Shangri-La plaza’s East Wing: A friendly, warm space for shoppers

Had I been brought there blindfolded and dropped between the two glass-façade structures, I would not have known which part of the city I was in because everything looked so new. But as soon as I started walking around this brand-new wing of a mall, I felt right at home.

Shangri-La Plaza’s new East Wing brought me back to when I was living in Quezon City and Shangri-La Plaza was the mall I religiously visited on weekends and carried shopping bags through the revolving doors and down to the open parking lot in front.

Today, the Shang Place estate — all 8.6 hectares of it — looks and feels rejuvenated. What used to be two buildings built about 20 years ago — Edsa Shangri-La Hotel and Shangri-La Plaza with an open parking lot in between — have now got new neighbors, the residential tower The St. Francis Shangri-La Place, which was completed a few years ago, and the new Shangri-La Plaza East Wing, which is the retail podium of the soon to be completed One Shangri-La Place residential tower.

The architecture of Shang’s East Wing and The St. Francis Shangri-La Place are very similar with their fritted glass-and-steel facade, and with the ongoing renovation of the Main Wing, starting with the façade and then on to the interiors, you can expect a visual continuity in the design.

Lala Fojas, executive vice president and general manager of Shangri-La Plaza, says that the East Wing’s architecture and interior layout make it “very retail- and customer-friendly. The East Wing is only one-third the size of the Main Wing, but it looks very imposing because of its oval shape and its tall ceilings.”

The outer shops on the street level have very wide storefronts where they can showcase their products and catch the eye of people walking outside.  And it is a pleasant place to walk, what with the classic columns in the wide driveway and a view of the Main Wing’s al fresco restaurant row across.

The same wide storefronts can be found inside the East Wing, too. Shop fronts are wide and the store spaces have the right depth. This layout of the stores makes it easy for customers to find the brands they are looking for and to actually see, without even entering the shops, what kind of products are available at the moment.

We’re predicting a lot of impulse buying at the East Wing!

Shangri-La Plaza has always had an upscale atmosphere and the East Wing brings it up a notch with its attention to design detail. With the joint effort of P&T (Palmer and Turner) from Hong Kong and Mix Studio Works from Los Angeles  as consulting architects, Casas + Architects as local architects and Hong Kong’s BTR as ID consultant, the East Wing has that feel of a luxury mall in Hong Kong in terms of colors, textures, graphics, spaces, and a hushed ambience.

The architects’ eye for detail shows in the selection of material that you don’t normally find in Metro Manila malls. For instance interior columns, instead of painted, are covered in veneers that give the space a warmth feeling that paint just can’t; graphics and signage are subdued and witty; ceilings carry surprising design elements; lighting is warm and in spaces where the fixtures would have appeared intrusive, it is tucked away discreetly; small design elements and thoughtful locations are carried throughout the mall — from the elevators to the toilets.   

Something must be said of the East Wing’s toilets: they are very pretty! Dressed in warm wood laminate they do look what Filipinos like to call “rest rooms.” They are large, lit warmly, and equipped with long sinks and tall mirrors. The women’s toilet is also equipped with a cubicle that contains a urinal — for little boys that go with their mothers — and a diaper-changing space.

One of the new features of the East Wing that can’t be found in any other mall in Metro Manila is the “Island Shops,” which start on Level 1.

They are shops that seemingly form a single glass island that goes up to Level 5. Because the shops are attached to only one side of each level (near the escalators), when you look up from the first level it looks like they are floating. Shops that have this “island” glass place include Omega on Level 1, T. Florencio and Technomarine on Mid-Level 2/3, Quiksilver/DC on Level 4 and Tyler on Level 5. 

The East Atrium, the wing’s Main Activity Area, is another place that sets the mall apart. Located at Mid-Level 2/3, it is also visible from the upper floors (Level 4 up to the topmost Level 6) and can easily accommodate 150 seats and a reasonably sized stage.

