Located along one of the most prominent boulevards in Skopje, the three-story City Mall is the premier retail development in Macedonia. Based on earthquake-resistant construction standards common to the region, the mall is conceived and built as a concrete structure, but through a series of ingenious and unconventional means that aim to test the known limits of the material. This approach is most prevalent in the cantilevered massing, which works to create a series of public spaces, including main entrances into the site. Internal transparency became a primary focus of the design, taking into account the low mountains that form the backdrop of the landscape. Through a fully revealed base and a series of upper level outdoor terraces, the public is treated to a strong indoor/outdoor relationship that brings all aspects of the landscape into the built environment.