KEY IDEAS OF A MALL FOR THE CITY
• Today it is hard to imagine a large modern city without a • The goal of a mall as a city subsystem is to undertake all
shopping mall. Actually mall emerged as a kind of city the functions of the city centre. With this in view, mall
center for periphery residents. However, today, the
concept of “everything under one roof” has become an elements perform functions inherent in city centre
integral part of the urban structure. Mall makes it possible elements.
to meet not one but a number of needs at once.
Mall division into structural elements differing by value and
• The fact that mall is analogous to city centre is confirmed area:
not only by their functional content similarity, but also by
structure. Like an urban web is anchored at nodes of • Anchor – tenants that are the centre of
human activity, the “shopping mall web” is anchored on attractiveness for mall visitors;
nodes of retail and entertainment spaces.
• Tenants;
• Like urban structures have a hierarchy of connections
(from footpaths to roads), shopping mall structure has a • Social space
hierarchy of social spaces (from side malls to the centre
court). Despite this similarity, the socialization and
communication problems in shopping malls remain
unsolved.
• There exist some key urban structure principles suitable
T
for effective formation of social and public spaces of T T
malls.
T
• Unexpectedly malls create the opposite effect of A
dispersion making residents of city centers go to the
T
Social space
periphery to visit them, thus creating traffic jams again. Mall
Urban residents are no longer attracted only by mall’s T T Structure
functional content, but also by its spatial design and boundary
experience offering
Social space
City
Contrasting of the city structure, mall structure and their elements
• A system is a set of interconnected elements and • Depending on the activeness of nodes and the distance
connections between them forming an integrity which between them the hierarchy of connections is formed.
constitutes a special unity with the environment and is an
element of “supersystem” ,and this integrity has a certain
goal.
• On the basis of this definition it may be said that the mall
as a system is a set of interconnected elements and
connections between them which constitutes a special
unity with the environment.
• Mall, as a system, is an element of “supersystem” – city
element.
• Mall as a system has a certain goal.
• Structural elements of mall can be compared to city’s
structural elements.
• the following are the basic elements of city networks:
• Nodes – nodes of human activity. House, work,
shop, restaurant, church and others can be nodes.
• Connections – streets connecting nodes.
Connections have a certain hierarchy: from
pedestrian streets to highways.
• Urban network construction takes place as the result of
fixation of basic nodes of human activity.
The mall’s social space
• Vertical connections in the mall are represented by Planning principles:
vertical communicators, like staircase, elevators,
escalators. Horizontal connections constitute social • Placement of functional areas in social space so that the
space. distance between them is not very long. Sufficient for
comfortable movement of people between areas, but
• However, besides a connective function, social space quite close to create a range of interesting proposals and
contains various functional loads. The same as in city events for visitors
streets, social space has small centers of trade, open
restaurants, etc. • Securing multifunctional, diverse nature for social space
and richness of impression
• Also, besides functional zoning, social space is divided into
structural elements influencing distribution of human • Establishing open borders between the mall’s social
activity in it and in mall in general. space and the city for the life in the city and in the mall to
be able to interact.
• Of importance is the fact that all the elements of social
space are unique in having the same property that is not
inherent in other mall elements.
• All the elements are united by one general space, while
other mall elements are separated from social space.
Hence, one may conclude that the mall’s social space is
not just a mall element, but rather its subsystem.
• The goal of social space as a mall subsystem could be to
undertake the functions of city centre streets.
• People’s stay in the city centre presupposes certain
activity: movement from one place to the other, walks,
brief stops, long stops, looking at show windows, talks,
communication, sports, dancing, rest, street trade,
children’s games, street entertainment, cultural events
digital malls: EXPLOSION OF EXPERIENCES
“The next form of the store or mall is no longer physical, but
virtual, one where virtual reality and augmented reality will
replace the physical mall or store” -Crank
• The mall is designed to function as a stage for the
shopper, and envisions retail spaces being transformed
into "playgrounds for experiences", where consumers will
become actors that can also influence the surrounding
environment.
