The 2023 Awards Categories
RLI Future Project
This award will celebrate excellence in a project that will challenge and inspire the future of retail and leisure and is a window into tomorrow’s world-class destinations. Please note full planning permission must have been granted to enter this category. Our panel will judge architectural excellence, innovation, imagination and dynamism as well as the positive impact that the development will have upon the local community. Please supply an outline of the original brief and the architect’s proposal to address this brief. Please also supply a synopsis of the development’s expected beneficial enhancement on community, locale and potential standing as a world-class destination.
rli mOST aNTICIPATED
oPENING 2023
This category is looking for architectural excellence and a unique and innovative concept which will bring creativity and modernism to the local community that are eagerly awaiting the opening of this cutting edge development.
Entries must be a NEW development that will open for the first time in 2023.
RLI Most Innovative Retail & Tourism Destination
Celebrating the most outstanding contribution to the retail and tourism sector over the past year, this category will reward a project that has created an extraordinary experience for tourists and tenants alike. Examples of such projects are mixed-use retail & entertainment destinations, theme parks and themed entertainment and retail complexes, a beacon that people aspire to visit.
RLI International Shopping Centre - New Build
This award recognises the contribution made by a shopping centre that has reimagined the shopping experience by utilising innovation and creativity to stand out from the crowd. Judges will also be paying particular attention to high levels of service, diversity of offer and design excellence in creating an immersive and digital experience for all.
RLI International Shopping Centre - Renovation
This award will be presented to a centre that demonstrates innovation in its renovation through architecture and design, how it has contributed to the overall regeneration of the town, city or area, its contribution to the local community and the steps it has taken to reimagine the shopping experience, whilst improving sustainability.
RLI Sustainable Project of the Year
Shopping centres and mixed-use developments today must focus on sustainable practices, not only to protect the environment but also to attract customers as green initiatives take on more importance than ever before. This category will reward a project that incorporates sustainable practices into its development and sets new standards for sustainability whilst enhancing local communities and achieving high standards.
RLI Sustainable Retailer of the Year
Sustainability is becoming a growing concern for consumers. This category will reward a retail or brand owner that has made a meaningful impact on the global environment by understanding and addressing the challenges of sustainability; recognising the importance of global social responsibility and providing goods that are ethically sourced and produced.
RLI Global Retailer of the Year
This award highlights the retailer that our Judges believe to be a truly world-class operator across all facets of the business, delivering exceptional growth, adaptation and transformation of the brand to reflect evolving industry trends. With retailing becoming ever more complex and demanding, the judges will be looking for an innovative brand that meets the criteria with a clear development strategy for international expansion.
RLI Entertainment & Leisure Operator of the Year
This award is a tribute to a global entertainment or leisure operator that has shown the strongest performance across its portfolio whilst offering customers an innovative and exciting experience. Our judging panel will be particularly interested in how this operator continues to inspire, innovate and create vision and entrepreneurial flair whilst staying ahead of the competition and maintaining global recognition.
RLI Most Immersive Attraction & Experience
Immersive attractions and experiences are emerging as a strength of the retail and leisure industry and are key to invigorating shopping centres and destinations. In this category, judges are looking for an attraction or experience that completely immerses the customer in a unique and innovative way that stands out from the crowd whilst also engaging through technology.
RLI Hospitality Operator of the Year
This category is a reward for the hospitality operator who has been seen to be the best in their field of imaginative experiences whilst also being innovative to meet the ever-changing needs of the industry. The winning company will put forward examples of what makes them stand out and keeps customers coming back.
RLI Developer of the Year
This award is designed to highlight the Developer which showcases their best new retail and leisure schemes recently completed, currently under construction and proposed to start, with an emphasis on diversity, innovation and, of course, the ‘wow’ factor. Please ensure that submissions include a broad cross section of your portfolio.
RLI Designer of the Year
This award is a tribute to the architectural practice that consistently and accurately delivers the value of a brand to both business and customers. Our judges will examine both the design process, its objective and most importantly, the results. Please ensure that submissions include a portfolio of recently completed developments and a selection of ongoing projects in the retail and/or leisure sectors. For practices nominating their work, it is essential to obtain the approval of the client prior to submitting examples of their work.
RLI Contractor of the Year
Honouring an innovative and trail-blazing fit-out specialist that continues to go above and beyond, this award acknowledges and recognises the talent of a shopfitter that creates and implements immersive store environments, transforming open spaces into retail experiences while providing efficient and effective turnkey solutions. The Judges will be examining project portfolios, efficiency, repeat business and client satisfaction.
RLI Interior Excellence
This award recognises those shop-fitters who have implemented an imaginative and innovative instore design, delivering a stand-out customer experience. The winner of this award will have reinvented the traditional meaning of a retail or leisure fit-out that enables retailers or leisure operators to connect with their customers.
RLI Innovation in Technology Award
This award pays tribute to the rise of technology and the way it is being increasingly utilised in the retail and leisure real estate industry. Businesses can nominate their most outstanding digital innovation demonstrating how it was delivered, the difference it has made and its commercial success. The judges will be looking for technical excellence in creating an outstanding product or service that has the potential to revolutionise the industry creatively, innovatively and effectively whilst making a significant positive impact. Each entry will need to describe strategic objectives, execution and results.