AreShoppingMallsPrivateorPublic

Space?:TheAffectonHangingOutat
theMall
PostedonApril20,2013bytheblueoakblog

ByJeremyBonhamjeremybonham@gmail.com
T heconceptofpublicspacehasbeenaroundforalongtimeandmanytheoristshaveattemptedto

analyzewhatmakesaspacepublic.Theideaofaspacewhereallarewelcome,andwhereideasand
thoughtscanbefreelysharedminussocialissuessuchasracism,classismandgenderismsoundsalmost
utopian,butitiswhatisneededfortruepublicspace.Withtheadventoftheglobalizedwesternshopping
mall,thisconceptofpublicspacehasbeentestedastheseprivatelyruninstitutionspromotethemselvesas
thenewtownsquaresorpublicspaceinwhichtocomeandbewithfriendsandcommunity.Whilethisis
howtheyarepromotedthispaperwillarguethatthesespacesarenottrulypublic.Bybeingprivately
ownedthesespaceshaveaparticularagendaandassuchcannottrulyfunctionaspublicspaceandthis
affectsthemodernpasttimeofhangingoutatthemallbystuntingsocialinteractions.Thispaperwillseek
tosupportthisargument,firstly,byexamininganddefiningpublicspace.Secondly,aspectsofhowthemall
affectsvisitorswillbeexaminedbylookingathowmallslimitaccesstoindividuals,andhowmallslimitthe
usageoftheirspace.Thispaperwillshowthattheshoppingmallsquasipublicspaceaffectshangingoutat
themallbyencouragingaconsumeristattitudeandbehaviourswhilealsolimitingaccesstocertaingroups
ofindividualsthusinhibitingsocialrelationsbetweenallpeoples.
Publicspacehaslongbeendiscussedtodeterminewhatexactlyconstitutessuchaspace.Theorieson

publicspacegobackthroughhistoryandincludeHegelsviewthatpublicspacewasaplacewherestate
powerintheformofpoliticalactiontookplacetherewasadistinctionalso,betweenthepublicandcivil
society(Sennett,2008,p.380).Morecontemporarytheoristshaveconceivedofalessambiguousnotionof
thepublicrealmandRichardSennettmakesapointtodiscusstheminhisReflectionsonthePublicRealm.
HannahArendt,asparaphrasedbySennett,seespublicspaceasaplacethatisruledbyspeechandthe
visualnolongermatters(Sennett,2008,p.383).Thishasinterestingimplicationsfortheideaofapublic
space.Forexample,ifvisualaspectsarelessenedandspeechisfavored,thanvisualcues,suchasraceor
age,shouldnolongerbeofimportance.Thesharingofideasandthoughtsbecomemoreprominentwithin
atrulypublicspace.
Habermas,asSennettpointsout,followsArendtsworkbutaddsmoredepthbylookingathowthepublic

spherebecomesaplaceofcommunicativeinteractionaplacewherewhatinterestisisdiscussedrather
thanadefendingofinterests(Sennett,2008,p.383).Thisconceptofpublicspaceseesthesespacesas
theplacesofpublicdebateapoliticalunderstandingofpublicspace(HoussayHolzschuch&Teppo,2009,
p.353).Again,thisideaofwhatapublicspaceorrealmis,isinterestinginthatthisbecomesarealmwhere
ideasaresharedandconceptsexplored.Itisaplaceofpublicdebateandexpressingofideas.Itisnota
placewherepeopleareforcingtheirideasonothers,insteaditisaplaceofsharingandcollaborationto

moveideasforward.
Sennettsownideasofwhatpublicspaceisareextremelyinterestingandtakeacompletelydifferent

approachtothepreviousmentionedtheorists.Sennett,andothers,seepublicspaceasastagewhere
peoplecommunicateinformationbyexpressingthemselvesinasimilarwayanactoronstagewouldtryto
communicateinformation(Sennett,2008,p.384).Sennettfurthersthisanalysisbysuggestingthatthe
spaceswherethistheatricalcommunicationofinformationcanbeaccomplishedaremultifunctional.Thus,
forSennett,theprivatizationofspacereducesthisabilitytocommunicateinformationaswellascreatinga
monofunctionalityoutofthespace(Sennett,2008,P.385).Forthepurposesofthispaper,this
understandingofpublicspaceworksquitenicely.Whileashoppingmallappearstobemultifunctional,with
itsmanyshopsandeateries,ittrulyisamonofunctionalspace,thustheabilityfortruepublic
communicationislostintheseplaces.
Gettingpastallofthetheoryonpublicspaceandmovingtowardsaworkingdefinition,twomoreideasof

