Klépierre wins Global Prix Versailles for Prado Shopping Center

After having won the prize for the European section in the continental competition in May, the shopping center located in Marseille, designed by architects Benoy & Didier Rogeon, and developed by Klépierre, joined the prestigious global league.

An architectural jewel, Prado which opened in April 2018 was designed as a high street inspired by 19thcentury Italian galleries over four open-air levels under a majestic glass canopy. The mall is located close to the Prado roundabout in Marseille’s 8th district in front of the Orange Vélodrome stadium close to the exhibition center. It offers a unique experience to the shoppers in an architecture mimicking the colors and atmosphere of the city. Spanning 23,000 sq m, Prado is a convivial scheme fully connected to the urban flows.

“Being awarded the Prix Versailles is a source of immense pride for all our teams. It is also a definitive acknowledgment that a shopping mall may indeed be a true architectural object with high urban and patrimonial value,” said Klépierre Group Head of Design, Architecture and Mall Conception Daniela Lauret.

Prado Shopping Center, Credit: Klépierre

Founded in 2014 in association with UNESCO and the International Union of Architects (IUA), the Prix Versailles recognizes the most remarkable structures, in terms of both interior and exterior architecture. It is an original program with the very clear aim of fostering better interaction between the economy and culture. The 2019 jury included: world famous architects such as Kazuyo Sejima, David Adjaye and IUA President Thomas Vonier; designers Philippe Starck and Iris van Herpen; chef Ferrand Adrià and conductor Alondra de la Parra.

“We are very honored to receive this prestigious prize that pays tribute to the architects, Benoy and Didier Rogeon, and to Linkcity, a Bouygues Construction group company. Prado has been developed in partnership with the city of Marseille and is a concentrated Klépierre vision of what a shopping center should be: the showcase for brands, a place for living and meeting opportunities for visitors and an outstanding asset in terms of environmental performance. We wanted it to be open to the city and an integral part of the major urban renovation project in this part of Marseille,” stated Klépierre Chief Operating Officer Beñat Ortega, during the award ceremony at the UNESCO headquarters yesterday in Paris.