Amy Saville Critical Studies
April 2010 Investigative Essay
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For several years now, the idea of democratic or public space in malls has slowly disintegrated. This is due to many factors, including the colonisation of public space, the disguising of said colonisation through use of themes, strategic architectural planning of the buildings and the created illusion of shopping as an experience rather than an act. For this paper, I researched two different malls (The V&A Waterfront
and Garden Centre) in order to compare the different factors involved in the steady dissolving of public/democratic spaces in shopping centres. The results contrasted quite a lot and thus made for a very interesting research project.
Upon entering the V&A Waterfront the colonisation of public space is immediately visible. Houses that were erected perhaps before the mall are forced to be situated in amongst the loud, bustling noises that drift across from the building.
Public spaces such as parks are even integrated into the mall and turned into part of the V&A Waterfront's version of a democratic space, contributing to the illusion of reality that will later be discussed.
An area that was once a public harbour to visit on a whim,
is now a mall that you may or may not access based on your appearance. For example, homeless people
are not usually 'welcomed' into this perceived 'public' space anymore – hence the disintegration of democratic spaces in shopping malls. This is a tad different at Garden Centre, where, although they don't necessarily 'welcome' homeless people into the mall, they would not have security remove said people, as one could very well imagine the V&A Waterfront would. At Garden Centre, the only obtrusion of public space is that of Garden Court
– an apartment building whose entrance lies within the centre. This is, however, a version of the disintegration of public space as it forces these residents to walk through the mall every single day, on more than one occasion, thus tempting them into buying more and more goods as they basically do not even need to leave the comfort of their own home. Though the V&A Waterfront and Garden Centre are aimed at different target markets – the V&A Waterfront at tourists/ upper class citizens, and Garden Centre at any sort of average local, both include their own version of colonising public space.
Tourist attractions are fast becoming one of the biggest factors in the disintegration of public space in malls. Specifically, at the V&A Waterfront. At this mall, due to the ridiculously high prices and the amount of 'authentically African' shops and restaurants,
it is easy to see that this shopping centre aims most of its stores' products at tourists or at least very upper class locals. The harbour tours, helicopter rides and Pirate ship at the V&A Waterfront are also obviously activities that point to the fact that this mall is specifically aimed at tourists or extremely high income earning locals.
At Garden Centre it is very clear to see that the mall aims specifically at average income earning locals simply judging by the centre's information board whose slogan reads: 'Your shopping centre'.
The only type of shops that may be considered to be aimed a tourists are shops such as Heartworks
or the American Express store
which obviously encourages tourism. There are no activities to take part in at Garden Centre which once again leads one to believe that the disintegration of democratic space in malls is much less at Garden Centre than at the V&A Waterfront.
The themes of malls contribute greatly to the disintegration of public space in shopping centres by creating an illusion of reality to the shoppers. For example, at the V&A Waterfront, the theme is modern Victorian-esque. This is created through the use of a sleek architectural design overall and through the use of resting areas made to seem as tranquil as possible by the greenery surrounding the classic wooden benches.
This Victorian style is much like the galleria, mentioned by Victor Gruen (Jon Goss, The Magic of the Mall, pg23) At Garden Centre, the theme employed is that of a homely, quaint village, much like the traditional market towns and villages theme referenced by Gruen. This is evident in the use of the small waterfall and the garden-like balustrades that accompany the mall's name.
Both shopping centres, despite being vastly different in various ways, seem to induct a strong sense of theme which adds to the illusion of reality that so many malls strive for, as these illusions tend to mislead the consumers and coerce them into believing they are not really 'spending money' but rather 'paying for an experience'. This thus then contributes to the aforementioned loss of public space in shopping centres.
The strategic placing of shops in malls contributes greatly to the invasion of public space that seems to be plaguing the world more and more each day. Upon close inspection at the V&A Waterfront, it becomes very clear to see how tactically the shops are placed. Right as one enters one of the entrances near the harbour side of the centre, presumably after having just taken part in a tourist-aimed activity, there lies a Royal Sushi Bar.
This is a restaurant that most people wouldnt think to visit because of the price that even the name suggests. However, after having just experienced a tourist activity, one might feel compelled to carry out the rest of the activities that tourists are 'expected' to do, such as eat at very expensive restaurants – authentic to the country they are visiting or not. The movie theatres are also situated deep within the mall,
forcing shoppers to push their way through corridors and corridors of tempting shops before reaching their destination, thus enticing said shoppers to stop and look at the items on display in shop windows and therefore spend more money. However, at Garden Centre, being that there are no movie theatres and that the banks are situated near an exit rather than an entrance,
it could be confidently said that this centre is much less strategically architecturally planned than the V&A Waterfront. Though it must be mentioned that due to the fact that both Woolworths and Pick n Pay (grocery stores which are the primary attraction to this specific centre) are situated at the ends of the mall,
Garden Centre is not completely void of any tactical architectural structuring, just less so than the V&A Waterfront.