• In viewing virtual reality's historical evolution and cultural
impact, we see the timelessness and cyclical nature of
human expression—from the dreams and representations
as depicted in the prehistoric caves of Lascaux; to the
totalizing experience of the Gesamtkunstwerk; to recent
digital forms of immersive experience and altered states
of consciousness.
• Virtual reality involves mental transportation and can
occur without any technology — for example, a well-done
set in a theater. Technology simply allows simulations that
previously were rare and costly to build to become
pervasive.
• Virtual Reality, as a technological tool, by itself does not
possess any cultural or social attributes. It is a tool
employed by users and its creators to achieve certain
objectives. Often the tools with which we interact, can
alter our behavior.
MALLS OPENING UP FOR CITY SPACE
• Creating impetuses for long-term stay in social space. Gehl • Creation of centers of entertainment or spectacles for
states that of all the city life, activation means creation of which you don’t have to pay or it is not necessary to pay in
conditions for a longer stay beyond one’s home in the the social space would mentally make people get rid of
simplest. the opinion that staying in a mall they must have leisure
spending money.
• Since mall is a commercial structure, everything in it is
aimed at gaining profit. That is mall visitors, while staying • Such centers could be playgrounds for children, open
in it, are actually forced to spend money. Unlike a city stages for fashion shows or exhibitions, screens for open
centre where they have an opportunity to spend time shows of art movies, open libraries with the book
without any financial costs. This does not contribute to exchange opportunities and open reading room.
socialization and, moreover, does not contribute to a long-
term stay at all. • Arrangement of sports and recreation areas in the social
space would be a serious step towards socialization: like
Examples of buildings open for city space Shopping Mall skate park, platform for break dance, bicycle park, area for
graffiti competitions
«Zlote Tarasy» «Norwegian National Opera & Ballet»
CASE STUDY: Norwegian National Opera & Ballet
• Snøhetta’s prize-winning design was characterized by the • The building is as much landscape as architecture and thus
jury as having strongly identifiable themes that tie the fosters public awareness and engagement with the arts.
building to its culture and place while also presenting an Generous windows at street level provide the public a
unusual and unique expression that was in many ways glimpse of the scenery workshop activities. The building
new and innovative. still finds an audience with public who are not opera,
ballet or orchestra fans. The cafes and gift shop, with their
• The project developed a highly complex program into a access to the waterfront are destinations which offer
simple general plan that integrated both a practical and opportunities to generate revenue for the institution
intuitive sculptural approach to modeling the exterior while providing a general public amenity. Care was taken
form. Its low slung form became a link within the city with the design of these components so that they are
rather than a divisive sculptural expression. Its accessible seamlessly integrated into the overall character of the
roof and broad, open public lobbies make the building a building’s bold design.
social monument rather than a sculptural one.
CASE STUDY: Norwegian National Opera & Ballet
Structure blends into
a public space in the • Snøhetta proposed that the production facitities of the
summer months operahouse should be realised as a self contained,
rationally planned ‘factory’.
In the winter months,
ice often forms along • This factory should be both functional and flexible during
the ramp and the planning phase as well as in later use.
snowdrifts alter the
• This flexibility has proved to be very important during the
form of the building.
planning phase: a number of rooms and romm groups
The roof is designed
have been adjusted in collaboration with the end user.
to be accessible in all
These changes have improved the buildings functionality
seasons, inviting
without affecting the architecture.
visitors to climb its
roof all year.
Before
construction,
tons of heavy
metals polluted
the fjord, a
leftover from
its days as a dry
dock and
industrial
harbor. Much
of this pollution
was removed
and the rest
contained at
bedrock before
construction
began.
The site is now
rich with bird
life and the
building has
reconnected
city inhabitants
with the
water’s edge.
