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Kalinka Malinka
Shopping Russian Style
Shopping Russian Style
Rostov-on-Don, with a population of just over one million, is the economic centre of southern Russia. The city has ridden the wave
of Russia’s current economic revival and is being transformed by
an influx of high tech industries. A nascent silicon steppe, if you
like, full of people, eager to spend their newly disposable incomes.
of Russia’s current economic revival and is being transformed by
an influx of high tech industries. A nascent silicon steppe, if you
like, full of people, eager to spend their newly disposable incomes.
Traditionally, in terms of both architecture and visual identity, shopping centres in provincial Russia, come very firmly from the American or Western European me-too school. But when our clients decided to create a new 75,000 sq m shopping centre in Rostov and call it Kalinka Malinka, after the famous folksong, it was clear that they wanted to do something very different. They challenged us to create a contemporary, international retail brand from an idea as traditional and stereotypically Russian as a matryoshka doll.
The identity clearly comes from the historical language of colour and pattern, but it works as
a big, bright, contemporary icon of new Russian retail, that floods the shopping centre and all its communications. Crucial to the identity’s success was our relationship with architects, RTKL. Together, we made sure that the identity concept of contemporary retail, rooted in Russian tradition, appeared in every aspect of the building and became a fundamental and consistent part
of the architecture.
a big, bright, contemporary icon of new Russian retail, that floods the shopping centre and all its communications. Crucial to the identity’s success was our relationship with architects, RTKL. Together, we made sure that the identity concept of contemporary retail, rooted in Russian tradition, appeared in every aspect of the building and became a fundamental and consistent part
of the architecture.
The centre in Rostov will be completed in 2008 and a second Kalinka site has already been purchased in another southern city, Krasnodar. The ambitions are to drive the chain nationwide and therefore become the first national Russian shopping centre brand. If the energy and enthusiasm of the brand’s very high profile launch in Moscow in November are anything to go by, it will succeed, and they’ll be taking over Brent Cross before you know it.