Typological Classification of Shopping Malls in Bangkok Metropolitan Area: A Case Study of a Major Developer’s Projects

Abstract

Shopping malls have evolved from retail facilities into contemporary public spaces that support economic, social, and leisure activities. This transformation has increased in the complexity of architectural form, circulation systems, and internal spatial organization. However, existing studies tend to emphasize marketing and real estate development, while architectural knowledge on shopping mall classification still lacks a clear explanatory framework, particularly in Bangkok and its metropolitan region, where mall development is shaped by urban location, user behavior, and site-specific physical conditions.

This study examined the typological classification of shopping malls through 12 case studies in Bangkok and its metropolitan region. The research employed literature review, document analysis, and architectural plan analysis to discuss shared characteristics, differences, and limitations of existing international classification criteria when applied to Thai shopping malls. The analysis was structured based on three dimensions: evolutionary development, definitions and scale, and architectural components.

The findings revealed that later-generation malls have shifted from large multi-functional Regional Malls in inner urban areas to smaller Sub-Regional Malls located outside the inner ring roads with a stronger focus on retail. Although total floor area, number of floors, and program diversity have decreased, building layouts have become increasingly complex through multi-directional circulation systems, distributed activity nodes, and more flexible anchor tenant arrangements. Anchor tenants’ areas no longer function solely as terminal destinations but are increasingly dispersed and integrated with experiential spaces. The study concludes that shopping mall classification cannot be adequately explained through a single dimension, and proposes a more integrated framework combining scale, urban location, circulation systems, and anchor tenant organization to better explain contemporary shopping mall evolution in Thailand.