If you stand at the lowest level of the East Atrium and look up, your eyes will play a trick on you — or the design will. It looks like it’s concave-shaped but it’s not, the atrium is the same size on every level. The wooden veneer along the parapet walls and on the edges of the atrium ceiling and the lighting lend the space some warmth.

Marline Concio Dualan, division manager for marketing of Shangri-La Plaza, says, “It was also designed with special acoustics by foreign consultants, knowing that this would be a place for orchestra performances on weekends. We also put chairs around the atrium on the upper levels during performances because it’s just as nice to listen and watch from the upper levels.”  

Because of the higher ceilings of the East Wing, it has six levels while the Main Wing has seven levels.   The East Wing’s second level (or what they call Mid-Level 2/3) connects to both the second and third levels of the Main Wing with short escalators.

Architect Nessie Tan, manager for tenant support and projects of Shangri-La Plaza, explains, “The East Wing’s Mid-Level 2/3 has a ceiling of 4.5 meters compared to the 2.7 meters ceiling height of both Levels 2 and 3 of the Main Wing.” Think of it as a split-type house with a set of short stairs connecting to two split levels.

Lala points out that Shangri-La Plaza now has both the longest (in the Main Wing where one set of escalators goes from the second and straight to the fourth floor) and shortest escalators (in the East Wing’s Mid-Level 2/3).

Four levels of the two wings are connected by two bridgelinks on both ends, which are mostly occupied by dining establishments — many of them new concepts of some of the country’s favorite chefs —  and a seamless and complementary merchandise mix from one wing to the other.

Zoning, says Lala, is also a way for the mall to be customer-friendly. It makes sense to put what people are looking for together and then throw in the appropriate brands to create a lively mix. “We have a total of 160 outlets here, of which 30 percent is F&B and the rest is retail.”

Lala describes each zone: “Everyday Basics,” which is found at the Lower Ground Level, is all about casual dining and novel restaurant concepts, kitchen essentials, and novelty shops.  The highlight of the lower ground is its proximity to Edsa Shangri-La Hotel.

Accessible through the main entrances of the Main Wing, Level 1 of the East Wing, “Classic Luxury” features luxury and high-end fashion and lifestyle brands such as Herve Leger, BCBG Max Azria, Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, DKNY, Brooks Brothers, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Paul & Shark, Baume & Mercier, Rolex, Panerai, Omega, IWC, Vertu, and other Store Specialists, Inc.’s luxury brands. 

“Timeless Indulgences” at Mid-Level 2/3 continues the upscale fashion and lifestyle concept, tied in with indulgent global destinations. 

A selection of high-street brands can be found at “Urban Sophisticate” at Level 4. This zone, which connects to the “Kids’ Zone” at the Main Wing, also features kids and tween brands.  Also in this zone are new must-try dining concepts from well-known chefs including Florabel Co, Marvin Agustin, CCA’s Davide Lombardi, and Roby Goco among others.

Level 5’s “Hip & Chic,” which connects to the Main Wing’s Youth Zone, carries Shang’s younger and more casual fashion mix.   These brands are complemented by a community of restaurants featuring Continental and Asian cuisines and food specialties.

The East Wing’s highly exciting “Leisure Haven” is at Level 6. Featuring the fashion finds for the active lifestyle, this zone offers trendy wardrobe essentials that are sporty and stylish. Complementing the line-up for a more rounded lifestyle offering are home and wellness concepts, as well as more F&B outlets.   

Lala also points out the easy access to the new East Wing with four street-level entrances and drop-off points, three sets of escalators on each floor and four elevators, and an exclusive elevator for the handicapped so they don’t have to wait in line with other customers. Plus 1,900 parking slots for mall guests, including those at the new two-level basement parking of the East Wing.

Lala describes Shang customers as “select, quality shoppers” who appreciate, and delight in, the Shangri-La Plaza lifestyle experience as they continue to discover, experience and indulge in endless pleasures at the Shang.   

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For inquiries, call 370-2500 local 597 or visit www.shangrila-plaza.com. Add Shangri-La Plaza on Facebook: shangrilaplazaofficialfanpage.