Rise and Fall of the Mall
Geographic living patterns changed in America in the 1950s due to white flight out of the inner cities into what we know as the suburbs. Highways began to expand, and the automobile became highly relied upon to get workers into the city and back home. Now that people were spread out and no longer walking distance from retail stores and markets, they needed a space that would house all of their needs in one location. This resulted in the creation of the American Mall. Malls were designed in the rise of suburbia in order to create spaces for Americans to gather and form communities. As the 2000s began to progress, consumer habits shifted away from department stores as shopping online became more and more convenient for our fast-paced lifestyles. I feel like the concept of the mall to create communities and spaces where people formed relationships and exchanged ideas was built on a solid foundation; however, it lacked the forward thinking that is needed in an everchanging society. Today, this concept of creating a space where relationships are formed and ideas are exchanged is being utilized everywhere on social media platforms. Is this a forward-thinking model or will this too die out and leave behind a decaying shell of what society once was?
Great article Gauge. Interesting thought at the end. Social media definitely has its pros and cons but I think with globalization as it is some form of social media will probably survive (RIP myspace)
ReplyDeleteGauge, Yes it's an ever changing society and Architecture should adapt to it. With the mall concept, it took the communal, social and street life into the Mall box. Malls became incubators of social interaction and relationships. Streets became lifeless as the uses on streets became very alien with the advent of malls. No wonder malls are turning into white elephants as another box “Smartphone” is draining the social life from Malls.
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