Westfield Chodov

Westfield Chodov is a major shopping and leisure center in Prague’s Chodov district, positioned beside the Chodov station of the city’s Metro Line C and close to the D1 motorway. The complex opened in November 2005 as Centrum Chodov and was subsequently expanded, modernized, and incorporated into Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s international Westfield portfolio. It adopted the Westfield Chodov name on 26 September 2019. The center occupies a strategically accessible site between U Kunratického lesa, Roztylská and the D1 motorway toward Brno. Its location combines a large residential catchment area in Prague’s Jižní Město with direct public-transport access, road connectivity, bus services and extensive parking. The surrounding transport infrastructure was substantially reworked during the original development, including sections of nearby roads, a motorway connection and the above-ground parts of Chodov metro station. The original development was built during 19 months and opened on 9 November 2005. A substantial second phase ran from 2015 to 2017. The expansion added more than 40,000 square metres of commercial space to the existing complex, bringing the reported total area to approximately 102,266 square metres. The enlarged center introduced a new food-court concept, additional retail streets and leisure facilities, and a large Cinema City multiplex with 18 screens, a VIP auditorium and 4DX. The project also included renovated interiors, relaxation areas, children’s facilities, a sauna world and a design-focused gallery. Westfield Chodov serves as both a conventional retail destination and a mixed-use urban service hub. Its tenant mix includes fashion, beauty, sportswear, electronics, books, jewelry, flowers, food and restaurants, alongside banks, travel agencies, mobile-phone operators, hairdressers, dry cleaners and shoe-repair services. An Albert hypermarket is a major anchor. The center also provides free Wi-Fi, customer services, bicycle parking and a large underground car park, including parking associated with Prague’s park-and-ride system. The complex has been described as the largest shopping center in the Czech Republic by shop count, with around 300 shops and a broad restaurant offer. Public descriptions have cited approximately 13 million annual visitors and around 8,000 people working at the center, although these figures may vary by reporting year. The 2017 redevelopment received the Best of Realty award in the Czech shopping-mall category. Today, Westfield Chodov functions as one of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s flagship Czech retail properties, combining shopping, dining, entertainment, transport access and office-related uses in a large metropolitan center.

The site occupied by Westfield Chodov developed from the southern Prague landscape known historically as Chodov field. Chodov became part of Prague in 1968, after which the surrounding area began to urbanize more intensively. Important transport milestones preceded the shopping center: the D1 motorway was completed in 1971, the metro station now called Chodov opened in 1980, and the Jižní Město II housing development began in 1979. These changes created the conditions for a large retail and services destination serving a growing residential population. Earlier plans for the area included high-rise hotels and other large-scale socialist-era development. Construction of the Růže shopping center began near the end of the 1980s, but the project was completed only in 1991, after the Velvet Revolution. Růže was later demolished in 2015 to enable the expansion of the Chodov center. Another planned cultural building, the Devětsil cultural house, was left unfinished because of changes to the original concept and insufficient financing. Until the early 2000s, much of the present Westfield site remained undeveloped apart from these incomplete or temporary structures. Construction of the original shopping center began in May 2004. The project generated local criticism, particularly over construction noise, dust, overnight work and temporary changes to pedestrian routes. It also required extensive surrounding infrastructure work. Sections of U Kunratického lesa, Roztylská, Pod Chodov and the D1 connection were reconstructed, while a new descending motorway ramp was added near Pod Chodov. The above-ground portions of Chodov metro station were rebuilt, older shelters were removed, pedestrian routes were redesigned and the bridge over the D1 was reconstructed. The complex was designed by the German architectural practice Obermeyer Helika. Unibail-Rodamco was the principal investor, with AM Development acting as developer and construction companies including Skanska and APB Plzeň participating in the works. The original project reportedly represented an investment of roughly four billion Czech koruna. After 19 months of construction, the center opened on 9 November 2005 in a ceremony attended by Prague officials. Promotional offers drew large crowds on the opening day. During the second half of 2014, additional office accommodation and retail units were created. The office space later accommodated Unibail-Rodamco’s Czech headquarters. The larger redevelopment followed between 2015 and 2017. The former Růže center and a temporary parking area were demolished in early 2015, construction of the new section began in 2016, and the existing building was renovated at the same time. Unibail-Rodamco described the redevelopment as one of the largest Czech retail investments of its period, with reported investment of approximately 4.4 billion Czech koruna. The new section opened on 11 October 2017. It expanded the property by roughly one-third and brought the reported total area to about 102,266 square metres. New features included the Grand Kitchen food court, a larger Cinema City facility with 18 screens, VIP and 4DX screening options, a sauna and relaxation area, children’s zones and The Designer Gallery, which presented Czech and international design brands. The renovated interior introduced more varied architectural details, decorative stone and marble, pedestrian streets and public gathering spaces. A notable interior artwork is Bořek Šípek’s Reversed Tree glass chandelier, produced by Sklárny Nový Bor. The center was officially renamed Westfield Chodov on 26 September 2019. The change aligned the property with the Westfield identity used by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield for prominent shopping centers in several countries. The property continues to combine retail, food, cinema, leisure, services, offices and transport-linked parking. It is served by Chodov metro station, multiple bus routes, the D1 motorway and extensive underground parking, including park-and-ride capacity.

