Westfield Santa Anita Promenade

What if a shopping experience could feel like a social stroll through a botanic garden? This question inspired rethinking the shopping experience at Westfield Santa Anita Promenade, a popular mall located across the street from the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden.

MIG collaborated with the internal design team at Westfield Corporation, a developer/operator of shopping centers worldwide, to infuse nature into an open-air shopping environment and create a multi-functional community space. With beautiful plantings, a contemporary large-scale water feature, sculptural elements, and plenty of space for gathering, the project transformed the promenade into a unique destination for socializing, entertainment, exercising, and relaxing—along with upscale shopping. The space accommodates hands-on activities for kids, puppet shows, live music, and other special events. The promenade’s pleasant walking environment also serves as an exercise loop with maps showing designated routes and distances. Interesting aquatic and diverse plantings provide a connection to natural systems and allude to the nearby botanic garden.

The rejuvenated multi-functional retail space taps into a growing consumer desire for experiences beyond pure shopping and demonstrates how a high quality, well-designed landscape with activation of common areas can become a vibrant community hub.