whatpublicspaceisneedtobeexamined.DonMitchellproposestwoopposingideasofpublicspaceinhis
articleTheEndofPublicSpace?PeoplesPark,DefinitionsofthePublic,andDemocracy.Mitchellsfirst
definitionseespublicspaceasaplaceforrecreationandentertainment,subjecttousagebyanappropriate
andbehavedpublic.ThisdefinitionispresentedasoneseenbydevelopersofPeoplesPark,nexttothe
BerkeleyUniversitycampus.Mitchellsseconddefinitionseespublicspaceasaplaceofgatheringwiththe
absenceofcoercivepowers.ThisconceptwasputforthbythosewhousedtheaforementionedPeoples
Parkpriortoitsbeingpurchasedfordevelopmentthehomelessandactivists.(Mitchell,1995,p.115)
Basedonthetwoprecedingdefinitions,itcanbeseenthatMitchellssecondconceptofwhatpublicspace

istobelinesuprathernicelywithSennettsviewsonamultifunctionalspacethatallowsforthe
communicationofinformation.Aswell,itpresentsasocialconceptofpublicspace,definedbyHoussay
Holzschuch&Teppoasaconcreteplacewherepeoplefromallwalksoflifemeetandinteractwithone
another(2009,p.353).Mitchellsfirstconcept,however,matchesmorecloselytoSennettsideaofa
monofunctional,privatizedspacewherecommunicationcannotoccur.Basedonthis,aworkingdefinition
forpublicspacewouldbe:Aplacewhereanyonecanfreelygatherandcommunicateideasorinformation,
withthespacebeingabletobeusedformanypurposesorfunctions.Itisnotlimitingtowhocanenterorto
whatideasarepresented.Inthecontextofthispaper,shoppingmallsfallveryshortofthisdefinition.Aswill
beshown,shoppingmallsarelimitingtowhocanenterandtowhatcanbedonewithintheirwalls.Wewill
beginbylookingathowshoppingmallslimitaccess,eitherintentionallyorunintentionally.
MalcolmVoycesuggeststhatthemedievalmarketplacewasahistoricalideaofwhatpublicspaceshould

be.Withitsmanymerchants,shoppersandparticularcodeofbehaviour,themarketplacewasopentoall,
andatrulypublicspacecouldbefound(Voyce,2006,p.269).Withtheintroductionoftheprivatelyowned
shoppingmall,limitationsonwhocanenterorpartakeoftheservicesavailabletherearecreated.Inthis
section,areviewofspecificareasoflimitationthathavebeenimposedbycertainmallsaroundtheglobein
willbedoneinanefforttoshowhowshoppingmallsarelimitingandtherefore,notthenewmodernpublic
marketplace,orevenpublicspaceatall.
InHornsby,AustraliatheWestfieldmallwascompletedin2002.Thismallwassitedonlandthathadheld

twosmallershoppingcentersandwasdevelopedintotheonelargeshoppingmall.Whiletherewereafew
smallissuespriortodevelopment,councilapproveditsconstructionwithonlyafewminorconcessions

askedfor.Twodesignissuesthatareimportanttonotearethattherewasasmallnumberofentrancesinto
thestructure,andthefactthatthefacadewascomparedtothewallsofafortress.(Voyce,2006,p.271)
T heappearanceofthismall,withitslackofentrancesimmediatelysuggestsalimitontheaccesstothe

building.Aswell,withaprisonlikefacadeitwouldappearintimidating.Voycedoessuggest,however,that
thesedesignsarethere,nottolimitaccess,butaspartofthemallsoverallstructuraldesignfor
consumptionandmovement(Voyce,2006,p.270).Thus,whileitmaynotbedesignedforlimitingaccess,
itdoessobycreatingastructuredesignedforshopping,suggestingthatonlythosewhoarelookingto
shoparewelcome,andconversely,onlythosewiththefinancialmeanstoshoparewelcome.
T hemallinHornsby,aswellasmallsgloballyaredesignedinspecificways,tocreateaglobalhomogeneity

ofshopping.Thisisduetothefactthatthosewhoowntheseshoppingmallshavefoundthatcontrolled
diversityismoreprofitablethanunconstrainedsocialdifferences(Mitchell,1995,p.119).Thissuggests
thatthediversityofthepopulationwithinamallishighlycontrolledasthereismoremoneytobemadeby
allowingcertainindividualsintothemalloverotherindividuals.Thisisaninterestingideaasitpointsto
somethingthatwillbeexploredlaterandthatisthelimitingofaprivatespacesfunctionality,particularly,to
thefunctionofmakingprofitsfortheprivateowners.
T heMallofAmericaintheUnitedStatesalsohasissueswithlimitingaccesstocertaingroupsof

