Malls – the call of the decade
Man behaves in a particular way responding to the environment he is in. he follows the rules that are laid out in front him by the society and culture. At a much immediate environment for example, in a posh restaurant, only a class or a type of people are invited, who have the code of conduct engraved in their body language, way of speaking as well as dressing. These are responses to the expectations from the society. Similarly in a military set up, a restricted behavior, presentable uniform, controlled verbal communication and a certain mannerism is acceptable.
A built environment can influence human behavior in two ways. The environment itself becomes a setting in which man is required to behave accordingly or the society spells out the rules of behavior.
Shopping malls are a recent development in the metropolitan cities of
The term “big box” given to the malls explains the large stand alone store that specializes in a single line of products. Coming up of malls has transformed the retail culture in
Street shops are sporadic. You can have a luxurious shop and next to it a stand that sells popcorn. The user has to freedom of circulation and no behavioral restriction. He forms his own personal space and freely interacts with the sellers on a one to one relationship. As Michael shmarak puts it “Mayberry effect is when shoppers feel a closer connection to the merchants of a smaller, quainter atmosphere as opposed to the congestion in the malls.”
In the process of bringing the western culture closer, modernization has lead to changes in the pattern of our society. The established notions of the Indian cultural society are changing. The mall or a glass box with a strong organizational pattern forces a certain kind of movement and behavior. The established pathways distribute the users all over the place forcing an even exposure. The atrium creates an interaction zone as an indianized version of a verandah.The brand establishments are designed for self service, responding to the new do it yourself attitude, encouraging the buyer to get involved in the whole process of purchase, from seeing to choosing to buying. No more is the customer honored as he is in a street shop.
Malls evidently demand a code of conduct. A salesman dressed in his branded uniform demands respect as given to the brand he is representing. The signages and the pathways take away the freedom of the shopper leading them in cues and rows.
Modernization and influences form elsewhere has changed the behavior of otherwise free and ‘anti rules’ Indians. Once within a glass box, even a villager tends to walk in a certain way, talk in a certain way and certainly shop in the way he is expected to. He forgets the place where he belongs or the culture that is engraved in him. As the environment is defined, the user departs from his personal space to be overpowered by the built environment has brought himself into.
The built environment as influenced by the west encourages aculturalization, forcing its users to adapt to the uniform, defined and established rules of organization, circulation and human interaction.
Currently, the mall culture is thriving to survive. The malls are empty with no life and activity. People are no more overwhelmed by the way these function or seem from the outside. The users are searching for the freedom and choices that street fairs offer. These malls have to be a part of the existing Indian context to flourish. They have to transform their concept in accordance to the existing shopping interfaces in the Indian market. Currently the High Street Epping is crying out for activity and life, and what we are doing in response is to expand the centre with vast areas of open air car parking, instead of reinventing the centre to better integrate with the street. Malls have to respond to the behavior of its users and not try and change them. Perhaps this is the case where the big box is not the problem, but the manner in which it is laid out, designed and integrated into its context is.
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