GGSIP UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

KASHMERE GATE, NEW DELHI

Dissertation Topic

“FAKE” OR “AUTHENTIC”, MALLS ARE OUR NEW PUBLIC SPACES

Dissertation Guide

Prof. Rupinder Singh

Name of the Student

Pallavi Rikh

(005/USAP/2005)

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GGSIP UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING

KASHMERE GATE, NEW DELHI

Dissertation Title

“FAKE” OR “AUTHENTIC”, MALLS ARE OUR NEW PUBLIC SPACES

Approval Certificate

The following study is hereby approved as a creditable work on the approved subject, carried

out and presented in a manner sufficiently satisfactory to warrant its acceptance.

It is to be understood that by this approval the undersigned does not necessarily endorse or

approve any statement made, opinion expressed or conclusions drawn therein, but approve

the study only for the purpose for which it is submitted and satisfies himself as to the

requirements laid down by the dissertation committee.

Name of the student Name of the Guide

Pallavi Rikh (Prof. Rupinder Singh)

(005/USAP/2005)

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ABSTRACT

For the current generation of consumers, the meaning of shopping has changed. It is not just

merely a necessity, as it was earlier, but much more than that. The elements that draw

customers to the shopping mall include space, ambience and convenience and more over an

array of choice under one roof. Malls, which are now anchored by large outlets such as

Westside and Lifestyle and are resided by a lot of Indian and international brands, are also

being seen as image benchmakers for communities.

Thus, this dissertation aims at studying the impact of malls on Indian soil. And factors that

make malls quasi/fake public space.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my sincerest thanks and gratitude to my guide Prof. Rupinder Singh

for his guidance, support and wealth of information which he shared with me and also helped

me understand the intricacies of the topic without which I would not have succeeded in

writing this paper.

I would also like to thank our dissertation coordinator Prof. Ashok Lal for his consistent

guidance and update of the study, and for his immense support and guidance.

To the people of Select City Walk who helped me in my study

Also to the staff of SPA library and my College who helped in arranging for the required data

when it was needed the most.

I would also like to thank my Classmates and Juniors for providing me with relevant

information.

And most of all, I would like to thank my parents for their moral support and understanding.

Pallavi Rikh

(005/USAP/2005)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pg.No

APPROVAL ii

ABSTRACT iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv

INTRODUCTION viii

HYPOTHESIS viii

SIGNIFICANCE viii

METHODOLOGY viii

STRUCTURE ix

SCOPE AND LIMITATION ix

CHAPTER 1

THE PHENOMENON CALLED ―MALL‖ 1-5

Introduce the concept of malls. It proves the forceful impact of malls in Delhi and NCR.
Followed by brief description of Ansal Plaza Khel Gaon, Select City Walk Saket, DLF
Emporio Vasant Kunj, DLF City Centre Gurgaon, Ambi Mall Gurgaon, Centre Stage
Noida, Great Indian Place Noida. And brief introduction about the upcoming malls such
as Grand Venezia and Mall Of India.

CHAPTER 2

MALLS ―FAKE‖ PUBLIC PLACES 6-12

CASE STUDIES 13-19

Include discussion on elements and shopping behaviour that make shopping malls
―quasi/fake‖ public space. It also discusses how malls are successful in keeping the poor
away from malls and thus causing class stratification.

CHAPTER 3

MALLS AND TELEVISION 20-22

Describes that it is not necessary for a space to be a geographical place but conceptually
an object can also be a space. Television which is not a place but is a fake public space,
hence this chapter tries to relate malls to television.

CHAPTER 4

―FAKE OR AUTHENTIC‖ 23-25

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In this part we discuss the implication of continuous use of malls in everyday life.

CHAPTER 5

BIBLIOGRAPHY 26-27

APPENDIX I

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INTRODUCTION

In America there is a myth-the myth of material consumption.

Basically, the myth of material consumption tell us that the
buying and possession of material goods is an outward,
physical sign of inner goodness and the value of the person
possessing goods. Shopping thus becomes a virtuous ritual,
even though what we buy may be a relatively worthless gadget
like a salad shooter. And owning new things reconfirms our
status in society. We therefore feel compelled to buy a new
car even though our old one is still running fine. Or we rush
to clothing stores every fall to buy a new wardrobe even
though there may be clothes in our closet we bought last year
but haven’t even worn yet.1

With rise of suburbs we saw the creation of pseudo-public spaces that looked like public

spaces at one level but were characterised by unexpressed key elements of public spaces.

These pseudo-public spaces very crucially included the Shopping malls which have come as

a Tsunami across the world that has, in a way, wiped out the ephemeral traditional concept of

a public space. These malls consistently deal with an endless sociological and a spatial

conflict between the parametric meanings of public and private spaces. Simultaneously malls

have been outrageously criticised as ugly due to their ―big box‖ appearance that turns its back

on and impairs the beauty and pedestrian life of streets around them. Perhaps, many

consumers prefer malls due to availability of multilevel spacious parking facility and good

private security systems incorporated for personnel or machinery. Despite the presence and

onset of numerous controversies being welcomed, the Indian Retail Sector still lingers around

the idea of constructing more malls. And the influence that malls have on their surrounding is

impeccable, thereby changing in a way the perception of an individual and his peculiar

lifestyle.

1
William Severini Kowinski. The Malling of America: An Inside Look at the Great Consumer Paradise, New York: William
Morrow and Co., Inc., 1985

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HYPOTHESIS: The existence of malls is akin to a meteor which makes a huge impact on the

surface and surrounding when it strikes the Earth. At present malls are triggering off a huge

influence on the population, resulting in a selective lifestyle change. These high rise cuboids

have become a new favourite place for the dwellers. A rather interesting point to note is that

people enjoy going to malls rather than going to a park. It might not be a utopian public space

but due to the evolving social life and the emerging diversification of choices of

entertainment that we are offered today, malls have become a new public/recreational place

for the leisure loving population.

