OCT Bay embraces the experience of shopping itself. The visitor’s path through the canals and shopping streets is carefully choreographed, with waterways animating the development. The unlimited possibilities created by the unique mixture of entertainment and shopping ensure that no two visits are alike.

This project sits on a truly fantastic site, including a man made lake with a view overlooking the bay. As Master Planner and Lead Architect of OCT Bay, Laguarda.Low conceived of the project as an urban retail/entertainment destination that offers all amenities in one stop, including a boutique hotel, live-work facilities, entertainment, and shopping. The design embraces the experience of shopping itself, and two unique shopping neighborhoods in the North and the East were created to accommodate a range of shopping experiences.

A predominantly indoor environment was created in the North, inspired by the traditional retail arcades of Europe. This is not a generic mall—the experience of each zone is distinct, while visitors can easily progress between them. There is heavy use of courtyards, landscaping and natural light throughout the development.

The Eastern, open-air waterfront neighborhood is inspired by a traditional fishing village. The experience of traveling through the canals and shopping streets is carefully choreographed, with waterways animating the development.  Some of the many amenities include a boutique hotel, a bar street facing the water, and an exciting open-air stage bridging the canal.

The distinct neighborhoods in the North and in the East combine to create an unforgettable experience in which to live, work and play, and the unlimited possibilities created by the unique mixture of entertainment with the art of shopping ensure that no two visits will be alike.