Semarang Economy Grows by 6.49 Per Cent as New Mall Integrates Retail with Inclusive Public Space

Semarang, Kompas.com — The development of shopping malls in Indonesia’s major cities faces a new demand from urban communities. A mall’s presence is no longer sufficient if it only offers a row of formal retail outlets; it must also provide an accessible inclusive public space. This blueprint underpins the soft opening of 23 Semarang Shopping Center by PT Indonesian Paradise Property Tbk (Paradise Indonesia) in the Semarang Barat district. 23 Semarang Shopping Center seeks to integrate commercial functions with the provision of a Collaborative Public Space and Spatial Core in the form of an open green area named Downtown Park. The modern shopping centre development model is tested by its ability to provide no-cost social interaction zones that do not alienate local residents. Data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) shows Semarang city’s economy grew by 6.49 per cent in 2025, driven by trade, construction, and manufacturing. This progressive economic growth parallels the increasing need among metropolitan residents for family-friendly public corridors. The green park, far from being mere aesthetic embellishment, functions as a communal space where people can gather and rest without an obligation to transact. The building’s architecture adopts space-transition principles that blend interior and exterior to ensure green landscape elements flow into the sheltered public area. The retail design concept won the Best Retail Architectural Design award at the 2024 PropertyGuru Indonesia Property Awards. Director & CFO Paradise Indonesia, Surina, explains that the expansion location’s selection is based on the urban transformation dynamics in Central Java. “The growing need from the public for modern lifestyle destinations is the main reason Paradise Indonesia is present through 23 Semarang Shopping Center,” Surina said in a statement received by Kompas.com, on Saturday (23 May 2026).