SIGNIFICANCE: It is becoming clear that people increasingly choose malls for their

recreation and pastime. Even if the prices of commodities in malls are conspicuously high,

people still opt for malls. So the main aim is to create such a design so that these malls don‘t

just appear as ―faux‖ public space but truly become a public space which increases the

communal activity instead of social interaction among groups of peers. With this study we

might be able to identify loose ends which hinder these malls from becoming a ―perfect

public space” instead of a “faux” public space. This study also makes us aware of the evil

class stratification which persists in the society and by what means these mall developers

have inadvertently added to it.

METHODOLOGY: I have started by proving the impact of shopping malls on Indian soil,

beginning with the first mall in the country and how these huge structures aim to occupy

millions of sq ft of area in the future. Thereafter I have undertaken a study towards

understanding the phenomenon of public and private space and what makes malls non public

but with the airs of ―fake‖ public ambience. The phenomenon of public space clearly defines

that the space should be accessible by all without any restriction. Malls, therefore, can hardly

be termed as public places. I have made a genuine endeavour to identify how these places

have kept a part of the society that is identified as worthless, away from its premises. And

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lastly, I have drawn a similarity between malls and television which, physically but

conceptually, is a public space. For conducting interviews, a group of people were chosen.

STRUCTURE: Beginning with mall as a part of market sector, I traced the history of malls in

India, how they spread throughout the Indian subcontinent and are still mushrooming. In the

next section, I have aimed to post an argument that even if malls are not entirely a public

space they enhance public activities either through design or through various activities that

they carry out; shopping being the backbone of the mall. In addition to this, these spaces even

provide a positive hangout for all ages. This section also talks about how malls create a

“fantasy” world within itself. I have also mentioned about the social stratification caused by

the malls and how they have successfully been able to keep the poor or socially lower levels

away from these places. I have argued how architecture of a mall, as well as technologies

utilized by mall owners amount to a form of social split because they deny access to a certain

section of the population. In the third section, I have argued how televisions resemble a

fake/quasi public space thereby allowing a comparison between malls and television. Both

have vertical activities without any lateral communication among people and surroundings.

Finally in the last chapter, I have highlighted how people used to be an active part of the

society before the advent of globalisation but after it, they have become more and more

involved within themselves. The extent of private property can be identified in the fact that

each individual now has a private car and house; they drive in their ‗personal‘ cars to office

and back home, leisure being limited to a drive to the mall which, too, is a private sphere for

them.

PRIVATE HOME PRIVATE CAR PRIVATE MALL

SCOPE AND LIMITATION: Shopping has emerged as potentially a major link to urban

development, social and economic well being of the society. It is not only a functional

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necessity but a generator of urban activities. With their unique ability to fulfil varied purposes

such as shopping, eating, entertainment, etc malls have become the perfect hub of public

activity. Shopping centres have gradually evolved and developed into a society in itself .They

have contributed towards forming our habits in an important way. It aims to serve not only as

a re creative edifice but also act as hub where most of the city life can happen.

This paper does not include detailed study of all the malls in India but a few malls in the City.

We did not go into architectural design and ethics of each mall. On the contrary, I have tried

to emphasize how these malls, psychologically and sociologically, affect the ideas and

perception of the individual who wishes to use them. The study focuses on the concept that

makes mall quasi/fake public space and features they have that enhances public activities in

these areas. I also stressed upon the fact that how malls barge on various means to keep a part

of the society away from the malls without going into intricacies of the adopted means. I also

tried to relate malls to television which according to journalists and academicians is a

conceptual quasi-public space.

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Chapter I
The phenomenon called ―Mall‖

The first mall must have created a wave throughout the world, for when this idea took

a concrete form in India it made a forceful impact on the surrounding. In other words it was

just like when a meteor enters the earth‘s atmosphere it starts releasing energy and when it

lands on the surface it makes such an impact that all the surroundings absorb the energy

released from it. Same way when malls emerged it changed lifestyles of the population.

The first mall in the world is said to have came up in the 19th century in Paris as a

departmental store. India in 1985 saw the first shopping mall on its soil called the Spencer

Plaza in Khelgaon. Spencer Plaza, the first departmental store in India was established in

1863-1864 by Charles Durant and J.W. Spencer. After few years the department store was

shifted to a new building designed by W.N.Pogson. In 1985 the original building was

destroyed in a fire. Now Spencer Plaza covers an area of 250,000 sq ft. The three floors of the

arcade are centrally air- conditioned, there is a large atrium in the centre. The plaza also has

colourful fountains and water pools. The facilities of the complex include exclusive car lift,

bowling alley, skating, squash, virtual reality theatres, swimming pool and health club. The

Plaza acts like a mini township with all facilities.

But the first ever fully fledged shopping mall in India came up in 1999 in Mumbai,

called the Crossroad. It covers an area of 150,000 sq ft, spread over four buildings in the

heart of the city. Thousands of people from every part of the city come to experience

shopping, entertainment and food in its international ambience every day. Today it is

amongst the new malls that mushroomed in either parts of the city.

Mall experience for the national capital came only in 2004 with Ansal Plaza, Khel

Gaon. It is a multiplex shopping mall built on near about 35 acres of land with built up area

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of 14,700 sq m. It has world‘s best branded stores. It is a circular mall with open courtyard in

the middle, has a 45 ft high atrium with a French glass curtain wall. It has corporate offices

on second and third floors. The open air ampi-theatre in the centre is famous for organizing

musical shows, kavi sammelans, exhibition and fashion shows. The surrounding area of the

mall is beautifully landscaped with plants and fountains. The two major brands at Ansal Plaza

are Marks & Spencer and Shoppers‘ Stop. It is called ―one stop shop for all.‖

For the past two years the level of shopping has increased dramatically which

traditional places like Chandni chowk and Connaught Place achieved in 30-40 years.

Upcoming malls in Delhi have taken shopping experience to a new level. More and more

branded stores have opened and number of cineplexes. The two major malls in Delhi are

Select City walk in Saket and DLF in Emporio Vasant Kunj.

