HISTORY IN WESTERN WORLD:

Development of Civilization initiated trade and commerce.In the history of

trade, we know that people used to grow more crops and sell them to other
part. Transportation became a medium and architecture germinate in the
name of shops.
During Greek civilization, Trade was flourished more and socio-cultural
need of that time and AGORA emerged as an new architectural structure.

The Agora of the typical city of ancient Greece was essentially a shopping
center in the heart of the business district . The Emperor Trajan’s architect,
the Greek slave Apollodorus, built a shopping center adjacent to the
Roman Forum in A.D . 110 . It had a two-level enclosed and ventilated mall
lined with open-fronted shops startlingly similar to today’s most upto-date
concept .

Greek Agora developed more during Roman Period. Stoa and Roman
forum were common at that time. Roman forums were small open
surrounded by government buildings.Shops were inside those surrounding
building while Stoa are open stalls. They became a little bit larger than
Greek Agora but Architectural elements remains more same. Colonnaded
feature remains same in both structure.
FIG: Roman Forum
After industrial revolution there comes a drastic change in such
architecture. Introduction of glass helped a lot to maintain the trade strategy
to expose goods in order to attract consumers. Shops of 19th century were
constructed giving maximum exposure to the merchandise.In the late 19th
century shopping arcades were built in many British towns. Development
from multi shops to arcade shows socio-cultural change of the people.
FIG: shopping arcade
In present context business arcade has turned into commercial complexes.
It is one of the major element of urban scape. We can say the present
commercial complexes are the filtered form of Agora with addition of
comfort and need in one. Use of modern material increase transparency
level in those structures to maximize exposure.

In this era, many cities are evolving as a business center and Commercial
complexes are the one bejeweling it. Singapore, New York, London,Dubai,
Shanghai are the cities with more commercial vibes. Now a days
commercial complexes are designed in order to attract more consumer so
they are now equipped with many leisure components too.
fig: Commercial Complex
Roman’s atrium can still be seen in the present complexes. With relative to
time architecture seems changing in the field of trade but the major
components of complexes are same. Interior of the present complexes are
designed to achieve comfort.