Here in the United States there is a wide
array of shopping malls and the population has grown accustom to them, even
though there are many variations. Some malls have multiple stories while some
are one level. Some have movie theatres, skating rinks, and other attractions
while some simply have stores. Many
are enclosed spaces while others are more open and engaged with the outdoor
environment. The list can go on. But, what defines a mall comes down to two
things, how it looks aesthetically and its usage. These two elements reveal how
the mall attempts to classify itself as a public or private space, which at
times is an ongoing battle. As time has progressed, more people want a public space
that resembles European street shops, which is apparent in many buildings
architectural references. That is why new malls tend to be open and interact
with the outside environment, giving the space a park like feel while still
being controlled. We can see this in Austin at the Domain or in San Antonio at
La Cantera mall. Barton Creek Mall, however, resembles the traditional shopping
mall but projects itself as much more private than a typical mall.
Barton
Creek Mall is located on the Barton Creek Watershed and next to the Barton
Creek Greenbelt on top of a hill, which makes it fairly elevated. It is primarily
accessible by car and there is only one bus that stops at the mall making
access to it limited. Additionally, very tall trees surround the edifice
blurring the building. Once you have passed the foliage and the circles of
parking lots, you can finally see the structure, however, the buildings lack of
character and defining form make it feel like it is still trying to hide. Therefore,
the exterior aesthetic with its buried location, lack of accessibility, and
minimal character portrays the image of a protective, secluded, private
building much like a castle or fort.
When you enter the mall, it suddenly
becomes more open and brighter making the space feel more public and free form.
However, when you enter into an individual store you get the impression that
you are entering a private space. The way the clothes racks and displays are
arranged combined with the lighting and music, it controls how you move in the space
and they are provoking a mood and ambiance that will hopefully promote the consumption
of their products. When you leave a store, the atriums and hallways feel more
open, free, and communal. It feels more like a public space such as a plaza or
park. However, the placement of Kiosks and vendors in the middle of the
hallways selling you T-mobile phones or perfumes are obstructing these “public
spaces.” They are trying to further promote consumption but are also preventing
demonstrations, protests, and performances from occurring in the space. Additionally,
the fact that each individual store is separated by doors and that you
consistently have to travel though separate spaces adds to the privatization of
the individual stores in the mall. In the film,
“Blade Runner,” the city is designed in this similar controlling, enclosed, private form. The entire form of Barton Creek Mall is designed to portray a private space and conveys that it is intended to be used in a specific manner.
“Blade Runner,” the city is designed in this similar controlling, enclosed, private form. The entire form of Barton Creek Mall is designed to portray a private space and conveys that it is intended to be used in a specific manner.
Although Barton Creek Mall’s aesthetic and
form portrays the mall as a private space, the people who come to the mall have
slowly altered the use of it. The mall has become more of a park in multiple
ways. For example, if you go to the mall during mid-day around noon on a
weekday you will see three main groups of people are at the mall primarily to
get out of their house. The first are families or stay at home mothers with
their little kids. The second are teenagers, which can be found in groups or
pairs typically walking around and talking. The third and last group is the elderly
and they can be seen walking around, sitting, reading, or simply observing
society. The mall is a relatively cheap form of entertainment and an easy
social and gathering place. Taking into consideration that it is now the summer
and too hot to be outside, this air-conditioned mall has been converted into a
park. The benches and couches in the hallways and atriums of the mall are
placed like they would in a park. People sit in them while talking to their
friends, watching their kids play, reading their novels, or simply while waiting
for their spouse to finish their shopping. You can see kids playing on the
railings, on the fountains, and running around the atriums. Some people even
come to the mall to exercise because it has air conditioning and it allows them
to see and interact with people rather than at their enclosed gym or house. The
reasons why people come to the mall are changing and the way the people at the
mall are using the space is transforming.
The mall is becoming a communal center, a
place to interact with others and socialize. Although Barton Creek Mall is
located in an area that is primarily middle to upper class and white, the mall
attracts a wide range of people. You can see Hispanics, African Americans and
Asians at the mall in addition to Caucasians. The stores located in the mall
are mainly for middle class people. There are not many high-end or luxury stores
like Dolce and Gabbana or Lactose. As you walk around, you can sometimes also
hear other languages being spoken like Spanish. Even its lack of accessibility
hasn’t stopped people from coming. One time when I was leaving the mall, I
observed a lady and her two sons come out of a taxi that brought them to the
mall. Barton Creek Mall is adapting to these changes also. They are playing
more current music that speaks to the younger population. They have also added
a kiosk that does currency exchange. I have never seen a currency exchange in a
mall before but Barton Creek mall is trying to accommodate all its customers.
There is no doubt that Barton Creek
portrays itself as a privately owned space. The aesthetic of the building, its
buried and fortified location, its lack of accessibility and controlling form
indicate that. However, although it promotes consumption inside its walls with
the use of banners, advertisements, and never ending string of vendors and
stores which is the original and economic purpose of the building, it is
transforming into a public communal center; into an indoor park. People of
various ethnicities and economic class come to the mall as a form of
entertainment and to socialize. Barton Creek is a prime example of the thin
line between public and private space that malls hover.
Sources
Census
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_DP_DPDP1
Capital Metro
http://www.capmetro.org/schedulemap.aspx?f1=030&s=1&d=1
American planning Association
http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/spaces/characteristics.htm
Simon Malls
http://www.simon.com/about
Samo Pederson: The Shopping Mall as a
Public Space
http://www.samoclub.com/pdf/shop.pdf
Blade Runner