Select City Walk opened in October 2007, covers area of 1,300,000 sq ft with retail as

spread over 6 acres. The mall was developed by Select Infrastructure, a joint venture between

Select Group and the Aarone Group. The mall is divided into three broad zones: Staple

Traditional (family), Celebration (centre-stage) and High Voltage (youth). The mall has 125

stores with over 500 major Indian and international brands. The mall houses Tommy Hilfiger

flagship store and Calvin Klien‘s first stand-alone store in India. The mall has a 10,000 sq ft

multi-cuisine Food Court with several restaurants. The mall houses PVR Cinemas multiplex,

which comprises 6 screens including two gold classes and has a total capacity of 1,235. There

is also 100,000 sq ft outdoor open plaza (Sanskriti) for art festivals, fairs, exhibition and

performances. The plaza is landscaped extensively in timber, water, stone and steel and has

an open-air amphitheatre, along with trees and water features.

DLF Emporio opened in August 2008, designed by architect Mohit Gujral and Chandu

Chadha in Italian marble, and burnished wood. It has five floors and comprises an area of

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320,000 sq ft. The mall features over 170 brands including 75 International brands. Recently

it has opened a 180 seater high end restaurant called Zest with bar, lounge and section style

seating, serving 7 International cuisines.

But the real development for malls happened in Gurgaon, a sleepy little suburb of the

Indian capital New Delhi. In a development that surprised many town planners, Gurgaon

transformed itself overnight by first housing the headquarters of many multinational

corporations and banks, and then calling itself the "shopping-mall capital of India".

The DLF City Centre Mall was the first off the blocks, followed by the MGF

Metropolitan Mall and the Sahara Mall. DLF City Centre Mall established in the year 2000,

DLF City Centre Mall on MG Road covers an area of 260,000 sq ft. The mall has more than

127 different stores on four different levels. The major attraction here are the DT Cinemas

multiplex with 4 screens and has two level basement parking and front parking for more than

700 vehicles. MGF Metropolitan Mall is the second mall to have opened in Gurgaon covering

an area of 400,000 sq ft. The Metropolitan Mall houses more than 150 stores having space of

250,000 sq ft.

The other NCR of Delhi gave India its first largest mall. The Centre Stage Mall in the

commercial hub of Noida that is in Sect-18 in 2003. It Covers an area of 35,000 sq ft, built

over 7 acres of land, and is the main shopping hub of Noida. It also has a popular cinema

theatre called Waves and the best discotheque in Delhi NCR-Elevates. The mall has eco

friendly glass curtains, this glass cuts down heat radiation by 83%, thereby reducing energy

consumption.

The other mall in the list is Great India Place in sect-38A, Noida. The Mall is a retail

and entertainment complex as part of entertainment city, an international standard amusement

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park. It spans over 15 lac sq ft designed by Callison Inc. An exclusive 1.8 lac sq ft of food

court with six screen multiplex cinema.

Centre stage was the largest mall until Gurgaon came up with -The Ambience Mall. It

comprises an area of 1.8 million sq ft. This has around 300 retail shops with 50,000 sq ft

large Food Court. It boasts of a sprawling new Five Star hotel complex. It has Spectra, a

multicuisine casual dining restaurant serving seven different cuisines. This restaurant is

currently India‘s most expensive restaurant. Ambience Mall is like an integrated township

where we can get everything.

Till recently, Ambience Mall by Ambience Group which holds 1.8 million sq ft

spread not less than a kilometre end to end was the largest mall of India. It has huge anchor

stores such as Marks & Spencer‘s, Debenhams and many more. Kids Zone is an added

attraction of the mall. Open Air Theatre for high-class fashion and music shows. Though it

boasts itself of a biggest mall in India, its days of glory will not last. By 2010 DLF will have

a 6 million sq ft Mall Of India next to Ambience Mall, while Emaar MGF reportedly has 5.8

million sq ft mall on anvil, replicating its Dubai Mall.

The most luxurious mall and India‘s first theme base shopping mall will be The Grand

Venezia in Greater Noida with 15 lac sq ft area, 2 lac sq ft commercial space, 9 lac sq ft of

parking space and 200 room five star hotel. The theme of this mall is romance and is

designed to bring the city of canals and gondolas to elegant European architecture with water

bodies and gondolas which will give customers novelty and rich experience. The architecture

and interior design is a lavish homage to the beauty of Venice, not seen in India today. The

central and the foremost feature of the Mall are the meandering canal and the central piazza

evocative of the Piazza San Marco, which is the main atrium of the mall. The canal is

designed such that each shop is accessible by it. Grand Venezia mall has an intricate system

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of waterways that allow you to take a ride on a gondola and experience shopping and leisure

on a scale as yet unseen in India. An open piazza surrounded by water bodies and landscaped

gardens will host a variety of cultural events, brand promotions, product launches and quality

live shows making it a landmark entertainment zone. The Grand Venezia will enjoy the

unique advantage of being surrounded by the high income group population of Noida,

Greater Noida and of course it will also attract people from whole NCR and will be a great

tourist place for the tourists coming from other places of India and abroad. ―India is seeing a

burst of mall activity, going from none too many. They have to differentiate themselves. At

this early stage in the evolution of Indian mall, the differentiator is size‖ says Asitava Sen-

vice president (goods and consumer) KSA Technopak.

With such rapid growth of malls, and the level by which each mall is trying to be

better than the other, that period is not far when every nook and corner of India will have

malls. About half of the malls that are to be constructed will be in Mumbai and Delhi.

It seems we are back in the age when dinosaurs used to walk the earth. The difference

being that now these huge structures called Shopping Malls will cover the earth surface.

Moreover, so vigorous is its impact that this ―one stop‖ mall can serve the wide ranging

functions of entertainment, shopping, food courts, hang out with friends and for business.

The Indian retail sector is booming and mall growth is being seen as a clear indicator

of economic prosperity in India. These shopping cum entertainment options are getting

bigger and better along with sporting multiplexes and food courts to woo shoppers. By the

end of 2009, over 600 malls will come up occupying more than 150 million sq ft. Now Delhi

and the suburbs are witnessing a race without finishing line to build India‘s largest shopping

mall. Top names on this race are DLF, Emaar MGF and Unitech.

