Innovation

Pioneer in eco-friendly retail parks

In 2005, anticipating the need to improve the shopping centre model, Frey became the first French operator to transform a concept that is now flourishing.

By designing the Greencenter^® concept, Frey initiated an environmental transition, becoming a pioneer in eco-friendly retail parks.

As the model for an “eco-designed” retail park, GreenCenter^® offers an array of ecological solutions to decrease energy use in buildings (by up to 35%), reduce water consumption and optimise waste treatment.

The concept came into being in 2007 with the opening of Clos du Chêne in the Paris region.

In 2010, Frey inaugurated the 1^st HQE Commerce^® certified French retail park in Soissons: the Parc Commercial des Moulins recognised for its High Environmental Quality.

Clos-du-Chêne Parc Commercial des Moulins

Invention of a new generation of ecological, experimental outdoor shopping centres

In 2017, Frey inaugurated the first Shopping Promenade^® in Amiens, the new generation of outdoor shopping centres, designed to offer spaces that respect the environment and an “augmented experience” to customers.

The environmental quality of the site and the quality of services are now key to the concept:

• An advantageous setting offering a surprising, exciting opportunity to wander and relax;
• A multi-purpose offering with trendy brands, a strong, inventive restaurant offer, local services and attractive leisure activities;
• A year-round events calendar that turns the centre into a social hub (particularly through the Social Club, see below).

Find out about the Shopping Promenade^® concept

Creating and managing new mixed-use districts in town centres

In 2019, Citizers became the new business unit in Frey Group, responsible for developing mixed-use urban projects, supporting the change process in town centres by making people the focus of our design of original, sociable locations.

Citizers operates across the whole country, guiding the contemporary urban and social change process by developing innovative urban complexes based on the unique coexistence of new types of space (work, hospitality, culture, retail, restaurants and leisure).

Within Frey Group, Citizers’ mission is to transcend mono-functional logic to create vibrant, unifying and more desirable locations in town centres, that are always eco-friendly.

Find out about our urban mixed-use expertise

Continuous experimentation approach: the Frey lab

As well as developing new location concepts that have an impact on market standards, Frey Group continuously experiments with new services and new tools

The leitmotif behind these innovations is an ever-present “Feel Good” spirit.

Common objectives:

• Improve the quality of the visitor experience and well-being at FREY locations
• Generate value for the retailers and the local regions

The Social Club^®

In partnership with the Masters in Distribution and Customer Relations at Paris-Dauphine University, a “pilot” Social Club® project opened at the Shopping Promenade® Cœur Picardie on 1 March 2019.

Thanks to the tests carried out, the Social Club^® has now established its form and operating mode and attained the common objectives of the POC (Improve the quality of the visitor experience and well-being / Generate value for the retailers and the local regions)

The Social Club^® is the cornerstone of the social programmes developed by Frey, designed to be a versatile, sociable space, open to all users.

The Social Club^® is a place for people to gather, open to the city and all its components, celebrating the local community in many different ways.

Following the success of the pilot, Frey opened a Social Club in the Shopping Promenade Arles in October 2019. The Shopping Promenade^® Claye-Souilly and the Shopping Promenade^® Cœur Alsace Social Clubs^® will be launched in Autumn 2020.