Mixed-use developments, which bring together residential, office, retail, food and beverage, hospitality, and social spaces within a single project, have long been an important real estate development model in major cities. Today, however, a successful mixed-use development represents far more than simply placing different functions side by side on the same site.

The contemporary approach focuses on creating environments that reduce the distance between living, working, socialising, and accessing everyday needs places that remain active at different times of the day and offer users a compelling spatial experience.

From Mixed Use to Mixed Living

In the past, many mixed-use developments were primarily shaped around accommodating residential, office, and retail spaces within the same building or project. Today, the focus has shifted from the mere presence of these functions to the relationships established between them.

In a well-designed mixed-living development, residents, office workers, and visitors should all be able to benefit from the shared environment without being required to use the same spaces. Retail areas should serve not only the project’s residents but also the surrounding community, while open spaces should become the social backbone of the development rather than simply filling the gaps between buildings.

For this reason, the right mix of functions is only part of the equation. Pedestrian flows, the positioning of entrances, the hierarchy between public, semi-public, and private spaces, and the times at which different functions are used throughout the day all have a direct impact on the project’s success.

How Have Expectations Changed Since the Pandemic?

The pandemic accelerated a number of user expectations that were already emerging. As remote and hybrid working models became more widespread, the boundaries between living and working spaces grew increasingly flexible, while users placed greater importance on open spaces and services that could be accessed within their immediate surroundings.

The architectural response involves far more than simply adding a desk to a home. In next-generation developments, greater emphasis is now placed on:

  • extensive landscaped areas and increased opportunities for outdoor use;
  • open or semi-open spaces for working and socialising;
  • coworking areas and flexible meeting spaces;
  • walkable environments;
  • access to everyday needs within a short distance;
  • sports, wellness, and recreational facilities; and
  • flexible spaces that can accommodate different uses at different times of the day.

This shift also aligns with the increasingly influential concept of the “15-minute city”. The aim is to create compact, walkable environments in which users can access a significant proportion of their everyday needs without relying on lengthy car journeys.

A Leading Global Approach: Designing a “Place”, Not Just a Building

A common feature of successful international examples is that architecture does not focus solely on creating an iconic building. Instead, buildings, landscaping, public squares, pedestrian routes, retail spaces, and social amenities are considered together to create a destination and a complete living environment.

As a result, the concept of placemaking is becoming increasingly important in contemporary mixed-use developments.

Rather than creating spaces that people merely pass through, the aim is to design places where they want to sit, work, dine, meet, and spend time. How the ground floors function, how the landscape relates to the built form, and the extent to which retail uses activate open spaces have therefore become just as important as the architecture itself.

The Most Common Mistakes in Mixed-Use Developments

One of the most fundamental mistakes in mixed-use developments is assuming that a variety of functions automatically creates a high-quality project. The presence of residential, office, and retail spaces within the same development does not create a genuine mixed-living environment unless the right relationships are established between these uses.

Drawing on her expertise in product development, positioning, branding, feasibility-based market and product analysis, and sales strategy within the field of real estate marketing, Melda Koşar, Founder of Koşar Real Estate Consultancy, has created value for numerous projects in Türkiye and international markets. Here, she shares with industry professionals the critical analyses and decision-making processes that shape a real estate development.

She examines the key stages of the development process from site selection and positioning to market launch and sales performance from a comprehensive perspective.