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Chapter II
Malls ―Fake‖ public spaces

It is obvious from the previous section that malls are our ―new reality‖ and will

continue to dominate our actual lived landscape. What one refers to as the ―Mall‖ is usually

the centre atrium or the open space, which now has the stamp of an archetypical place in our

psyche. This is a rarefied space—a space for consumption, a space of pure desire without any

dire consequences. In other words, the enticing ―Mall place‖ is precisely the id’s writ without

any control of the superego. For this effect to be complete, the ―Mall‖ space shuts out the

outer world, and then (re)constructs a fantasy world within itself.2 This is a world where even

the shop goers are props. We dress up for the ―Mall‖ as one dresses for a role—the Gucci

glasses, the Louis Vitton bag, the DKNY shawl, the Dolce&Gabbana dress, the Johnny Choo

shoes—forms an ensemble for the role. Even children participate in this fantasy world, and

the next stop is Disneyland. Every festival is celebrated in these exalted spaces and you need

to have no religion affiliation. In fact, this ―Hallmark‖ of spaces even assists in inventing new

festivals—Mother‘s Day, Father‘s Day, Veteran‘s Day, Teacher‘s Day, Secretary‘s Day—

each relation and work role is celebrated, glamorized and installed with the correct decorum:

in the end all emotions lead to consumerism. The mall developers aspire for this totality of

the world of desire, as they note, ―you don‘t need to go to Sarojni market for clothes,

Connaught place to eat or any other place; we have it all here in one place.‖ The collection of

shops in the shopping mall is managed together and is taken as a single unit.

A publication of Urban Land Institute points out ―a group of architecturally unified

commercial establishments built on a site which is planned, developed, owned and managed

2
Margaret Crawford. The World in a shopping Mall: From Variations on a Theme Park., 1992: Editor‘s introduction;
Margaret Crawford, professor of Urban Design and Planning theory at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.

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as an operating unit...‖3 In other words, design of a mall and centralized management are the

instruments by which the mall creates its special conditions, which help to control the

environment created by enclosure and protection. This whole process lies in the initial stage

of mall design. However, enclosure, protection and control are the true fruits borne by the

tree named ―mall‖. It is a special space that could stand and grow on the roots of its own rules

because it is completely isolated from the rest of the world.

It is enclosed because psychologically it secludes the user from the outside and

creates a special domain within its embrace. For instance, the Ansal Plaza, Khel Gaon in

Delhi has the main access road as one of its fortress buttresses. One needs to have a car to

enter the space, or as a pedestrian have little value for one‘s life. Once inside the complex, the

frontage of an overlooking plaza space with pedestrian walkways extends into a landscaped

green area. The open-air theatre, water features and tree canopies could easily be the setting

for a vibrant open air activity such as flea market or market similar to Janpath, cultural

activity etc., but none of this occur in this space. The focus rather is on the inside. Whereas in

a typical mall, the subtle and soothing fragrances from a typical Body Shop, the appealing

light background music, and the controlled air temperature provide a utopian enclosure in

which the shopping interest adds a cutting edge to the whole experience. The mall

environment itself is superficial-trees grow out of the tiled floor; plants flourish without sun

or rain. Mall staff eats and spend their free time here. Malls have also become a tourist

destination, complete with tour guides, souvenirs and hotels in some malls. In a sense, the

fragmented functions of modern living are brought together under the malls‘ skylight roof. It

is a world brought together through a medium of consumption.

3
John G. Nachbar. Popular Culture: An Introductory Text. Qtd by Urban Land Institute, an organization that works with the
mall industry.

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Probably, the mall goer wants it just this way. After all, nobody goes to the mall to be

depressed, to learn anything and certainly not to face the reality. The real world is too

troubled with work, education, unemployment, poverty etc hence it is preferable to escape to

a place with a good deal of ―positivity‖. The real world drives the people inside the mall

where there are sold superficial dreams. The danger of this is that the upper middle class

bourgeoisie is completely cut-off from the ground reality. This will happen more pervasively

in India, but it has also happened in the US. For example, in the US, Hurricane Katrina was

the first time that America actually faced the poverty that reigns supreme in many of the

Southern areas—otherwise, poverty is assumed to be directly related to a lack of character to

work. This is the ―slip of the mask on the real‖ moment in the US, and then they returned

back to their Malls and back to consumption. Same thing will happen in India.

For young crowds, mall have become areas in which to hangout, to catch up with

friends in joints like Cafe Coffee Day and Barista and many find their first jobs here. There is

also an entertainment factor involved as more and more youngsters have begun to see

shopping as an enjoyable pastime. This keeps them away from the ground reality of life

which might not seem to be very positive to them.

Malls possess this quasi/fake public environment—pertaining to a very common

notion that --this is my ―biradari‖. What hinders certain use of these spaces is that while the

areas seem to be public spaces, they are really private. The privately owned companies that

make up the shopping mall have created spaces that are used publicly and in a more

communal way. The only public interaction in the mall is between the space and the stores.

Visitors here are serious shoppers, attracted by the convenience of buying a wide variety of

goods under one roof at affordable prices. But most are at par talking mainly of an altogether

new experience gawking at luxury goods, cooling of air conditioned comfort and an

ambience seen only in Hollywood movies up till now. Shopping is no longer limited to the

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activity of buying. It has become synonymous with splurging time and money. People simply

go about roaming through the mall in order to peep through the windows of shops and often

end up buying something they like but may not need. And sometimes people merely walk

around the mall to window shop. These activities broadly classify shoppers into two:

Utilitarian shoppers and Hedonistic shoppers4. Whether it is for shopping, meeting someone,

watching a movie, discussions over a cup of coffee, passing time, giving a bash on birthdays

or a date, the first place that pops up in mind is a mall. The psychology of these spaces

directly relates to the aesthetics of the mall. If the space isn‘t designed in a user friendly way,

all the other aspects of shopping mall are negatively affected. Otherwise we may rely more

prominently on the traditional and rather typical DDA district centres for the needful of

buying the necessary items. The psychological effect of the shopping mall greatly influences

the use of the space as public or private. When in a shopping mall, most people feel that they

are in a public space. The interaction among a group of peer and store seems public in nature.

