Spatial-Economic Effects of Structuring Projects in New City of Ali Mendjeli, Constantine (Algeria): "Ritaj Mall" as a Case Study

Abstract

Trade has long played an essential role in organising cities and territories, with its infrastructure representing a significant component of urban planning. Algeria, a North African state, aims to develop its towns and regions through commerce, translating this ambition into commercial infrastructure on local, regional, and super-regional scales in most cities, especially Algiers, Oran, Sétif, and Constantine. In the new city of Ali Mendjeli, 20 km from Constantine, the 2016 opening of the “Ritaj Mall” shopping centre generated unprecedented structuring effects economic, spatial, and symbolic-influencing city dynamics and attractiveness. This study used descriptive analysis to analyse the mall's structuring socio-economic effects on multiple spatial scales. Historical and survey methods (observation, interviews, and questionnaires analysed with SPSS 21) revealed effects concerning the mall's role in local urbanisation, commercial offer, imposed centrality, attractiveness, and national commercial landscape position. Despite lacking coordinated planning, the mall exemplifies a structuring project producing beneficial effects. Findings conceptually expand structuring project effects and practically inform integrating commercial infrastructure into urban planning.