3. "World of Malls: Architectures of Consumption"
Authors: collective work
Publisher: Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2016
On the one hand, shopping malls are destroying cities, killing the streets. On the other hand, their inner worlds have been tempting since the 1950s with their abundant offerings, easy parking, and leisure activities. The godfather of malla - Victor Gruen called them his bastard children years later. But he undoubtedly earned the title of one of the world's most influential architects. The book ranges from those early American temples surrounded by fishtail road cruisers (Southdale Center), the European version in the form of a reinforced concrete dystopian megastructure (Cumbernauld Center), the pop art façade of Munich's Schwabylon, which stood for only six years, to Disney-esque magical worlds full of kitsch and contemporary molochs. The Malle are the subject of criticism, jokes, but also nostalgia. Just watch the third season of Stanger Things or the trailer for Wonder Woman 1984. We live in a malle world, whether we want it or not.
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