A preliminary research carried out in 2009 on the shopping centre “Serfontana” located at the traffic junction between Chiasso and Mendrisio, was the starting point for the following paper. I analysed the mall’s characteristics and its attraction as a public place for teenagers.
Shopping malls belong as much as urban sprawl, fragmentation and traffic congestions to the characteristics of the contemporary city. The analysis of effects and consequences of commercial spaces are therefore crucial to understand urban development, dynamics and future. Additionally, I would like to underline, that urban processes are not only influenced or fostered by architecture or landscape planning, but are also strongly engendered by social and cultural attitudes and their transformations. Hence, it is important to consider also the influence shopping malls have on society and public life.
It is a critical study about facilities which are used daily and are part of the common urban landscape. The analysis implicates a thorough insight into the world of consumption in particular and the mechanism of “superplaces” in general, focussing on their impact on changes of social habits and public space.
Moreover says Marco Torres in his text, Luoghi magnetici, that studying the places of great attraction and popularity, where events, leisure activities, consumption and parties are held, might give advice on how to improve the unpopular, hostile, miserable and lifeless places.
Further I would like to reflect about the development of the relationship between market and public space throughout the time.
Finally, scrutinising Swiss shopping malls might give indications on contemporary acquisition behaviours and future development of the contemporary city and its commercial spaces.
Table of Contents
1 Abstract:
2 Argument:
2.1 The development of commercial spaces:
2.2 The regional shopping mall: What can we learn from Victor Gruen?
2.2.1 Architecture of the regional shopping mall, influence on sales and society
2.2.2 The regional shopping mall as new centrality in the periphery of the American City: A way out of the urban sprawl?
2.2.3 The Gruen Method: Adapting Shopping Centre Sience to Downtown
2.2.4 The Gruen Effect: Victor Gruen’s legacy
2.3 The shopping mall in contemporary Europe
2.3.1 The exodus of commercial spaces of inner city centres
2.3.2 Revitalization of the inner city, gentrification, the historic centre as a museum and the city centre as a tourist destination
2.3.2 The case of Barcelona: Revitalization of public places; Art in public spaces
2.4 Commercial spaces as places of socialization
2.4.1 The social impact of commercial structures on the Parisian bourgeoisie
2.4.2 The end of (physical) public space?
2.4.2 Shopping mall as buyosphere, leisure-mall and the city in the city
2.5 Shopping architecture
2.5.2 Mallrats; Teenagers and the shopping mall
2.5.3 The Shopping mall and public space in São Paulo and Beijing, two megalopolis
2.6 The shopping mall in Switzerland
3 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the evolution and social impact of commercial spaces, specifically focusing on how the shopping mall has transformed the relationship between markets and public life in the contemporary city. The research investigates the shift from historical commercial forms to modern, often privatized "superplaces," and explores the potential for architectural interventions to restore urban centrality and social vitality.
- Historical development of commercial spaces (Passages to modern malls)
- The legacy of Victor Gruen and the "Gruen Effect"
- Transformation of European inner cities and the impact of shopping malls
- Social behavior in commercial spaces and the youth phenomenon of "Mallrats"
- Strategies for re-integrating commercial structures into urban and social fabric
Extract from the Book
2.2 The regional shopping mall: What can we learn from Victor Gruen?
As we saw before, the shopping mall cannot be related to a specific time period, nor can it be accredited to one architect, as the historian Richard Longstreth has rightly put it:”There is no paper trail leading to the origin of the shopping center.”
However, I am convinced that the regional shopping malls planned and designed by Victor Gruen have not only influenced the American suburbs, but also the further development and revitalization of dead downtown areas and brought the mall back to its routes; to the Parisian Passages and Grands Magazins, “where the shops were more than a collection of shops” as he tried to include civic and cultural activities, just as the Parisians did.
Notwithstanding, it is more than obvious that his architecture ideas could only be realised if they brought about enough profit. Therefore, Victor Gruen has not only forced the quality of “public” and open spaces, but has also repeatedly used architecture as a sales rates enhancer, manipulating the population. His shopping malls show clearly already the tendencies of today’s consumer paradises and shopping temples, where the visitor is more than once compared, by sociologists, with Alice in wonderland, who strolls through an artificial and colourful world of fantasy.
Summary of Chapters
1 Abstract: Provides a starting point by analyzing the shopping center "Serfontana" and establishing the critical research focus on the impact of consumption spaces on social habits.
2 Argument: Traces the historical trajectory of commercial spaces and the seminal influence of Victor Gruen on modern urban planning and shopping centers.
