And it had a central court with skylights, fountains, plants and seating. Gruen was inspired by centrally planned urban re-development in his hometown of Vienna, Austria, that took place there after the democratic uprisings in And, most important, a ring road, or Ringstrasse—a grand mall—was built around the city, with wide sidewalks and expansive urban views, where Viennese of all backgrounds could mingle freely on their Sunday afternoon stroll.
To the Viennese reformers of the time, the quality of civic life was a function of the quality of the built environment, and Gruen thought that principle applied just as clearly to the American suburbs. With a couple of department stores and many smaller shops and restaurants in between. The problem, from a business optimization viewpoint, was these pre-mall downtown shopping areas were unplanned.
That may not be such a bad thing, considering how much he came to despise the creation that gives him his claim to fame. So it would fall to other early mall builders, people such as A. DeBartolo Sr. These developers saw shopping malls the same way that Gruen did, as idealized versions of downtown shopping districts.
Working from that starting point, they set about systematically removing all distractions, annoyances, and other barriers to consumption. Your local mall may not contain all of the following features, but there should be much here that looks familiar:.
But like so much of American culture, the concept has been exported to foreign countries, and malls remain very popular around the world, where they are built not just in the suburbs but in urban centers as well. They have achieved the sort of iconic status once reserved for airports, skyscrapers, and large government buildings. In the early s, TV shopping posed a threat, only to fizzle out…and be replaced by even stronger competition posed by Internet retailers like Amazon.
Increasing competition from other retailers and bad economic times in recent years have also taken their toll, resulting in declining sales per square foot and rising vacancy rates in malls all over the country.
But mall builders and operators keep fighting back, continually reinventing themselves as they try to keep pace with the times. Open-air malls are remade into enclosed malls, and enclosed malls are opened to the fresh air.
One strategy tried in Kansas, Georgia, and other areas is to incorporate shopping centers into larger mixed-use developments that include rental apartments, condominiums, office buildings, and other offerings. Legacy Town Center, a acre development in the middle of a 2,acre business park north of Dallas, for example, includes 80 outdoor shops and restaurants, 1, apartments and townhouses, two office towers, a Marriott Hotel, a landscaped park with hiking trails, and a lake.
Sound familiar? In other words, developers are trying to save the mall by finally building them just the way that Victor Gruen wanted to in the first place. With topics ranging from history and science to pop culture, wordplay, and modern mythology, Heavy Duty is sure to amaze and entertain the loyal legions of throne sitters. Gruen was not the father of the shopping center, but got the idea of a large scale regional centre from John Graham. I think Temple Hoyne Buell should be in the running as the father of the outdoor shopping mall.
His creation, the Cherry Creek Mall in Denver, upscale and still going strong. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Who Invented the Shopping Mall? November 9, Uncle John's Bathroom Reader 2 comments. Enjoy this article? Articles Featured Facts People. Clausen August 2, am. Sharon Nasella September 10, pm.
If you think you should have access to this content, click to contact our support team. Contact us. Please note you do not have access to teaching notes. Other access options You may be able to access teaching notes by logging in via your Emerald profile. Abstract Purpose The economic system of competitive capitalism strives toward liquid markets wherein the cost for transacting is minimized.
Findings The architecture, design, ornamentation and day-to-day management of the shopping mall were premised on a consumerist way of life, ultimately serving as an all-too-visual index of the triumph of competitive capitalism in the cold war era.
Victor Gruen was the architect. Note: According to the City Planning Department, these are not the as-built plans, but are very similar to the as-builts. Overview Southdale Shopping Center, located in Edina, Minnesota, was the first totally enclosed shopping center in the nation. Research Options Visit the MNHS Library Original materials, records, and newspapers on microfilm are available on site and reference staff can help with research. Contact your local library for more information and assistance with this service.
Online Research Some items such as newspapers, articles, photos and objects are available online.
0コメント