The golden mile of Spain’s upscale resort town of Marbella has a new attraction. This summer, a three-storey space called Forum gradually opened its doors as a commercial hub with cafés, delicatessens, restaurants, shops and a gym. For Norwegian-born and Marbella-based siblings Sander and Synne Brendmoe of the family-owned company Antima Group, this project is about providing a year-round meeting point for locals as well as visitors.

“Beyond the beach, Marbella was missing somewhere you can enjoy a coffee while reading a newspaper,” says Sander, Antima Group’s fourth-generation CEO. “We wanted to gather everything under one roof so you could buy fresh bread, milk and coffee in the morning and enjoy a jamón serrano and a glass of wine in the evening.”

Many of the businesses involved in Forum are local. “We grew up in Marbella so it was more about finding what already works here and bringing them along,” says Synne, the company’s creative director. But there will also be a Scandinavian touch to the project, courtesy of a Swedish-owned bakery and delicatessen.Raised between Norway and Marbella, the pair have observed a compelling shift over the past few years, with new businesses setting up shop here and greater numbers calling this slice of the Costa del Sol home. “Marbella used to just be a holiday destination but more people are now spending half of their time here,” says Sander.

This retail project is a new challenge for the siblings, who have focused on smaller-scale residential projects until now. However, a strong background in property development with Antima Group has helped them to feel confident embarking on their idea for Forum.

“We have been working with the same construction companies and carpenters for more than 10 years,” says Sander. “We called on Norwegian architects for the logistics and a Spanish team for the beauty. It’s what we call a ‘Spandinavian’ blend.” The result is an elegant and welcoming shopping centre in a chic building with plastered details and rounded windows that catch the sea breeze. Centred around a main staircase, floors effortlessly communicate with each other, thanks to an open patio plan that blends the indoor spaces with the outdoor areas, all the way from the plaza level to the rooftop garden.

To make Forum a vibrant proposition, the siblings are planning experiences such as cooking classes, flower-arranging workshops, live music and pottery making. Its tenants include Sander and Synne themselves, who have taken more than 950 sq m for their interior-design brand, Sandon; they have also moved the Antima Group’s offices to the retail complex. Together, the siblings represent a new, more low-key vision of Marbella and the next generation of the Antima Group. Of course, Marbella will continue to entice a designer-bag crowd (and we wouldn’t want it any other way) but a thought-out retail project such as Forum is also ushering in a new era for the resort town and its permanent residents. The Mediterranean lifestyle has never looked so inviting.
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