individuals.In1996theMallofAmericainstitutedacurfewonFridayandSaturdaynights.Thiscurfew
stipulatesthatchildren16andundermustbeaccompaniedbyanadultafter6pmonthosedays
(ODougherty,2006).Thiscurfewisanobviouslimitingofaccesstoanentireclassofpeople,particularly
theteenagerswhoareknownforhangingoutinpublicspacesinsocialgroups.MaureenODougherty,in
writingaboutthecurfewatthemall,suggeststhattheremayalsoberacialimplicationswiththeimposition
ofthiscurfew(2006,p.133).Thissuggeststhatwhilethecurfewislimitingaccesstochildrenatthese
times,themallmayalsobeworkingatlimitingaccesstocertainracesofteenagers,particularlythoseof
color.Thislimitationofaccessisdoneinthenameofsafety.InanefforttoadvertisetheMallofAmericaas
afamilyfriendlyplace,themallhasinstitutedthiscurfewimplyingthattherewillnotbeanytroublemaking
youthsatthemallonthesetwonights.(ODougherty,2006)
T hereareseveralexamplesofshoppingmallslimitingaccesstocertainpopulations,therebymakingthese

mallsintospacesthatareobviouslynotpublicinnature.Therearethosewhowouldcontestthisissue
thoughandsuggestthatshoppingmallsdofulfillafunctionasasocialgatheringplace.Thisconceptis
suggestedbyJeffereyS.P.HopkinsashediscussestheWestEdmontonMall.However,whilehemakesa
pointtoextolthevirtuesofthemallasasocialgatheringplace,healsopointsoutthatthemallcanalso
impedesocialrelationsbecausethepopulationsenteringarefiltered,creatingafalsesocialatmosphere
(Hopkins,1991,p.270).
Itisplaintoseefromtheaboveevidencethatshoppingmallsareinthebusinessoflimitingaccesstotheir

spaces.Theylimititbyclass(thosewhocanaffordtoshopthere),byrace(coloredteens),andevenby
age(curfews).Duetotheselimitationsonaccesstheshoppingmallcannotbetrulyconsideredpublic
space,atbestitisquasipublicasitdoesallowforsocialinteraction.However,thissocialinteractionis
stuntedduetotheseparatingoutofcertainelementsofsociety.
Shoppingmallsalsoputlimitationsontheactivitiesthatcanbeparticipatedinwithinthespace.Truepublic

space,asmentionedearlier,allowsfordebateofvariouskinds,itallowsforthesharingofideas.Public

spaceisopenforpoliticaldebate.Publicspaceisaplacewhereallwalksofsocietycancomeand
participateinthedailylifeofsociety.Thissectionwillshowthatshoppingmallsarenotopenformanyof
thesethings,oriftheyare,theyarehighlycontrolled.
Itwasmentionedearlierthatmallsaredesignedforthepurposeofmovementandconsumption.Thatis

theyaredesignedwiththesepurposesinmind.Theverydesignofmallslimitswhatthespacescanbe
usedfor.Hopkinsexplainsthatwhilemanymallshaveattractions,localvisitorssoonbecometiredofthese.
Aswell,certainareasofthemallmaybesetasideoccasionallyforotherpurposes(ie.Askatingrink,a
motorcyleshow)themainpurposeofthespaceisstillconsumption.Eventheseatingthroughoutthemall,
Hopkinssuggests,isnotdesignedforintimacyandcomfort,buttorestyourfeetforafewminutesandthen
continueshopping.(Hopkins,1991,p.2712)
Shoppingmallsarealsodesignedaroundtheconceptofsecurity.Throughoutmostmodernmallssecurity

guards,eitheruniformedornot,patrolthemallscorridors.Securitycamerasareusuallyquitevisibleand
sometimesnotso.Aswell,thereareusuallypostedsigns,dictatingwhatbehavioursareappropriate.K.M.
Williamsonarguesthatcivilitywasoftentaughtthroughsocialinteractioninpublicspaces.Withspaceslike
shoppingmalls,thiscivilityistaughtthroughsignage,aswellassecurity,andduetotheprivateownership
ofthemalls,oftenhascorporateideasofwhatbehaviourisacceptablewithintheshoppingmall
(Williamson,2002,p.4867).Therefore,thereisalossofthecommunityteachingofcivilitythroughpublic
interaction.Whatoccursinsteadisacivilitythatistaughtbyprivateownersandhowtheyexpectindividuals
shouldactincivilsociety.Thisofcourselimitswhatcanbedonewithintheshoppingmallbecauseifthe
owners,securityorsignsdeclarethatbehaviourisinappropriate,thenthatbehaviourisnotallowed.
AnexampleofthiscanbeseeninNewHampshire.Agroupofindividuals,knownastheFootLocker8

