"The City Centre in Kolkata is a very special place...a microcosm of the whole metropolis, catering to multiple land-uses and diverse income profiles...a kaleidoscope of contrast, colour and energy. We have in the City Centre a wide range of different-sized residences, entertainment centres, offices and shops - varying from the smallest 'dukaans' to the most glamorous air-conditioned boutiques and large department stores.
These multifarious activities, all arranged in a fine-grained mix, are generated by a complex system of spaces...from broad colonaded public arcades to narrow bazar 'galis' to large terraced plazas...culminating in the kund in the centre of the complex. Coffee shops and restaurants, strategically placed at pivotal locations, provide opportunities to rest under wide-spreading trees and observe the world around you...a marvellous tradition, which has always been essential to life in the great city of Kolkata".
Charles Correa,
celebrated Architect-visionary,
Designer of City Centre Salt Lake |
City Centre addresses the needs of those who know what they want. And of those who don't. As such, City Centre Salt Lake is Kolkata’s first integrated and unconventional hangout and shopping option that has successfully erased the mid-market and up-market divide. It offers an endearing environment where people can do their own thing - shop at leisure or just browse past the window display, choose between a quick bite or a full-course spread, catch the latest blockbuster or the high-brow award winner - just like that.
With approximately 4.5 lakh sq.ft. of commercial and entertainment spaces on five acres of land, City Centre Salt Lake attracts crowds from all over Kolkata, not just the catchment area. College students, executives, homemakers who have specialised in the art of shopping - all prefer ‘CCSL’ to any other unwinding destination. Comprising the Mall, the Plaza Blocks, the Cineplex, the Tower, the Residency and the now legendary 'Kund', City Centre Salt Lake is where a place-loyal community evolves most spontaneously.
Just what makes it so?
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Fusing the bazaar and mall
The Indian bazaar format is informal and has intensely personalised seller-customer interaction. It is also more pluralistic. The western mall format is characterised by mammoth retailers selling primarily branded products to segmented customers. City Centre represents a harmonious presence of both. |
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Judicious activity mix and more variety
City Centre has commercial activities, shopping, food and entertainment. It has the highest number of food outlets among any mall in Kolkata, with an unbeatable variety – Thai to North-West Indian to Chinese to Italian, plus one large food court. It has a four-screen multiplex and a large 10,000 sq. ft electronic games and entertainment section. For the shoppers, we have Shoppers Stop as an anchor and nearly 200 other outlets. |
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Inclusive character
A promise of something for all kinds of visitors – the affluent, the price-conscious, the senior guest, the on-the run, the idling kind, the in-crowd…list goes on. |
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Relaxed ambience
Spacious ‘adda’ space where the Kolkatan or his guest can truly relax over cuppa and conversation. A welcome hybrid difference between a natural and conditioned environment. A street-feel without the street. |
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That ‘boundless’ feeling
The absence of a boundary wall makes City Centre an integral part of the city rather than a gated complex. A place that doesn’t scream for attention and yet can’t be ignored. |
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Open format
People don't want to get wet in the rain while shopping, they also prefer a shade to avoid the sun beating down directly on them and want a walking area free of vehicular movement. City Centre Salt Lake responded rightly to these typical 'Indian bazaar'; challenges. It has large pedestrian walkways covered by a polycarbonate roof; the buildings alongside are so arranged that they provide diffused sunlight and the roof at 25 ft above the ground enhances the sense of openness. |
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ArchitectureA triumph
of aesthetics
over economics
Built in Charles Correa’s signature style, City Centre Salt Lake is simple, elegant and understated with a very strong geometry. The celebration that is a part of an entertainment experience is provided by the judicious use of bright colours on some surface. The framework is simple, so that the shop they contain can have their own visibility and prominence. A fair amount of greenery is included throughout the complex to provide warmth and intimacy. The context is very Indian and the experience is very contemporary and youthful. |
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