Outdoor living in a European summer has never tasted sweeter, and in Romania Atterbury Europe and its local partners are going above and beyond to enhance the outdoor features at its malls and office developments. Adelina Paisa, public relations officer at Iulius, gives us the background.

How important are the outdoor spaces at the various assets in the Romanian portfolio? Are there one or two that stand out?

In our portfolio, outdoor spaces most often translate into ample gardens, which became the primary anchors for our mixed-use developments such as Iulius Town Timișoara and Iulius Mall Cluj. As perhaps the only developer in Romania to integrate parks in their projects, we believe that gardens play a very important and multifaceted role, bringing nature at the core of the cities, closer to the people. The parks offer the escape into nature that people need, making it accessible right in the city centre.

First of all, the gardens are the spectacular hallmark of our developments and a social, cultural and tourist magnet. We make no exaggeration in saying these gardens are urban landmarks, because they are the go-to place for communities in terms of meeting up, fun and relaxation, and the “agora” for many cultural, educational, sports and other types of events. The gardens are one more reason for spending time outdoors, combining the pleasure of shopping, work at the office or everyday tasks with time spent relaxing on the lawn, among the trees. They also have a functional role, providing a green connection with the city and replacing the feeling of entering an enclosed space. Moreover, in terms of sustainability, the gardens help balance out the impact of construction.

During the pandemic, the parks proved their utility more than ever before, as the cultural and art scene of the respective cities moved exclusively outdoors. Plays, concerts, film projections, stand-up comedy shows, music tours, street art festivals, film festivals, outdoor theatre for children, exhibitions – all found the perfect setting and eager audiences in the gardens of our projects. Our gardens provide an inexhaustible source of optimism.

What has been done to get the parks and gardens summer ready this year?

Park maintenance is “business as usual”. Treating the high-traffic lawn, pruning the trees, the maintenance for lakes and leisure areas are everyday tasks, as the parks are a year-round attraction, not just during summer. The operations, garden maintenance and cleaning teams put in a lot of work to make sure these parks are always the splendid oases of nature that people can enjoy right in the heart of the city. These parks have such a genuine natural ambience, emphasised by a family of ducks living on the lake in Iulius Town Timișoara for two summers now.

Iulius Gardens Timișoara and Iulius Park Cluj were fitted out by teams of landscape designers from Italy, Germany and Romania, and the diversity of the tens of thousands of decorative plants and mature trees, some even more than six decades old, are truly spectacular in every season. The atmosphere in our parks peak during summer, when they provide the cool and refreshing place everyone is looking for. Besides scheduled events, children can play on the lawn or embark on fairytale voyages on the Venetian carousel, while the adults can enjoy reading a book in the shade of the trees, take a stroll by the lake or even move their office in here.

Is there any one of the assets that is known for its outdoor facilities, and particularly popular? Is that possibly due to the community it serves – high concentration of students, for instance?

The parks are a hallmark of the mixed-use projects we have developed in recent years, stemming from our commitment to nature and our intention to create developments that are open to the community, but also because they are genuine poles of social interaction. We can say that each project in the portfolio is special in terms of outdoor facilities, as these are customised for their respective communities. Even in our locations without an ample garden, the parking lots, terraces or common areas are transformed into spontaneous scenes and cater to an appetite for outdoor events, particularly in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For instance, Iulius Mall Iași is located at the core of the largest student campus in Romania, and the outdoor parking lot was often converted into a “movie theatre”, festival area or concert scene. Concurrently, Iulius Mall Suceava, a favourite especially for families, accommodated a theme park, sports competitions, festivals promoting local producers, and more.

Evidently, Iulius Town Timișoara is our latest project to open and stands out in terms of its natural features. Beyond the scenic natural setting, which is an attraction in itself, it also includes a double-decker Venetian carousel, squares that accommodate numerous events every week, as well as coffee shop and restaurant terraces that convert to host themed happenings.

In conclusion, each project is a market leader in their respective city, taking on a regional character and recognised as the go-to leisure destination, included by virtue of their outdoor features.

Are there special outdoor events currently scheduled for any of the malls – if so, please share details?

As early as this spring, the parks have been animated by events and provide the opportunity to enjoy new experiences in the respective cities. The theatre performances and concerts by local talents or by established artists are a constant during the weekends. The event series is complete with outdoor film projections during Movie Nights, a concept by Iulius Mall Cluj, and Flight Cinema at Iulius Town Timișoara, where moviegoers can spend their evenings watching their favourite actors, enjoying exceptional productions, and relaxing on the lawn.

A major event is scheduled in late July in Iulius Park Cluj, which accommodates a part of the most important film festival in Romania, the Transylvania International Film Festival. Meanwhile, Iulius Town celebrates its two-year anniversary next month and is preparing the largest picnic in Timișoara, with many shows and surprises.

At the end of the summer, foodies are invited to the Street Food Festival, stand-up comedy sessions, and Cluj locals will also enjoy good music at Jazz in the Park, an event drawing famous national and international artists.

How have shoppers responded to the summer activities and the improved gardens/parks at the various malls?

The parks themselves are an attraction and are a favourite destination across all target audiences. They are an asset for the retail and office segment alike, as they complete these functions with wonderful experiences, a need we all have especially during this period. All the events draw numerous audiences, substantial interest and great appreciation, which is also evident in the growing results achieved by the malls.

The mixed-use concept is designed to create synergy between components, and parks are an added-value element in this respect, as they consolidate a strong connection with the people and are able to make their leisure time more enjoyable – in a safe outdoor space.