Proposal

 

Research Stream: Emergent Practices           Supervisor: Diane Brand and Jacqueline McIntosh

Research Question How can I design a sustainable inner-city neighborhood using the successful design principles of a shopping mall that will act as a catalyst for individual retail outlets?

Abstract  With the slump of the economy leading to less of the public spending money1, and therefore less income for the commercial market, an inner-city external commercial retail neighbourhood with the integration of design principles from the shopping mall will act as a catalyst of improving all external street retail and possibly, in turn inner-city residential conditions as well. A new form of commercial retail needs to be introduced to prevent the struggle of individual economic outlets and community groups against large-scale retail development in their neighbourhoods. “Shopping centres... are well-planned, well-funded, and well-organised... Main streets need management like that.” (Huffman 95)

Aims & Objectives -          Aims to identify the design principles at play in a complex retail space and how they can be manipulated into a design to create a sustainable inner-city neighbourhood that benefits the community. -          Investigating the benefits for external retail will qualify the reason of integrating the positive shopping mall design principles into the exterior retail space, as well as finding, keeping and integrating the positive aspects of the external retail. -          Through exploring previous case studies within New Zealand, this thesis will be able to understand why certain project developments are successful and unsuccessful in terms of their return on investment, community and sustainability. -          Research and case studies will also be studied for possibilities of how the financial benefits of a shopping mall model can be redirected into the community, and in turn foster new growth and innovation. -          Finally, this thesis’ research will enable a series of development guidelines for integrating an external shopping mall and residential accommodation within one community.

Methodology 1.          Literature Review A multidisciplinary literature review will be conducted to determine the principles and concepts that inform mall design. 2.         Correlational Research Quantitative Research that is conducted to clarify patterns of relationships between two or more variables. -        A Focus on Naturally Occurring Patterns -        The Measurement of Specific Variables -        Interval and Ratio Scales -        The Use of Statistics to Clarify Patterns of Relationships 3.         Case Study Research A case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a setting phenomenon within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident. -        Auckland’s Botany Downs -        Wellington’s Chews Lane -        Dunedin’s Wall Street

Key Authors & Ideas Goss, Jon. The "Magic of the Mall". An Analysis of Form, Function, and Meaning in the Contemporary Retail Built Environment. Honolulu: Association of American Geographers, 1993. This text covers the overview of the shopping mall through an analysis of the form, function and meaning of the (mainly) American shopping mall design principles. This is the main body of text used to derive the problem of shopping mall power over smaller, individual retail outlets through their specific design processes. Most significant authors came from this text such as -          Hazel, D. "Crime in the malls: A new and growing concern." Chain Store Age Executive (1992, Feb): 27-29. -          McCloud, J. "Fun and games is serious business." Shopping Center World (1989, July): 28-35. -          Rathbun, R. D. Shopping centers and malls 3. New York: Retail Reporting Corporation, 1990.

Key Precedents  ·         Botany Town Centre in Auckland, New Zealand by Hames Sharley Architects ·         Chews Lane in Wellington, New Zealand by Athfield Architects Ltd ·         Wall Street in Dunedin, New Zealand by Team Architects ·         Namba Parks in Osaka, Japan by The Jerde Partnership ·         Kanyon in Istanbul, Turkey by Tabanlioglu Architects

Proposed Site (three lines) Wellington’s inner-city from Leeds to Eva Street which is an undeveloped side street with a semi-large open space within the middle. This side street attaches to Dixon Street which is on the outskirts of the main Courtney Place shopping street. This side street is also at the median point between the shopping centres on Courtney Place and the individual retail outlets on Cuba Street and therefore acts as a good point of where the development will be able to act as a catalyst for other individual outlets.

Role of Design  To create a sustainable external retail development including residential occupants using the successful design principles of the shopping mall. This development would act as a catalyst for further developments for the individual retail outlets within Wellington.

Bibliography This is just the start of the research into designing a sustainable inner-city neighborhood using the successful design principles of a shopping mall… Beddington, W. Charles Baudelaire: A lyric poet in the era of high capitolism. London: New Left Books, 1973. Borden, Iain and Katerina Rüedi. The dissertation: an architecture student's handbook. Oxford: Architectural Press, 2006. Borden, Iain and Ray, Katerina Ruedi. The Dissertation: An Architecture Student's Handbook (2nd Ed). Great Britain: Architectural Press, 2006. Building despite the obstacles. "Anti-growth sentiment, local restrictions slow retail development." Chain Store Age Executive (1990): 27-32. —. "Chain Store Age Executive." Anti-growth sentiment, local restrictions slow retail development (1990): 27-32. Chews Lane. Chews Lane Precinct. Unknown. 29 03 2011 <http://www.chewslane.co.nz/the-project>. Chow, Renee Y. Suburban space: the fabric of dwelling. University of California Press, 2002. Competition and Economic Development. Harvvard Business School - Institute for strategy and competitiveness. Unknown. 27 03 2011 <http://www.isc.hbs.edu/econ-innercities.htm>. Congress for the New Urbanism. Charter of the New Urbanism. McGraw-Hill Professional, 1999. Cresswell, John. Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches. Sage Publications, 2002. Debord, G. Society of the spectacle. Detroit: Red and Black, 1984. Entertainment anchors: New mall headliners. "New mall headliners." Chain Store Age Executive (1989): 54, 63, 65. Frieden, B. J., and Sagalyn, L. B. Downtown, Inc.: How America rebuilds cities. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1989. Goss, Jon. The "Magic of the Mall". An Analysis of Form, Function, and Meaning in the Contemporary Retail Built Environment. Honolulu: Association of American Geographers, 1993. Groat, Linda and David Wang. Architectural research methods. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2001. Gruen, and Smith, L. Shopping towns USA: The planning of shopping centers. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1960. Hazel, D. "Crime in the malls: A new and growing concern." Chain Store Age Executive (1992, Feb): 27-29. Huffman, F. "Mall Street, USA." Entrepreneur (1989, Aug): 95-99. McCloud, J. "Fun and games is serious business." Shopping Center World (1989, July): 28-35. Oldenburg, R. The great good life. New York: Paragon House, 1989. Rathbun, R. D. Shopping centers and malls 3. New York: Retail Reporting Corporation, 1990. Reiss, Eric. "ROI and the Business value of IA." 10th Annual IA Summit. Memphis, Tennessee: FatDux, March 20, 2009. 94. Reynolds, M. "Stores." Food Courts (1990, August): 52-54. Rowe, P. G. Making a middle landscape. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1991. Weir, James. "Economy barely escapes recession." The Dominion Post 24 03 2011.