2.1 The development of commercial spaces: Discusses the origins of commercial architecture during the industrial revolution and its subsequent effects on consumer habits.
2.2 The regional shopping mall: What can we learn from Victor Gruen?: Critically evaluates Gruen's design theories and his attempt to create "satellite downtowns."
2.2.1 Architecture of the regional shopping mall, influence on sales and society: Analyzes the dual role of the architect as a strategist balancing profitability with architectural quality.
2.2.2 The regional shopping mall as new centrality in the periphery of the American City: A way out of the urban sprawl?: Examines the mall as a potential community hub and its role within the context of suburban sprawl.
2.2.3 The Gruen Method: Adapting Shopping Centre Sience to Downtown: Reviews the application of suburban mall principles to revitalize struggling inner city environments.
2.2.4 The Gruen Effect: Victor Gruen’s legacy: Discusses the broader societal impact of commercialized leisure and the shift towards profit-driven environments.
2.3 The shopping mall in contemporary Europe: Analyzes the tension between peripheral shopping developments and the revitalization efforts of historic European city centers.
2.3.1 The exodus of commercial spaces of inner city centres: Explores the push-pull mechanisms driving the decentralization of commercial activities.
2.3.2 Revitalization of the inner city, gentrification, the historic centre as a museum and the city centre as a tourist destination: Discusses the risks of "museumification" and the commercialization of the historic urban core.
2.3.2 The case of Barcelona: Revitalization of public places; Art in public spaces: Presents the Barcelona model as an alternative, focusing on flexible public spaces and cultural integration.
2.4 Commercial spaces as places of socialization: Investigates the changing role of the mall as an artificial public space for social interaction.
2.4.1 The social impact of commercial structures on the Parisian bourgeoisie: Reflects on how historical urban transformations shaped modern consumer identity.
2.4.2 The end of (physical) public space?: Questions whether traditional public life is fading in favor of managed, private consumer spaces.
2.4.2 Shopping mall as buyosphere, leisure-mall and the city in the city: Explores the conceptualization of the mall as an self-contained, "utopian" consumer environment.
2.5 Shopping architecture: Addresses the need for flexible, sustainable architectural designs that allow for long-term community adaptation.
2.5.2 Mallrats; Teenagers and the shopping mall: Uses the Serfontana study to illustrate how teenagers utilize malls as de facto social hubs in the absence of public alternatives.
2.5.3 The Shopping mall and public space in São Paulo and Beijing, two megalopolis: Compares how malls function as urban anchors in vastly different cultural and geographical contexts.
2.6 The shopping mall in Switzerland: Analyzes the Swiss context, highlighting the challenges of integrating commercial structures into local suburban landscapes.
3 Conclusion: Synthesizes the research findings, advocating for a shift towards more inclusive, flexible planning that involves local populations in shaping their urban environments.
Keywords
Shopping mall, Urban planning, Public space, Consumerism, Victor Gruen, Gentrification, Socialization, Commercial architecture, Suburban sprawl, Urban renewal, Sustainability, Privatization, Mallrats, Buyosphere, Centrality
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research explores the influence of the shopping mall on contemporary society and urban development, specifically how these structures have replaced traditional public spaces and altered social interaction.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the historical evolution of shopping, the influence of architect Victor Gruen, the impact of privatized "superplaces" on cities, and the need for more inclusive, flexible public environments.
What is the main objective of the thesis?
The goal is to critically analyze whether shopping malls can truly function as public centers and to suggest how architects can better integrate these facilities into the urban fabric to serve community needs rather than just consumption.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The author uses case studies (e.g., Serfontana, Westside Bern, Barcelona projects), literature analysis of sociological and urban theories, and personal research observation regarding teenage behavior in commercial spaces.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers historical commercial developments, an in-depth analysis of the "Gruen Effect," European vs. American urban sprawl, the role of shopping malls in social life, and specific architectural proposals for urban re-composition.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Essential keywords include Shopping mall, Urban planning, Public space, Consumerism, Urban sprawl, and Socialization.
How does the author view the "Gruen Effect"?
The author sees it as an ambiguous legacy: while Gruen pioneered the idea of the mall as a social anchor, the concept has often been stripped of its civic intentions and reduced to a profit-driven tool that encourages passive consumerism.
What conclusion does the author draw regarding teenagers and malls?
The author argues that teenagers use malls as social hubs because they have been excluded from traditional public spaces, making the mall an essential—though flawed—alternative for social interaction.
- Quote paper
- Anne-Dorothée Herbort (Author), 2012, Buyosphere - The relationship between commercial and public spaces and the impact of the shopping mall on contemporary society, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/190218
