Malls are a newcomer to India, but designs that incorporate elements of the Indian marketplace are a hit.
"The agenda of a mall is essentially an exclusive one. It is a space in which the chaos of the city is kept at bay and a manicured space created so that the business of consumption may be conducted in complete, if illusory, comfort. While that core agenda could not be entirely subverted in a commercial project, [The architect Charles] Correa chose to approach it from the other end. 'I said let us make an enjoyable public space leading up from the street to the air-conditioned shopping areas,' he says.
The main public space abutting the street stakes a significant claim on our imagination. It is dramatically jigged into the profile and form of the building, has a theatrical landscape of levels and, most importantly, is hospitable to everyone who walks in. Unlike in other malls, it is the public spaces of City Centre that remain more strongly etched in our minds than the indoor spaces."
FULL STORY: The mall and the city
Six Positive Innovations in Housing From 2024
The year saw some encouraging developments in housing and zoning policies that could alleviate the housing crisis and offer renters and homebuyers more diverse options.
Shifts in Shopping: Transforming Malls Into Parks
Maybe zombie malls still have a second life — one with a little greenery.
Mall Redevelopment in Silicon Valley
Dead malls across the Bay Area are being transformed into R&D centers, housing, and transportation hubs.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing
Despite the administration’s stated concern for the “working class,” 85 percent of Manhattan commuters use public transit to enter the city.
Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi
One researcher's perspective on the potential of tiny homes and owner-built housing as one tool to fight the housing crisis.
Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing
Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research