Andy Hoyne has spent more than 30 years shaping how people experience places. As the Founding Principal of Hoyne, he’s worked with major developers and councils across Australia to turn projects into destinations that feel loved rather than engineered. He’s always been vocal about one thing: great placemaking isn’t just a creative exercise, it’s a commercial one. When you design with empathy and build with intention, people return, dwell longer, and become genuine champions for a place.
What’s interesting about Andy, though, is how grounded his insights are. He talks about wonder, intimacy, texture, locals, and emotion just as fluently as he talks about profit and performance. That tension – the human and the commercial – is where his work lives.
So this conversation leans right into that. How do you create moments people want to share? What tiny, almost forgettable details actually make a space sing? And what has he changed his mind about after three decades in the sector?
What do you hope people feel the first time they arrive—and the second time when they choose to come back?
The first time, you want people to feel that spark of discovery, that “wow, this is so cool and exciting” moment. The sense that they’ve just stumbled upon something special, something they want to share. They might think, “I’ve found my new favourite spot. X would love it here.”
And then when they come back, this time with X in tow, there’s this lovely ripple effect. They feel like they’re gifting someone else that same sense of wonder. They’re proud to show it off. The best part? When they realise it’s even better than they remembered. That’s when you know you’ve created a place that’s not just visited but loved.
Can you share a small design choice that quietly made life nicer for visitors or staff?
Anything to do with well-considered landscaping, indoors as well as outdoors, is important to me. I love the softness and organic nature of plants, they bring life, calm and a sense of balance to a space. Materiality also matters: using a mix of textures and finishes creates something that feels crafted, tactile and human.
Landscaped areas are also the perfect place to add seating, but wherever possible, go beyond the standard bench. Create spaces that invite intimacy and connection: smaller nooks for couples, clusters for teenagers, corners that feel like they belong to you for a moment. Those are the details that make people stay, talk, and feel comfortable.
When locals tell you what matters to them, how do you let those voices shape the place?
Locals’ voices are critical to the creation of place. They know what’s missing and just as importantly, what they don’t need more of. But listening alone isn’t enough; you have to take them on the journey. That means using language and tone that feels natural to them, testing ideas, and paying attention to how those ideas land. You can’t design for a community you don’t understand.
It’s also important to challenge locals. Sometimes they already have something good, but they can’t yet see how much better it could be. Innovation is about introducing the unexpected, the kind of change that deepens engagement. Ultimately, locals are the heartbeat of any successful place. When they fall in love with it, when they feel proud and connected, a halo effect follows. Visitors sense that authenticity. Locals become ambassadors and that’s when a place truly comes alive.
What’s something you’ve changed your mind about in retail environments, and what sparked that shift?
I used to believe food and beverage was the great saviour of retail, and for a long time, it was. But after COVID, I’ve realised that health and wellness are the real game changers. It’s no longer just about a medical clinic or a gym. It’s a whole ecosystem that includes sport, adventure, and active leisure.
At scale, take URBNSURF in Melbourne. It’s a surf park right by the airport. It has restaurants, bars, and retail around it, but they’re merely the supporting act to the experience. People want to feel alive.
Immersive digital experiences are a smaller more viable application in a shopping centre, and if you think they’re not a health and wellness offer, you haven’t experienced one! Some are like a one-hour workout, where others are more tranquil as an experience you walk around, even lying on the ground at some point.
Immersive and experiential spaces are the future of retail.
If a team has limited time and budget, what’s one kind, practical step they could take this season to make their centre more welcoming?
Start by rethinking your “shopping centre” as a living centre, a place designed for experiences, whether they are calm and passive, or experiential and immersive.
It’s about practising commercial empathy, understanding that beyond grocery and basic services, experience will always trump convenience. Even a few small changes, done with intention and care, can transform how people feel in a space. Because ultimately, while some people race in and out, the goal is to influence the way people feel in a space, get them to linger longer, and have them feel like they’re in a special place, not a place that’s merely trying to hold them by the ankles and empty their pockets
Andy will be sharing more insights at the 2026 Malls & Stores of the Future Summit. View the brochure for details on his session and the full two-day agenda.
Protecting Lives, Preserving the Planet
Re-Solve is a boutique marketing agency. Our team of retail and property experts create bespoke 360° strategies meticulously designed to propel your business to new heights of success. Not only do we help build your community through creation of a sense of place, we deliver strong return on investment results with a proven track record of strong positive $ ROI results every time. Our team consists of specialists in retail design, marketing including digital and social media, creative, activations, technology and strategy. Whether you’re a small business owner, a large shopping centre landlord, or a property investment firm, Re-solve is your partner in growth.
