Gensler Designs NEXT’s Most Ambitious Store Experience to Date at Lakeside

Gensler has reimagined a former department store at Lakeside Shopping Centre into NEXT’s biggest store yet, an impressive 80,000 square feet of large-format retail. The project introduces a fresh direction for the brand, setting a vibrant new standard for how NEXT takes on major anchor locations. A real flagship moment!

This is the brand’s first new large-format store in four years, and an ambitious architectural transformation that sets the tone for their future. Gensler’s design introduced two expansive new atriums that flood the interior with daylight, connecting two trading floors and establishing a sense of openness.

Generous circulation spaces, grand staircases, and new openings between levels create a continuous flow that encourages exploration and dwell time.

An all-new material palette reflects NEXT’s evolution. Natural stone mosaics, soft metallics, and timber tones create a tactile and elevated environment, with subtle shifts in pattern and texture marking the transition between departments.

By transforming this significant but vacant department store into a vibrant destination once again, NEXT Lakeside breathes new life into the east end of the shopping centre.

It reactivates a key arrival point and restores a sense of completeness to the mall experience. This regeneration of a long-dormant site is a major investment in both retail and sense of place. It sets NEXT up for the future – one that’s agile, ambitious, and ready for continued evolution.

Photography by Cloud9