Vaastu compliance holds priority when it comes to choosing a location for setting up a business or design or the direction of entry and exit points of retail outlet, says a survey.
Nearly 65 per cent of a survey respondents prefer having Vaastu compliance, an indicator of the belief in the age-old tradition.
"In the age of technology, wherein almost every aspect of business is app or system driven, it is interesting to note that traditional beliefs still rule the roost when it comes to choosing a retail outlet location and direction of design or entry that affect the business performance," according to a study by mall management firm Pioneer Property Zone (PPZ).
Of the 148 retailers interviewed, nearly 65 per cent want to be Vaastu-compliant, which makes mall designing a challenge, says PPZ chief executive Anand Sundaram.
"We are a nation with an amazing blend of technology and tradition. Businesses running with ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems and mobile apps believe that location and direction of entry affect the profit and loss. Thus, mall designing also becomes challenging mainly because every culture has its own traditional benefits and so does every businesses be an apparel brand or F&B," he said.
Therefore, a good beginning would be to have Vaastu compliant shops in the shopping centre as much as possible, Sundaram said.
"Taking cognizance of these aspects at the time of project design increases the saleability of the mall given the rest of the factors like project sizing and location are favourable.
So while all retailers cannot be assured of the perfect entry or location as per their Vaastu principles, how is the balance maintained between traditional beliefs and businesses," he said.
On a micro level, all retailers cannot be assured of the perfect entry or location with respect to Vaastu principles.
In this case, architects must take into account the flexibility that the layout offers for retailers to have Vaastu compatibility in their individual areas.
The respondents are also keen on innovation in designing the stores.
"High preference for innovation is surprising, considering the rigidity faced by the design team when the brief is shared with them to move away from the standard designs and incorporate something unique.
The whole story begins with having the right architect/interior designer on board and the costs associated with the same," Sundaram added.
