The article “The Mall as Civic” written by Victor Gruen and Larry Smith is dedicated to the disclosure of environmental planning’s role in society; the authors demonstrated the fact that every democratic society functions by order and law based on planning aimed at safeguarding human rights. The article centralizes the place of environmental planning disclosing the idea that it can even protect the lives of people in case of providing necessary conditions for mental and physical health; besides, it is aimed at liberty and freedoms protection in any democratic society.
The basic idea underlined in the article highlights the necessity to make a profound analysis of all social conditions in case of environmental planning being applied to new commercial facilities development. The authors managed to introduce the term ‘shopping center’, stressing the significance of the shopper’s desires and wishes, rather than the seller’s ones. It is necessary to underline the fact that suburban shopper’s key need is concentrated on the availability of free parking and plentiful shopping area, allowing him to make good planning for clients’ attraction. The authors managed to stress the point that shopping centers usually fill the existing void, in terms of pedestrian environment recreation and educational and civic facilities incorporation.
The article discloses the functions and role of the shopping center, aimed at providing the opportunity for community’s participation in modern life, as, Town Squares and Medieval Market Place provided a long time ago. It should be stressed that such centers can provide the conditions for teeming life at any period, but not only during shopping hours. People will have an opportunity to enjoy their time relaxing in the garden courts and admiring various exhibitions during the period of weekends and holidays. Cultural and civic affairs are considerably stressed in meeting rooms created for all age groups and auditoriums.
The idea of planning concept introduction described in the article was stressed through residential area upgrading; this concept leads to complete protection of the community from any blight, as well as to the increase of their responsibility and desirability contributing to property values development. The authors strived to underline the fact that shopping centers are considered to be not only the places providing physical living requirements for the suburbanites, but also serving the social, cultural, and civic needs of the community. The concept is presented as a valuable contribution to modern life enrichment.
References
Gruen, V. and Smith, L. The Mall as the Civic.