Despite the fact that malls do have strategies designed to entice shoppers into spending as much money as possible, they cannot take all the blame for empty pockets. Shoppers at any mall, anywhere know what they are walking into when they enter a mall. The fact that they are even called 'shopping centres' immediately suggests that you as a consumer will, in all likelihood, definitely be spending some money when you enter that building. No consumer is completely unaware of this fact. However, some are not aware of the fact that upon entering a mall you are also making yourself susceptible to self denial of identity. This happens when a consumer enters, or even considers entering a shop that they would not usually enter, due to the enticing lures the store employs, such as warm lighting in the window displays,
suitable music drifting from inside the stores and the perfect temperature at which the store is kept (Jon Goss, The Magic of the Mall, pg32). At both the V&A Waterfront and Garden Centre, there are shops that might act as different forms of self denial of identity to the different consumers they attract. For example, at the V&A Waterfront, there are expensive clothing stores
that one might not consider entering if not for the fact that they feel it is all part of their shopping experience at this particular mall. Even at Garden Centre there are shops such as Cassis Paris (a gourmet dessert shop)
that some might never consider actively seeking out, but will enter due to the convenience of the store being right there, on their way to Pick n Pay. This is yet another example of how malls are subtly dissolving the idea of public and democratic space.
The idea of shopping becoming a fantastical experience rather than a simple act is one of the greatest tricks malls use to entice consumers into buying more goods. At the V&A Waterfront this is done by creating a 'bustling mall' vibe using promoters that roam the corridors,
park lights and greenery as part of the theme,
live bands playing in the outside food courts and even the consumers themselves who sit at certain restaurants where the seating areas are literally in the corridors, such as Vida e Caffe.
At Garden Centre, the 'shopping experience' is significantly less than that of the V&A Waterfront. At Garden Centre, the theme is basically the only factor that contributes to any sort of shopping experience. This would thus include the waterfall, the leaf-designed balustrades and accents in the centre and the village-like carts in the corridors.
Though the experience of shopping is much less in Garden Centre than the V&A Waterfront, evidence of some sort of 'shopping experience' is visible in most malls – even if it is just the theme.
Though there are not many things to do at malls that do not involve spending money (eg Viewing and sitting), both investigated malls have had a sense of 'magical space' about them. 'Magical spaces', described by Goss in The Magic of the Mall (pg32) are stores that are equipped to entice consumers very subtly. As mentioned before, lighting in window displays, suitable music and perfect temperatures are elements that factor into the idea of a magical space, as well as mirrors that reflect crowds making the stores seem bigger and busier (and thus more popular). The fact that there are no clocks or windows, just like in casinos,
makes it evident that the malls are indeed employing these techniques in order to coerce consumers into staying longer and therefore buying into the belief that they are indeed having a 'shopping experience' in some sort of Utopia. Both Garden Centre and the V&A Waterfront utilize this concept, thus proving that the idea of magical spaces plays a big part in the dissolving of democratic public spaces.
Both the V&A Waterfront and Garden Centre use the techniques of themes and magic spaces, therefore proving that both malls are some sort of spectacle and simulacrum. Both shopping centres persuade the public into believing the illusion of reality that is presented to them by the malls. And these are not the only techniques used to coax consumers into spending as much money as possible in the centres. At the V&A Waterfront, things such as placing the movie theatres (one of the main attractions of the mall) so far into the shopping centre, as well as placing the food court by the harbour that is equipped with entrancing views
and even the outside arena where street performers, live bands and movie clips play,
all contribute to subtly forcing the shoppers into spending more time at the mall and thus more money. In Garden Centre, the same technique is used by placing the main attraction stores (Pick n Pay and Woolworths)
at the back of the mall and by placing the big eating areas in the centre of both levels of the building. Besides this extra bit of strategic architectural structuring, the fact that many of the shops are visible from any viewpoint due to the open design of the building adds to this technique of getting shoppers to stay longer. Also contributing to this technique is the video store in the centre of the mall where shoppers spend ages browsing as well as the fact that at the restaurants which are situated in the centre of the mall, consumers subconsciously looks at other consumers and their purchases and the idea of buying more goods is planted into their heads. The technique of convincing consumers to stay longer at the mall is a very successful one and contributes greatly to the dissipation of democratic space in shopping centres.
Due to their scale, design and function, as mentioned in Jon Goss' The Magic of the Mall (pg25) , shopping malls should work as public spaces, however, as a consequence of the above mentioned elements, factors and techniques that shopping centres employ, a sense of democratic space in malls is steadily disappearing. As shown, although Garden Centre is not reducing its sense of public space as dramatically as the V&A Waterfront, it is still slowly dissolving. But one should not be under the impression that the above mentioned elements, factors and techniques are only employed by the two discussed malls. Shopping centres everywhere are slowly and subtly starting to diminish any idea of public or democratic space all in aid of turning a profit.
