Project Brief: Rewilding Spaces – Biophilic Reawakening of Gold Souk Mall, Kochi
This project repurposes the defunct Gold Souk Mall into a cutting-edge research institute for sustainable and biophilic construction. It includes administration offices, research labs, lecture halls, scholar accommodations, and public spaces like an auditorium, exhibition hall, rooftop café, terrace garden, and an immersive urban forest hub—promoting ecological design, education, and community engagement.

In recent years, India has witnessed an unprecedented rise in the development of shopping malls, largely driven by rapid urbanization, a booming middle class, and the increasing presence of global retail brands. However, as consumer behaviors evolve, sunk cost fallacy, economic downturn, poor design and facilities, lack of maintainance and updation and online shopping continues to reshape the retail landscape, many of these once-thriving commercial spaces have fallen into disuse, becoming what are now referred to as "ghost malls" These spaces, abandoned and decaying, stand as symbols of urban blight and economic stagnation, contributing to the growing challenge of revitalizing urban environments.

The biophilic transformation of the abandoned Gold Souk Mall incorporates ample natural light and ventilation through skylights, courtyards, and operable windows. Native vegetation is integrated via indoor plantscapes, vertical green walls, and a rooftop terrace garden that supports both biodiversity and microclimate control. An immersive urban forest hub is created by partially opening upper levels, introducing multilevel tree canopies and shaded pathways. Natural materials such as bamboo, reclaimed wood, and lime plaster are used to create tactile, sensory-rich environments.