The construction of malls with a centred common area, courtyard or plaza influences how the

space is used publicly. These areas add to the overwhelming public space feel.

This pseudo-public space resembles a public space with its diversity of people. But

malls are privatized spaces that are ―sanitized‖ of certain elements. For example, the mall

banishes outside threats of disruption and distraction: no cars allowed, no traffic, noise or

fumes. The natural world cannot even intrude; there is no rain or snow, heat or cold, no

seasonal changes, promising parents a safe place for their children and guarantee a crime free

space. The space is seemingly protected so that people are not distracted or feel threatened.

This advantage acts as a crowd puller. Moreover, the consumer can shop without the tensions

of any traffic congestion or parking problems, security issues or crime districts. Mall security

4
Utilitarian shoppers: to whom shopping is a form of work or task which is to be accomplished, until they make a purchase.
Hedonistic shoppers: who give importance to enjoyment and excitement they experience during the shopping trip. These
kinds of shoppers consider shopping as leisure activity and derive pleasure from it, along with purchase of products.

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guards routinely eliminate homeless people as well as anyone wearing, what they deem to be,

gang colours. As a private space, malls can control speech and looks. They can ―sanitise‖

their environment and they can prohibit activities that do not comply with their raison

d’être—consumption of commodities. Mall parse the ―us‖ people, and remove out the

unwanted part of ―we the people of the republic.‖ But to this excluded lot, this is precisely

what happened before independence: ―Indians and Dogs not allowed‖. This causes class

stratification and corroborates the view already held by people i.e. poor are unwanted part of

the society or akin to ―crap‖. The prime importance is given to the working middle class

because the working class controls and shapes the technologies. This is done through design

features or making set of rules such as mall receded away from the road, the road itself acts

as a barrier for the mall or having a dress code in restaurants and the sky reaching prices for

the poor. For instance, helpers that accompany the business class are seen standing outside

the retail looking after their master‘s children or have a restrained expression on their faces.

Installation of video surveillance in form of the public installation of closed circuit television

also contributes to exclusion of unwanted category of people from mall. The monitoring and

recording of people in public and pseudo-public spaces is likely to have a chilling effect on

free speech and expression of controversial views. For example, someone who would

publicly castigate a government agency might fear retaliation if his/her statement were

recorded. And awareness that one is being recorded is likely to affect other types of diversity

as well, for instance, many people who anticipate being recorded will dress or groom

themselves in a more conventional way than if they know they are not being recorded. These

elements ensure protection of malls from people who may violate their space. But I have seen

these ―unwanted‖ groups in the mall who are present as domestic help. These people are

either a part of the cleaning staff or security guards. This provides them with an opportunity

to be a part of the society and become a necessary part of the upper class life. By working in

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the mall they have a chance to rise above poverty line and educate their children to become

the ―wanted‖ part of the society. This is because the development of the people is reciprocal

to the development of the country.

The mall, being everything, is nothing in particular. Still

there is the sense in which the artificial dream world of the
mall is like an artificial flower: It will never die because
it was never alive.5

The following part includes consumer‘s reaction to malls and what makes it a ―public space‖:

Certain question were asked to the consumers on what, according to them, makes them come

to the malls and what makes it a ―positive hangout space‖.

I: If given a choice between mall and a local market. What will you prefer and why?

Visitor: “It depends on the weather. If it is really hot I would like to shop in a mall. It also

depends on when I am looking to buy and what is my budget...”

“Depends on the purpose, if I have time to spare and want to spend an entire day shopping,

eating, watch a flick then mall would be the preferred choice because it would be

convenient.”

I: How many times do you visit malls?

Visitor: “In a week I go around 3 to 4 times for shopping and all the time in malls.”

“Every weekend”

“Whenever I wish to bunk college I come to malls”

I: What do you think makes malls the perfect place to hang out?

5
William Severini Kowinski. The Malling of America: An Inside Look at the Great Consumer Paradise, New York: William
Morrow and Co., Inc., 1985

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Visitor: “Because they are comfortable, you get everything under one roof, air-conditioned

environment and non-tiring. And have places to sit where no beggars can disturb”

“Have a comfortable environment with a good parking facility and all brands are available.”

“Apart from shopping, there are cultural shows, exhibition, contests etc.”

“All branded stores are available along with my favourite eating joint at one place.”

From the above analysis, it can be inferred that people have started preferring malls over

local markets. They feel that these malls are the best place to be if one wants to relax and

shop at same time. Even if it is a holiday, people would like to spend their day in a mall even

if they are not shopping. Families bring their young children to malls with the aim of giving

them a taste of society. Going to malls help people realize the changing trends in lifestyle as

well as the budding ideology of today‘s youth. Furthermore activities that are conducted

during festivals also help in bringing people together. Consequently, ―publicness‖ is

enhanced by way of the activities that are held, the ambience that is provided and the design

of space that is displayed.

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CASE STUDY

I. Ansal Plaza, Khel Gaon, New Delhi

Finally the amalgamation of the finest brands from food to clothing to accessories all under

one roof, and the building as a whole not resembling a typical DDA District Centre but a well

maintained class apart habitat with thoughtfully designed services and all these as a whole

lifted by a concept called malls. Ansal Plaza shopper stop has the first testimony to this

concept in the capital city. A multiplex shopping mall built on near about 35 acres of land

with built up area of 14,700 sq m with circular mall with open courtyard in the middle, has a

45 ft high atrium with a French glass curtain wall.

Figure 1: Schematic Plan Figure 2: Schematic Section

Aesthetically designed, Ansal Plaza is a magnificent piece of contemporary

architecture beautifully landscaped with greenery and fountains. It‘s an established shopping

destination and has emerged as a major landmark. The mall offers a climate controlled

environment that took drudgery out of shopping. Modern technology has made shopping

spaces very light and easy to navigate. Everything is designed to pamper the shopper with

best of brand. The OAT is famous for organizing music concerts, kavi sammelans,

exhibition, competitions conducted on children‘s day etc. It also has bumper cars for

children to play, also equipped with a LCD screen which features songs and cricket matches

which attracts huge crowd.

