Marbella’s Golden Mile, an avenue stretching along the Costa del Sol, is home to some of Spain’s most opulent properties. Here, you’ll find spacious villas dotted among five-star hotels, designer shops and a constellation of Michelin-starred restaurants. But the Brendmoes, the Norwegian family behind the Antima Group, felt something was missing. “Marbella’s lifestyle is largely night-themed: restaurants, clubs and bars,” says Sivert Brendmoe, the youngest of three siblings driving the property developer’s latest project. “It lacked an offering for families and those seeking daytime activities. We wanted to create a place for people of all ages.”

With his brother Sander and sister Synne, Sivert opened Forum Marbella, a three-storey shopping development between Marbella’s Old Town and Puerto Banús. Among its tenants are five restaurants, a Swedish bakery, an eyewear retailer and a Danish skincare brand; a Pilates studio opened this summer. “It’s not the biggest mall so we had to be selective,” says Synne. “We didn’t want it to just offer food and drink – we envisioned it as an all-around destination that would appeal no matter what you’re interested in.”

At the heart of the space is an Andalusian-style courtyard with bistro tables set around a stone fountain, where customers can sit for a morning coffee or a quick lunch. One recent afternoon, Spanish, English and Swedish conversations were discernible amid the chatter. “Half of our customers are Scandinavians and many come here for a fika – a coffee and something sweet,” says Ella, who works at Swedish bakery Nybakat. Next door, delicatessen Baccara offers European food items that are hard to find in Spain, as well as fresh Spanish produce.

Over the years, the Brendmoes have seen Marbella evolve from a holiday destination into a place where more people are choosing to put down roots. “We have noticed this with the residential properties that we sell,” Sivert says. “Before, people came looking for a second or third holiday home. Now we’re seeing those who want to work remotely and are seeking a primary residence.”

Aside from shopping and F&B, Forum Marbella houses the Antima Group’s headquarters and the flagship for Sandon, its interior-design service. The shop showcases everything from cotton armchairs and mohair blankets to hand-painted ceramics from Granada. As Sandon’s creative director, Synne gave Forum Marbella’s interiors a “Spandinavian” touch. “We wanted to respect the Andalusian feel, both in the architecture and the building’s original design features,” she says. Lampshades were found in Paris, the tiles come from Seville and doors were sourced from nearby Ronda.

Above all, says Sivert, Forum Marbella is a place where residents can feel at home, whatever their nationality. “We wanted it to feel as if it had always been part of Marbella.”
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