The new center, with 45,300 m² of GLA, will be an important landmark for the city, for its sophistication and differentiating character, which will provide Uberlândia with new retail, culture and entertainment alternatives, in two levels that feature 201 shops, six of which are large dimension shops, 21 restaurants, a Walmart hypermarket, and five last generation Cinemark cinemas.

It also features a large parking lot with 2,400 parking spaces and a bicycle park with 170 spaces, connected to the city's urban bicycle path.

Several new brands to the region have confirmed their presence in Uberlândia Shopping, such as All Bags, Artex HomeLifestyle, Crocs, John John, Kalunga, Lacoste, Livraria Leitura, Magic Games, Noir Le Lis, Opção Jeans, Track & Field, Zas Tras Brinquedos, and the previously inaugurated Leroy Merlin and Walmart hypermarket.

Other prestigious brands will also be present, such as Arezzo, Brooksfield, Centauro, Drogasil, Fast Shop, Harry´s Brinquedos, Havaianas, Kopenhagen, O Boticário, Polishop, Siberian, Victor Hugo, Vivara, and others.

The food court will also feature reference brands such as Burguer King, McDonald’s and many others that strengthen the quality of the commercial offer and the variety of this new shopping destination.

According to Fernando Guedes de Oliveira, Sonae Sierra's CEO: "This is the first of a set of new projects we intend to develop in Brazil, where we now have 11 centers in operation and two more under construction, which represent a total investment of €255 million. It is our intention to accelerate our growth in Brazil, taking advantage of the excellent economic performance of the Brazilian economy that has enabled Sonae Sierra to achieve very positive results in the country, and strengthen our position as one of the main players in the sector in Brazil".

Unique architectural concept
Uberlândia Shopping's architecture is inspired by the lush vegetation and natural features of the Cerrado region of Minas Gerais. The decoration features the region's colors and textures, which are present in the facades and mall. Asymmetry and different geometric shapes are prevalent in the architecture, with large glass areas for a better usage of natural light.

One of the main highlights of the center's architecture is the Food Court, with a glass wall and outdoor terrace with a clear view of the city.

Located on a high area of the city, the center can be seen from a great distance, which adds even more impact to its architecture. The building's facade has three large green walls overlaid with plants, covering an area of approximately 800 m².

Sustainable center
Following Sonae Sierra's Corporate Responsibility Policy, Uberlândia Shopping has adopted several measures to minimize its environmental impact and ensure the Safety and Health of employees. It was the second shopping center in the world and the first in the Americas to obtain joint certification (ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001) of its integrated Safety, Health and Environment system during the construction stage of the project. The first was Le Terrazze, another Sonae Sierra center, inaugurated last week in Italy.

Besides the adoption of architectural solutions such as the use of glass areas - which favor natural lighting and enable the saving of electric power - and the installation of a green wall in the facade, the center's operation will also feature several environmental measures, such as the use of air conditioning devices that use less water and spend less energy, taps with automatic timers and economic flushing in WC's, with water volume control.

Besides that, the center will be illuminated with LED light fixtures, which spend up to 80% less energy than common light fixtures.

Consolidation of the presence in Brazil
With the opening of Uberlândia Shopping, Sonae Sierra now manages a portfolio of 11 shopping centers in Brazil, which represents a total GLA of 401,900 m².

The company still has two centers under construction, Boulevard Londrina Shopping, scheduled to be inaugurated in late 2012, and Passeio das Águas which should be inaugurated in 2013.

The former, located in the state of Paraná, will have 47,800 m² of GLA, corresponding to an €88 million investment, and will serve a catchment area of more than 800,000 inhabitants. Passeio das Águas Shopping, in Goiânia, state capital of Goiás, will have 78,100 m² of GLA, serving a catchment area of more than 1.6 million inhabitants. This new center represents an investment of about € 167 million, which will make Passeio das Águas Shopping the largest and most modern shopping center of the region.

Together, these two new projects under construction represent an investment of €255 million, and will enable Sonae Sierra to almost double its dimension in Brazil, with a 92% increase of its GLA.

“It is our intention to permanently have two projects under construction in Brazil," states Fernando Guedes de Oliveira, Sonae Sierra's CEO. Besides the two projects currently under development (Boulevard Londrina Shopping and Passeio das Águas Shopping) our objective is to be involved in the development of another seven new projects up to and including 2016, and expand/refurbish three more centers already under operation," he announces.

Source: Sonae Sierra