D.L. And this fits well with our vision: more service, more meaning and more of a local touch. This doesn t mean a revolution, but rather evolutions to adapt our offering to the expectations and new behaviors of our clients, retailers and end customers, by taking a fine-tooth comb to the needs and aspirations of both individuals and the collective. The crisis accelerated trends in work practices and consumption patterns, and the urban fabric itself is slowly evolving, too. That s why we are opening up our malls more to the outside world, by offering new services such as conference rooms, medical centers and co-working spaces where visitors pass- ing through can sit down and work. Each of our malls has its own identity, but they are all integrated into the local urban and economic fabric.

EVERYONE AGREES THAT E-LIFE IS HERE TO STAY, BUT DOES THAT MEAN THE END OF BRICK-AND-MORTAR RETAIL?

R.B. There s clearly been a boom in e-commerce over the past few months, mainly due to necessity. But brick-and- mortar retail is still vital because of the social role it plays, which is why it remains popular. We ve observed this all across Europe, with customers flood- ing back into stores after the spring lockdown.

D.L. Malls are still unifying places. People enjoy going to them to meet friends, have a family outing and see and try out products that they want to buy. And Generation C for creative, com- municative, collaborative and espe- cially connected have proved to be very responsive when it comes to getting involved with their local mall, as seen by the high level of participation in our online consultations during ren- ovations. I call this the digital reflection of a physical attachment. For this gen- eration, the first to have never known any reality other than that defined and made possible by the Internet, cell phones and social media, it s natural to be called on to help improve a service offering. We re going to keep seeking out their input when adding new features or even programming events, which is just another way to form closer, more meaningful relationships. For us, inno- vation must come from the bottom up.

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