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Shops lined up internally in the form of two arcs connected by

a truss connector and are placed next to the well lit corridor

Figure 3: OAT in evening

which serve as passages to access various shops and divided by

means of a glazing between the exterior and interior. The passage

also has few temporary shops and benches in front of permanent

giving a sense of street character. The central space is a vast

Figure 4: OAT in morning

amphitheatre filled up with couples biting up a Mc Donald bun or

children playing around.

Hence Ansal Plaza is undoubtedly a paradise for shopping freaks as the

excellent services provided with best brands available under one roof.

Figure 5: Temporary shops

aligned along the corridor

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II. Select City Walk, Saket, New Delhi

With an increasing trend of countless

number of malls in Delhi and NCR,

Southern Delhi always was hunted at

Defence Colony, Greater Kailash or South

Figure 6: Schematic Plan (Ground Floor)

Extension by shoppers. But a boom in the

trend was witnessed with the coming up of

the most talked about mall today in City,

Select City Walk. The mall is culmination

of semi open, open and closed spaces. The

place is landscaped extensively in timber,

Figure 7: First Floor Plan

water, stone and steel with an open-air amphitheatre, fully grown trees and spectacular water

features. Off setted a bit away from the ever noisy and jammed road outside, by a soothing

public space called the Saanskriti which itself is a hub to relax, talk, shop and have fun

(during the fairs and festivals). It conducts contest during festive season or children‘s day.

Walking on the textures of greens and stone and sitting next to the variable fountains gives

you a peaceful ensemble which perhaps not much places in Delhi provide you with.

Figure 8: Saanskriti (open plaza) Figure 9: Activities in Saanskriti

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Figure 10: Atrium on a weekday Figure 11: Atrium on a Figure 12: Aged people also
festival day taking experience of the
ambience

The Saanskriti (open air plaza) is a marvellous attempt at creating a rich extensive public

space which has been materialised with pods of fountains, plants and stone benches,

simultaneously each part paving a way as an inlet into the mall. The mall has a central atrium

space which is well lit naturally and is a central node of the mall. From all big brands to the

most expensive PVR of Delhi, the mall is a hub of young couples, the upper class moms

flanked by their daughters, and at times old couples who go for a stroll in and out of the mall

to experience the pleasure of the intricate peace, beauty and clarity of environment that is a

beautiful change from the routine life.

On the weekends the familiar rush is the most visible density and on weekdays the young

couples and the women are posted at all corridors. One of the most interesting feature of the

majestic venue is the Highstreet which serves as a blend of modern design and traditional

street. At the same time, I can finely look over and take a view of the court and momentarily

isolate myself for some peace and change, thereby even pushing myself back into the mall

and mix into the mass of shoppers. All in all, it is a package of full entertainment serving as a

micro destination in Delhi. The one more important factor of the Select City Walk are the

service apartments called Svelte. A tristar hotel, with 83 luxurious personal suites available in

distinctive themes to suit the needs of long stay, extended stay, guests and business travellers.

Accommodation ranges from Executive, Deluxe, Royal, Grand Suites to the very exclusive

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and spacious Presidential Suite. Besides catering to requirements of individual business

travellers, Svelte have facilities for formal or informal meetings and events for business

delegations. The business centre is well equipped with the latest audio-visual equipment and

secretarial services. With a capacity for 12 persons, it provides an ideal business environment

for board meetings and small conferences.

III. Ambience Mall, Gurgaon

Ambience Mall is located in

Gurgaon, right ahead of the Toll

Gate. It is part of a whole

complex comprising of the Mall

and Leela Kempinski Hotel. The

Figure 13: Ambience Mall (Site Plan)
buildings are huge and imposing,

and in one way stand as a first impression of Gurgaon, as one enters. The external facade is

clad with mostly aluminium and glass panels, which hold large advertisement boards, etc. As

one enters the complex, one

experiences a series of well-laid

out roads for cars leading to the

entrance foyers and parking lots,

Figure 14: Ground Floor Plan and pathways for pedestrians

leading to the foyer. The mall is mostly linear, yet distorted. Due to its horizontally elongated

shape there are three entrances to the building.

The mall typically tries to follow a courtyard typology. The central part is a large open space.

The shops and showrooms are placed along the edges. The building is four storied with

walkways along the front of the line of shops, which act as a balcony. This gives a feeling of

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openness and makes the space feel more ventilated. Also, it provides more visual openness

and thus, one can see most of the opposite side from wherever he is standing. One problem

that the user commonly faces is the long distance that one needs to walk in order to get from

one shop to another. This occurs due to lack of adequate connectivity between the two

opposite sides of the mall. The interiors are very well done making the mall look well lit

throughout the day, with or without artificial light. This makes the stores on the side stand out

and looks more attractive to the user, hence promoting them adequately. The vision of the

user is then directed towards the labels and shops and not diverted elsewhere.

The Ground Floor mostly houses stores and showrooms for women such as Debenhams,

Mac, etc. There are also other Sports‘ showrooms such as Puma, Reebok, etc. The First Floor

carries more of the men oriented stores such as Van Heusen, Firang, etc. The Second Floor

has almost all eateries such as KFC, McDonald‘s, Costa Coffee, etc. The Third Floor has 4

halls of PVR and a fully-equipped Gymnasium in it. Thus, there is evidently a loosely

marked separation of uses and functions for the convenience of the user. There are stores of

almost every kind including digital gadgets, clothes, maternity, health care, etc. making it a

very holistic mall for every user of every need. The distinction is also seen as intentional for

the movie goers who can watch a movie on the fourth floor and then use the third floor for

meals, while descending the stairs. This, in the process, promotes the third floor

automatically.

Thus, one can see that the architect has not only kept the functional requirements in mind, but

also the longevity and running of the mall which would keep it alive in its actual functioning,

beyond the design process.

However, one very strong point to be marked is that the showrooms and stores here are of a

certain level, therefore making it feasible for people above a certain class to actually come

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and use the mall. This point is also further enhanced by the fact that the mall itself is situated

in such a prime location, exactly on the border of Delhi and Gurgaon, hence catering to both

the cities. The Airport and Radisson Hotel are also located not very far from here which

could also further add to the reason of the distinction of class displayed here; making the

requirements and aims of Ambience Mall a little higher than a regular mall located just

anywhere.

