Funan mall has officially reopened after a three-year redevelopment. 

The mall is home to more than 190 brands which are clustered around six ‘passion themes’: Tech, Craft, Play, Fit, Chic and Taste.

More than 30 per cent of Funan’s tenants are new-to-market brands, concepts or flagships and more than 60 per cent originate from Singapore.

The new Funan mall will go beyond selling IT products as it did prior to its rebuilding, to incorporate a technology experience throughout the entire development.

Using one of the about 40 smart directories in Funan, shoppers can browse and search for trending merchandise before mapping the shortest route possible to reach a store with the wayfinding system. Enabled by sensors, these smart directories can also make product recommendations based on the shopper’s demographic profile. 

By year-end, shoppers can expect a robot-enabled handsfree shopping and 24-seven click-and-collect drive-through service.

“The reimagined Funan relaunches the mall as a social retail space for discovery, learning and shopping, underpinned by a digital layer of customer experience to enhance satisfaction,” said Chris Chong, MD, retail at CapitaLand Singapore.

Of Funan mall’s 400-odd carpark spaces, 36 are set aside for reservation via the CapitaStar app. Upon arrival, drivers will be guided to their allocated lots by the video-based smart car-parking facility.  

Users of Funan’s Bicycle Hub can gain access to shower rooms using the CapitaStar app, which is also leveraged by tenants The Ark and Golden Village to offer seamless online-and-offline experiences for their customers. 

Access to the Makers Studios at Funan’s Tree of Life is also fully automated via QR codes.  Behind the scenes, Funan uses video analytics to measure and analyse footfall throughout the mall and when visitors enter a store. 

In-store smart terminals further capture transaction data so that tenants can use the analytics to refine their offerings and enhance customer experiences.

Retailers are also incorporating digital innovations to enrich their in-store experience.  Courts launches its first IoT-themed store, which sells the latest smart-home, AI and voice-control technology from leading brands, incorporating interactive in-store experiential concepts and robotics. 

Love, Bonito’s largest physical store offers an electronic queueing system for its fitting rooms, and an augmented-reality walkway photo spot for digitally-native customers to share their shopping experiences on social media.

Patrons at Kopitech food court can order via Facebook Messenger or through the self-service kiosks, which accept various e-payments, including cryptocurrencies.

“As Singapore’s largest retail-real-estate investment trust, we are cognisant of the importance of staying competitive by adapting to the evolving retail landscape, so that we can deliver sustainable long-term returns to our unitholders,” said Tony Tan, CEO of CapitaLand Mall Trust Management.

“Conceived to support retailers’ omnichannel strategies, the redevelopment of Funan represents CMT’s effort to pave the way forward in serving the needs of present and future generations of shoppers,” he said.

The mall opens with 95-per-cent leasing commitment, while the adjoining office space is 98-per-cent leased.