Topic > Evolution of Shopping Centers: Social and Civic...

At the beginning of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, one of the ideas was to create shopping centers and parks. The nature of cutting stores into downtown department stores was simply to have individual stores in different locations but not integrated into one place. An example of this is Baltimore's Inner Harbor, which was a street full of shopping centers and restaurants. Now shopping centers have changed completely, for example having a large and spacious building full of branded shops and restaurants. Shopping centers were created not only to be able to sell goods but also to help the social and civic life of cities and suburbs. During this period some steps were opened, in the book “Civitas By Design”. Development happens by making cities bigger than residents and making things much easier for residents. Another way malls and parks help cities and suburbs is through integrating residents. To demonstrate this, Gillette explains: “In particular, it borrowed from its effort to integrate residential development with environmental amenities, endowing its downtown with features previously reserved for the largest and most dominant downtown department stores. These included art objects, small parks, benches and fountains, and a variety of community activities, from an annual Spanish fiesta to free bridge lessons, dog shows, and outdoor art fairs. (page 78). All these activities represent how shopping centers are very helpful in integrating residents with each other. Gillette talks about a Journal of Retailing from 1955 and highlights “an absolutely practical concept… which embraces the idea that such a development can also serve as a civic, cultural and social gallop”. This is one of the activities that the mall makes possible: the Spanish party, where residents can encounter Spanish culture, socialize, have fun and feel at ease. This activity can help the