow-colored parking garage has space for 2500 cars and provides direct access to the shopping mall. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*

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The Emporia is open to shoppers now, but represents only a quarter of the master plan for the site which will soon be filled with similarly ambitious structures. *Photo: Tord-Rikard Söderström*

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