Ambience Mall caters to a very wide range of people from all age groups and both sexes, for

various needs and purposes. There is a larger crowd in the evenings and weekends for movies

and shopping. Access to the mall is restricted mostly to those who come by car and some

nearby residents who can access it by rickshaw.

Also, Ambience is the only mall in its close vicinity. Thus, most residents are bound to come

here due to lack of other places to visit in the nearby areas. This drives the crowd more

towards it. It also gives rise to bad traffic outside the premises, next to the Toll Gate.

On the whole, one sees that Ambience is a very popular and successful mall, not just due to

its location, but also its planning and structure, functions and aesthetics.

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Chapter III
Malls and Television

Malls are very much like TELEVISION. Another totally fake

environment that attempts to pass itself off as a true
reflection of who we are and what we want. We disdain it and
yet we can’t stop watching or shopping.

Paco Underhill (Call of the Mall)6

The explosion of information technology in the last couple of decades has changed

the concept of transfer of knowledge from one generation to another. What used to be

parental or grand parental transfer of knowledge has been replaced by electronic transfer -be-

it internet or television. With television intruding in our living rooms round the clock, it has

information to transfer on almost every subject. Even entertainment programmes like films,

documentaries delve upon all facets of life. Films are a part of literary aspect and it is said

literature is a mirror of society. What happens in the society is portrayed in films; albeit in

more romantic or bizarre manner. Still it is an experience for upcoming generations. They can

learn positives of truth, sacrifice etc and negatives of selfishness etc.

Television functions as a social context, providing sensory communion and social

congregation; it also helps the society define ―us‖ and ―them‖ conferring value on persons

and objects and possibly supporting hegemonic social control. Television as a social context

supports the concept of a place without a location. According to McLuhan,7 media and

technology is an extension of man. All of these, technologies which include television,

6
Paco Underhill. Call of the Mall ―examines how we use the mall, what it means, why it works when it does, and why it
sometimes doesn‘t...‖ Simon & Schuster, 2004
7
Hebert Marshall McLuhan, Canadian educator, philosopher and scholar-professor of English Literature and a communist
theorist. His work: book Understanding Media: The Extension of Man 1964.

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 Rikh | 21

newspaper, cars, radio etc affect how we perceive and understand the world around us.

Television shapes the way we experience a place as public or private, in different ways it is

very frequently characterized by journalists and academicians: as the privatization of public

space. The images that we see in the television give us an experience of life without going

through it. For example I have never seen people die but do have an idea as to what it feels

when people die.

Shopping is the second most important leisure activity; watching television is

indisputably the first. Much of its programming actually promotes shopping, both through

advertising and the depiction of model consumer life styles. As television is considered to be

a necessary evil, it provides us an insight into socialization with the world brought into a

living room. Similarly malls a perfect place to shop, is also a place to socialize with unknown

cultures.

Although, we commonly call places like shopping malls or restaurants ―public‖

places, they may be privately owned. They may restrict access to a certain class or individual,

or they may limit the kinds of speech and actions that take place within them. It would thus

be far more accurate to say that such sites are neither public nor private but they embody, in

one way or another, a particular sense of the relationship between public and private.

The mall is deluged with fantastic images to tantalize and entice the shoppers to buy,

especially in creating a dream world of the mass culture, and so it was probably fitting to call

it ―the church of consumption‖. This aspect of shopping is centred on its fetish purpose,

moving the population away from the reality.

It is said to have parallels to the way we experience television; both try to entertain us

by stimulating and lulling us at the same time. In other words, it creates an illusion which

hides the failure of the society in terms of politics and economy through the image of material

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 Rikh | 22

abundance exhibited in malls. While watching television one gets cut off from his or her

surrounding and does not have any idea as to what is going around him, though cannot get

bored from television throughout the day. In the same way we do not get bored of going to

the mall every day. A typical characteristic of ―malling‘ is the feelings of timeless (Shopping

Mall as a Way of Life) where people are able to kick back and relax and do not have to worry.

Like the experience of television, there is a lack of sense of time in malling. The jumble of

stores and services of the mall resembles our channel-changing interaction with television

programs as we randomly surf from movie to a documentary to serials, all within a minute

(Shopping Mall as a Way of Life). The mall is said to be a transmitter of culture, a shopper‘s

paradise to escape the chaos of daily life in a postmodern world. No matter how much we

curse the television, name it ―idiot-box‖, we still cannot stop watching it. Same is the case

with mall. This is the reason why more and more malls come up because people cannot stop

going to these malls.

The place acts as a distraction. People link malls to television. We go to malls because

the television shows new brands that are there and new which are being launched, the latest

trend in fashion, cuisines etc.

Malls are even linked to abstract art in that it allows free-play for the viewer, like

television mentioned above. Shopping malls are best place to be anonymous and at the same

time possess the possibility to make contact with other shoppers. They offer customers, the

possibility to be anything or anybody they want to be, it gives them opportunity to be free and

independent even if it is just for a passing moment.

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Chapter IV
―Fake or Authentic‖

From the ancient Greek's Agora to the Middle Ages' Commons to early 20th century

American urban streets and parks, public spaces have been centres for free speech and public

discourse. These spaces have been centres of diversity. Even when housing was segregated

along class or ethnic lines, public spaces were where people from different backgrounds were

exposed to each other. City streets, parks, and public transportation were melting pots of

cultural differences, places where one would encounter people who dressed and spoke

differently, hear people expressing opinions that one would never hear amongst their "peers",

see people engaged in activities one had never seen before. The diversity that people were

exposed to in public spaces was instrumental to moving beyond the insular world of private

or even community life.