• 2019

  Rebranding to Westfield Chodov

  [1]Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org

  Centrum Chodov officially adopted the Westfield Chodov name on 26 September.

• 2017

  Major expansion completed

  [1]Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org

  The expanded center opened on 11 October with additional retail, dining, cinema and leisure facilities.

• 2017

  Best of Realty recognition

  [1]Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org

  Westfield Chodov won the Czech Best of Realty shopping-mall category.

• 2015

  Expansion site cleared

  [1]Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org

  The former Růže shopping center and a temporary parking area were demolished to make room for the redevelopment.

• 2014

  Office and retail additions

  [1]Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org

  New office and retail space was created, including accommodation later used by Unibail-Rodamco’s Czech organization.

• 2005

  Original center opens

  [1]Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center opened on 9 November under the name Centrum Chodov.

• 2004

  Construction begins

  [1]Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org

  Construction of the original shopping center began in May, together with major road, pedestrian and metro-area improvements.

• 1980

  Chodov metro station opens

  [1]Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org

  The metro station then known as Budovatelů opened on 7 November and later became a key access point for the shopping center.

• 1971

  D1 motorway connection completed

  [1]Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org

  Completion of the D1 motorway helped establish the future Chodov site as a strategically accessible southern Prague location.

Large metropolitan shopping and leisure center serving Prague’s southern districts, with strong public-transport and motorway connectivity.

• Retail real estate · 2005

  Retail shopping center

  The core offering is a large enclosed shopping center with approximately 300 retail and service units. Its tenant categories include fashion, beauty, sporting goods, electronics, books, jewelry, flowers and everyday services such as dry cleaning, shoe repair, banking and telecommunications.

• Entertainment · 2017

  Cinema City multiplex

  The post-2017 complex includes a large Cinema City multiplex with 18 screens, a VIP screening room and 4DX capability. It forms a major leisure component alongside retail, restaurants and family-oriented facilities.

• Food and beverage · 2017

  Grand Kitchen

  Grand Kitchen is the dedicated food-court concept introduced during the 2017 expansion. Westfield Chodov also contains restaurants, cafés and fast-food venues distributed through the center.

• Grocery retail · 2005

  Albert hypermarket

  An Albert hypermarket occupies a prominent position in the center and is described as having approximately 13,000 square metres of sales area, making it one of the property’s principal anchors.

• Mobility services · 2005

  Parking and mobility facilities

  The complex provides underground parking, including park-and-ride spaces linked to Chodov metro station, as well as bicycle parking. It is also directly connected to local bus services and the D1 motorway.

• 2019

  Adoption of the Westfield brandStrategy

  Background

  Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield was aligning prominent shopping centers across its international portfolio under the Westfield identity.

  Action taken

  Centrum Chodov was officially renamed Westfield Chodov on 26 September 2019.

  Aftermath

  The Prague property joined the group’s internationally branded Westfield portfolio while retaining its role as a major Czech shopping and leisure destination.

  Source

• 2015

  Redevelopment and expansion decisionStrategy

  Background

  The existing center required additional capacity and modernization, while the adjacent Růže shopping center and temporary parking area occupied land suitable for a larger integrated complex.

  Action taken

  Unibail-Rodamco cleared the expansion site, demolished the Růže center and redeveloped the property through a project running from 2015 to 2017.

  Aftermath

  The project added more than 40,000 square metres of commercial space, new dining and leisure facilities, and a reported total area of approximately 102,266 square metres.

  Reported redevelopment investment. Approximately CZK 4.4 billion invested in the 2015–2017 expansion (2015–2017)

  Source

1. 1Westfield Chodoven.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official Westfield Chodov websitewestfield.com