The Character of Shopping Mall Design.

Consumerist Characteristics of Style

Stylistically speaking, the minimalist approach reveals shopping and consumption habits by exposing the context through an act, a one thing, that through a cultures shared and collective experience, finally reveals that context and perhaps the ramifications of that context.  A postmodern box reveals the context and again, perhaps the ramifications, through a more explicit and sometimes ironic way.  The signifying elements of both of theses styles could not be further apart in their proliferation by marketers and advertisers and developers.  Indeed postmodern consumption and our cultures lack of meaningful signifiers reval the shallow meaning and relationship we have with our products.  Our new cultural signifiers have become the objects that we posses and our measure is how many and what type we have.

Characteristics of the Shopping Mall

The characteristics of the shopping maal can be described as a box containing pricless items to the consumer.  Once inside the box we are urged to stay, be dazzled, susped our beliefs and most importantly buy.  The postmodern consumption patterns that are the everyday norm can be characterised as such.  Shopping malls are the perfect manifestation of these principles.

Charactetristics of Style - Postmodernist

The Postmodernist box reveals nothing of its structure in the 2 dimensional image presented here.  Through our past experience of an object such as this we are able to tell that the outline shape is most likely a box.  However the text makes explicit the nature of this 2dimensional image. Venturi, Loos et al.

Characteristics of Style - Minimalist

The minimalist box reveals the structure through our high content knowledge.  That common cultural knowledge of our everyday experiences of that box tells us that the configuration of these lines forms a 3 dimensional object; a box.
 

Stylistic Types that Reveal Context - Postmodernism

Stylistic Types that Reveal Context - Minimalism

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The 2 DFO's

 

The two DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) shopping experiences provide a point of comparison between the same type of themed shopping places.  The new South Wharf facility has larger parking, a larger variety of stores, a new and more desirable place provided through the architecture.  As the Spencer Street facility has the same store type and mix but in an older less accessible format it may begin to struggle to hold its market share.

Shopping Mall Influence

Each Shopping Mall / Centre precinct has its own sphere of influence, tempting consumers to visit the facility.  This is very much dependant on the services and entertainment each facility provides.

Shopping Centres and Services

Research into Shopping Mall / Centre sustainability, as perviously diagrammed, shows that consumer occupancy and desire to purchase depends greatly on the Shopping Mall place and facilities.  Of note her is the lack of diversity and facility development of DFO Spencer Street.

Shopping and Residency

Melbourne 2030 urban planning has driven many new residential densification within the CBD.  With more people living in the city boudary access to facilities becomes vital.

Shopping in Melbourne

The space that dedicated shopping districts occupy in Melbourne can be deemed as extensive.

Shopping in Melbourne

Melbourne is known, in australia, as its shopping capital.  This diagram shows the main shopping areas only.  In reality consumption spaces are spread throughout the entire CBD and its periphery.

the Vanishing Shopping Mall - Catalysts

Armed with this arsenal of weapons to withdraw us from our money shopping in America and Australia and indeed all over the world has recently seen a marked decrease.  More Than  400 of the 2000 largest malls in America have closed over the past 2 years.  Some 150 000 retailers are projected to fail in America this year and so mall foreclosures will be imminent.  A mall or shopping centre represents discretionary spending and discretionary spending is in decline.  Retail sales figures here in Australia are following the same patterns in America and the world.  Retail expenditure here dropped significantly since the global financial crisis struck in 2009.  Consumers are spending less and spending less often.  As the over retailing of our urban environment continues those centres least able to offer consumer incentives through activity, form and environment are at risk.

The Vanishing Shopping Mall

More Than  400 0f the 2000 largest malls in America have closed over the past 2 years.  Some 150 000 retailers are projected to fail in America this year and so mall foreclosures will be imminent.  A mall or shopping centre represents discretionary spending and discretionary spending is in decline.

Retail sales figures here in Australia are following the same patterns in America and the world.  retail expenditure here dropped significantly since the global financal crisis struck in 2009.  Consumers are spending less and spending less often.  As the over retailing of our urban environment continues those centres least able to offer consumer incentives through activity, form and environment.

Sources:
Newsweek - http://www.newsweek.com/id/168753 
Let's Talk Business, Issue 81 May 2006
Australian Bureau of Statistics - http://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/mf/8501.0

Dead Malls

Super Popuar Culture on Consumption

consumption behaviour

Chadstone Shopping Centre

Hydro Crop Growing

Victory Gardens

During the second world war as men were overseas fighting the production of food in countries such as America, Canada and Australia experienced food shortages.  Governments adopted a media push urging housewives to grow their own vegetables as a means of supporting their dietary needs.  Through a localisation of the food supply shortages of food  were addressed. Called “Victory Gardens” the scheme worked very well until the return of the soldiers whereby food production returned to its pre war cycle.