In earlier times, there used to be self reliant settlements that had all the basic facilities

– physical and social. Physical needs/facilities included food and water for self and their

animals that helped them in their various activities. Socially, they were non nuclear families

and settlements that had deep interaction with each other. They knew each other‘s joys and

sorrows and empathised accordingly. Adversity on one family was to be shared by all. There

was always a recognized patriarch, whether a king or a subedar. Gradually, people became

centred in their own lives that involved responsibility of a family. By mid 19th century the

scene changed. People began to concentrate more on their own progress and how to get ahead

of others. As a result, socializing now termed as ―public relations or PR‖ became more of a

priority for the people, so places like malls have proved to be a perfect place for

socialization. Due to this, it is filled with the people and most frequent visitors to these places

are young couples. Even families prefer to bring their young ones here because of security

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 Rikh | 24

and no traffic hassles. Whether it is watching a movie, grabbing a bite, shopping etc,

everybody opts for malls. We will also find males eying out for hot girls here. Few years

from now, people will be just like machines that move from house to office in their private

vehicles and visit malls for leisure. And nothing in between will matter to them.

Malls are fake...These are private spaces with appearance of public space. They take

away the diversity and equality from the public space. This new type of physical space

creates a discursive ‗rupture‘ with older accounts of public space - based upon

equality and open access. It is a collage of exotic places put together under control.

However, the control over spatial structure and representation is coupled with strong controls

over behaviour, enforced by surveillance cameras and security staff. It is a highly purified

place where anything different to the norm of the happy consumer is subtly excluded. The

malls are killing them. It constructs an ideal community with no poverty.

But let us understand them from the middle-class bourgeoisie‘s perspective, with its private

world. For them, malls constitute a safe and predictable realm within a world rendered

dangerous by both crimes and cars. It is a clean and highly designed place. It defines a

signifier of class such as terrazzo paving, brass and glass and there is no sign of poverty. The

mall creates a purified environment, not only physically and climatically, but also socially. It

offers an illusion of a vital public life and harmonious community. More the city‘s public

spaces decline in quality and safety, the greater the relative advantage of the private mall.

Visiting shopping malls is new experience that gives them fulfilment and pleasure by

just strolling inside. Once the shopper enters a mall, he/she feels like taking an adventurous

trip to some new and exciting place. It gives a sense of independence and freedom. By just

taking a walk inside the mall, shoppers can be anything or anybody they want to be, free from

stress and problems of everyday life. Feeling of timelessness also creates fulfilment for

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 Rikh | 25

shopper. Having to feel the rush in everyday life, people need to slowdown and this can be

experienced by malls.

Malls kill our public spaces. But they also reflect right now who we are—private people with

private concerns with little public sensibilities. We care about what to wear to mall, what

scent to wear, what we are going to buy etc but don‘t go to ―green conventions.‖ We don‘t

spend extra money to buy environment friendly detergent but rather spend hundred bucks on

our make up to wear for mall; we don‘t check the impact of our hair shampoo on the flora

and fauna, or our landfills but worry about our image in the mall so we dress up to our best

and try to stand out of the crowd. Notwithstanding various negative and positive aspects of

mall culture, where former outweighs the later marginally, it is here to stay and flourish. As

architects, we do not have tools for reversing the Mall-culture. Willy nilly we have to surf

with the wind. This mall culture has emerged as a necessary evil that will remain unavoidable

even for those who continue to criticise it. As the famous line by the Cyborgs in Star Trek

goes: Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated.

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 Rikh | 26

Bibliography

I. BOOKS

Besser, Howard. Intellectual Property: The Attack on Public Space in cyberspace. (n.d.).

Duncan, Barry. Popular culture: the shopping Mall. Toronto: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988.

Kowinski, William Severini. The Malling of America: An Inside Look at Great Consumer Paradise.
New York: W.Morrow, 1985.

McLuhan, Herbert Marshall. Understanding Media: The Extension of Man. London: Routledge &
Kegan Paul, 1975.

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Understanding_Media:_The_Extensions_of_Man"

Underhill, Paco. Call of the Mall. Ney york: Simon & schuster, 2004.

II. ARTICLES/ESSAYS

―Mallin‘ Rouge: A Literature Review‖, discusses the different driving forces that make a person go to

the mall and relate these forces to the overall characteristics of the mall.

Besser, Howard, Associate Professor, UCLA School of Education and Information, ―Intellectual

Property: The Attack on Public Space in cyberspace”

<http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/~howard/Copyright//

Paksukcharern, Dr. Khaisri, Made in Bangkok: Testing the Boundary of Inclusiveness of Public

Spaces.

Adams, Paul C., Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706,

―Television as Gathering Place‖ JSTOR Annals of the Associaton of America Geographers, Vol_82,

March 1992, pp 117-135.

Goss, Jon, Department of Geography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822

“The Magic of the Mall: An Analysis of Form, Function and Meaning in the Contemporary Retail

Built Environment” JSTOR Annals of the Associaton of America Geographers, Vol_83, March 1993,

pp 18-47.

Bist, Raji. "The Great Indian Mall Boom." Asia times Online (2004).

Adiga, Aravind, “India‘s Mania for Malls” Time.com 13 Sep, 2004.

―Fake Or Authentic‖ Malls Are Our New Public Space

 Rikh | 27

―Growth of Malls in India‖ Indiareports.com , May, 2009.

sharma, Neha. "Mall Wonders." IndianExress.com (2007).

Voyce, Malcolm. "Shopping Malls in Australia." Journal of Sociology Vol. 42 (2006).

III. UNPUBLISHED WORKS/THESIS/DISSERTATION

Reinhardt, Jennifer, ―The Mauling of Public Space‖ 1060 Research paper, 30 Nov. 2005.

Taneja, Kanika, ―Mall Mania in India-Changing Consumer Shopping Habits‖ Diss. University of

Nottingham, Ma in Management, September, 2007.

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Appendix

Appendix I

Figure 1: Source- Author

Figure 2: Source- Author

Figure 3: Source- Author

Figure 4: Source- Author

Figure 5: Source- Author

Figure 6: Source- Tevatia Chauhan & Sharma Architects (P) Ltd.

Figure 7: Source- Tevatia Chauhan & Sharma Architects (P) Ltd.

Figure 8: Source- Author

Figure 9: Source- Author

Figure 10: Source- Author

Figure 11: Source- Author

Figure 12: Source- Author

Figure 13: Source- Dorent.com

Figure 14: Source- Dorent.com

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