Hebron Department Store

In recent years, shopping malls and department stores in the Southwestern region of Nigeria experienced a significant decline in visiting shoppers due to the poor user experience in such facilities. Preliminary investigations buttress this point as research suggests that more people prefer to shop online as it is more convenient and because they have had one or more unpleasant experiences in the existing stores.

The site's challenging location along the border of a private residential estate, Canaan City, presents a second challenge of accessibility to the public without violating the privacy of the host community.
Given these conditions, the proposed design attempts to challenge the existing department store typology, which is typically a lifeless, open-plan, double-volume box with heavy dependence on artificial lighting and cooling systems, to enhance the spatial experience of consumers while connecting the two separated communities.

The proposed design takes advantage of views and other architectural elements to create an itinerary of moments of pause and continuous movement from the building's entry to its roof. Consequently, the facility visitors experience an unfamiliar spatial and sensual condition, encouraging them to do more than just shop and giving them a new reason to visit the facility. The design attempts to create a public space on the border of Canaan city estate that allows residents and non-residents alike to interact, fostering the development of a mutually beneficial relationship between both communities.