wenttotheMallofNewHampshiretohandoutleafletsshowinghowsomeshoeandclothing
manufacturerswereexploitingworkersinThirdWorldcountries.Theseindividualswerearrestedfor
trespassingonprivateproperty.Theyhadinitiallyaskedpermissionfromthemalltodotheirleafletdropbut
weredenied,hencethearrest.Themallsaidthatthewouldnottolerateactivitywithinthemallthatdidnot
generatebusiness,however,previouslyapresidentialhopefulhadwalkedthroughthemalltogarner
supportforhiscampaignandthatwaspermitted.Thispersondidnotgeneratebusinessinthemindsofthe
FootLocker8,hewassimplytryingtogarnersupport,aspoliticiansarewonttodo.(Mooney,1998)
Ascanbeseen,shoppingmallscanallowornotallowanybehaviourthattheownersofthespacedonot

feelisappropriateforthepurposesofmaterialconsumption.TheFootLocker8triedtogothroughthe
properchannelsandgetapprovaltohandouttheirleafletsbuttheyweredenied.Ifthishadbeenatruly
publicspacethentherewouldnothavebeenanissueandtheywouldnothavehadtoattempttoget
approvalbeforehandeither.Asaresultofthisevidence,itissafetosaythatashoppingmall,being
privatelyownedisnotatruepublicspace.
Inconclusion,shoppingmallshavebecomeplacesofsocialinteractionandcanevenbeconsideredthe

new,modernmarketplace.However,unlikethemarketplacesofold,thesenewshoppingcentresarenot
publicspacesatall.Theyareprivatelyownedandassuchthespaceishighlycontrolled.Mostshopping
centresaredesignedtoencouragematerialconsumptionanddiscouragecertainsocialbehaviours,
particularlythosethatdiscourageshoppingorcreateasenseofunsafeness.Asaresult,certain
populationsareeitherdeniedorgivenlimitedaccesstothesespaces.Aswell,activitieswithinthespace

arelimitedtothosethatpromoteshopping,ortheparticularagendaofthecorporateowners.Allofthis
affectshangingoutatthemallinthatitwillultimatelystuntpeoplesocially,asitdoesnotallowinteraction
withthefullspectrumofsocietythatisrequiredtobefullysocial.Individualsaretaughtbehavioursthatare
basedonwhatprivateinterestsconsidercivilbehaviour,notwhatatrulypublicsocietywouldconsidercivil.
Therefore,shoppingmallsarenotpublicspacesatall,itisreachingtoevencallthemquasipublicspaces.
Theyareprivatespacesthathavebeendisguisedaspublicspaces.Itisnecessarytogetbacktohaving
publicspacesasthesearethespacesthatwillbroadenourhorizonsasasocietyandasapeople.
References
Erkip,F.(2003).TheShoppingMallasanEmergentPublicSpaceinTurkey.Environment
andPlanningA,
35,10731093.
Hopkins,J.S.P.(1991).WestEdmontonMallasaCentreforSocialInteraction.The
Canadian
Geographer,35(3),268279.
HoussayHolzschuch,M.,&Teppo,A.(2009).AMallforAll?RaceandPublicSpaceinPost
Apartheid
CapeTown.CulturalGeographies,(16),351379.
Knack,R.E.(2000).HangingOut:TeensSearchforthePerfectPublicSpace.Planning,
66(8),49.
Mitchell,D.(1995).TheEndofPublicSpace?PeoplesPark,DefinitionsofthePublic,and
Democracy.
AnnalsoftheAssociationofAmericanGeographers,85(1),108133.
Mooney,T.(1998,0928).AreMallsPublicSpaces?:FootLocker8TrialBeginsinN.H.The
Gazette,p.
13.
Sennett,R.(2008).ReflectionsonthePublicRealm.InG.Bridge&S.Watson(Eds.),A
Companiontothe
City.Retrievedfrom:
http://edmontonfreeschool.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/03/SENNETTPublic

Sphere.pdf
Southworth,M.(2005).ReinventingMainStreet:FomMalltoTownscapeMall.Journalof
UrbanDesign,
10(2),151170.
Staeheli,L.A.,&Mitchell,D.(2006).USAsDestiny?RegulatingSpaceandCreating
Communityin
AmericanShoppingMalls.UrbanStudies,43(5/6),977992.
Voyce,M.(2006).ShoppingMallsinAustralia:TheendofPublicSpaceandtheRiseof
Consumerist
Citizenship?.JournalofSociology,42(3),269286.
Voyce,M.(2007).ShoppingMallsinIndia:NewSocialDividingPractices.Economicand
PoliticalWeekly,
42(22),20552062.
Williamson,K.M.(2002).CivilityProxiesandSocialToleranceinAmericanMarketplaces.
Sociological
Inquiry,72(3),486499.