Negative Effects of Shopping Malls Sena zgi 020040523 Reyhan Ate - - PDF document

Negative Effects of Shopping Malls Sena İzgi 020040523 Reyhan Ateş 020070804 Cem Soyer 020080010 Faculty of Architecture English 201 Tim Davis December 30, 2010

Negative Effects of Shopping Malls Thesis: Shopping Malls, contemporary versions of ancient “forums”, need to be designed more carefully, since they have failed to live up to our ideals by causing negative effects on environment, handicapped people and human psychology.

• I. Negative effects on environment
• A. Urban planning
• 1. Land value
• 2. Parking areas
• 3. Scale diversity
• a. Large building proportions
• b. Excessive amount of construction
• B. Energy consumption
• 1. Light pollution
• a. Over illumination
• b. Retail stores’ lighting
• 2. Heating and cooling systems
• C. Air pollution
• 1. CO2 emissions
• a. Urban traffic congestion
• b. Suburban travelling
• 2. Traffic overflow
• II. Negative effects on handicapped people
• A. Shopping malls and disabled people

• 1. Shopping malls’ meaning for a disabled person
• a. To do shopping
• b. Being social
• B. Difficulties
• 1. Building circulation
• 2. Store circulation
• C. Suggestions
• 1. Reasons of problems
• 2. Solutions
• 3. Applicable good examples
• III. Negative Effects on Human Psychology
• A. Impulsive Shopping
• 1. Economical Collapse
• a. Individual Budgets
• b. Small Businesses
• 2. Extravagance
• B. Growth of Addiction
• 1. Triggers of Shopping Addiction
• 2. Extreme Focus
• 3. Aggression
• C. Deceptive Feelings
• 1. Deceptive Conditions
• 2. Supraliminal Stimuli
• 3. Manipulative Designs

The contemporary shopping mall tends to shift the urban focus and define the term ‘city centre’ as itself. Considering the rapid increase of new built malls, it is obvious that in the future, neighbourhoods will be surrounded by a number of shopping centres, where people satisfy whatever they need in daily life. Even today, they play the role as attraction points with an average population of thousands and reaching millions at weekends, where people are not only coming for shopping but also for business, entertainment and sightseeing. Mall of America, one of the biggest malls in the world with 40 million visitors every year (MOA Facts, n.d, ln. 17) - which is more than the visitors of Disneyland, Graceland and Grand Canyon combined - is a proof of the almost magical lure of shopping centres. However shopping malls, contemporary versions of ancient forums, need to be designed more carefully since they have failed to live up to our ideals by causing negative effects on environment, handicapped people and human psychology. Careless design and development strategies cause negative effects on environment. To begin with, shopping malls and their interactions with other urban elements are important at the planning stage. They are designed as attraction points that many people are expected to visit which unintentionally increases the land value of the selected site. With the increment of population, different needs appear naturally. Maintaining enough parking space for the cars is sometimes a difficult issue to cope with and it can lead to other problems as well. In the case

• f Beverly Connection Mall, pedestrian access of the mall across a "pool of cars" has been

argued for such a long time that designers tried hard to solve this problem by allowing some functional tunnel structures and entrance facilities (Gresco, 2005, para. 2). Increasing the total construction area of malls can give some extra room but this is not a solution that can

• vercome the problems. With large building proportions in urban pattern, it is very hard for

shopping malls to blend into the neighbourhood environments. Although, as Frieden asserts, in the past during the development process, shopping malls were designed as detached large

spots of the neighbourhood in urban pattern which were inhospitable to outsiders (1994, p. 66), today the accepted trend is blending the shopping environment with the current living areas which can make the inhabitants use the mall more for their spontaneous needs. With this concept, shopping malls become an unmistakable figure while planning new residential areas which leads to more and more malls. Together with their uncontrolled development, they can involve different environmental issues such as pollution, as a result of more energy demands, or traffic congestion which is both a major stress factor for modern humans and also a time-wasting event besides its environmental damage. Another negative effect that should be noticed is energy consumption as it is becoming a more important issue nowadays in a world sacrificing its natural resources to live in higher standards of luxury but receiving more wastes or harmful refuse in return and horrifyingly not aware of these results at all. Polluters of environment is not only limited with solid wastes but also including out of purpose usage of everyday life materials like lighting systems causing light pollution. Since the growth across the country-side, light pollution becomes a regular problem that blocks the visibility of stars at nights even in good weather conditions which is mostly the result of shopping centres and their excessively lighted parking spaces (Reese, 2000, para. 2). Despite the fact that outdoor illumination of dark areas at night is concerned with security or crime reduction and has positive effects on them, the lighting systems should be designed in their limits while allowing the perception of beautiful nightscapes especially in sub-urban areas. Another issue about lighting is illuminating indoors including the retail stores, showrooms and their front-faces where very different and eye-catching concepts are applied to provoke the senses of consumers and awaking the curiosity to get inside and buy something. Although that is a common and acceptable marketing trick, Beyard also asserts that up-to-date lighting technologies helps the efficient usage of light which both prevents light pollution and energy waste while saving the amount

• f energy investments (1999, p. 101). Considering the newest and environmentally more

responsible solutions, it is not so hard to create the same magical effects with advanced LED technologies or plasma screens which could be used for many purposes besides illuminated advertising images on walls or highlighted signage to define spaces. As ever-changing shopping activities depend on seasonal conditions and weather situations, need of heating and cooling systems' installation on shopping malls is required even though they are seldom effective because of open retail designs or circulation areas specifically designed to make people feel outside and breathe fresh air. Beyard points out that heat insulation solutions can prevent the loss of conditioned air and contribute to the efficiency of power usage in shopping malls (1999, p. 93). Naturally there can be some additional costs because of insulation materials and their relatively expensive application spending, there is no doubt that in time the money will return to retailers in terms of lowered electricity usage and positive attitude to brand identity of being environmentally friendly. Air pollution generated while accessing these malls is another significant issue to

• discuss. As the amount of vehicles stuck in traffic increase, the amount of CO2 emission

increases as well. According to a research in Southern California, reducing the stop-go action

• f cars by controlling the traffic flow with regulation of speed limits could lower the CO2

emission rates up to 12 percent (Barth, 2008, p. 144). That could lead to inspiring ideas while developing such transportation environments without many intersections and traffic lights but keeping traffic in a regular flow with as straight, uninterrupted streets as possible. Another pollution source is accessing sub-urban malls which cause people to travel on highways at high speeds. Speeds above 65 mph are not only increasing the CO2 emissions but also a threat for passenger safety (Barth, 2008, p. 263). Moreover, public transportation solutions or sub- urban train routes could be useful and safer ways to connect the malls with city. In addition, traffic overflow which is mostly the result of random development of crowded areas with

relatively narrow streets is another subject of pollution source. This problem could be altered by using scientific researches and methodology in development stage for envisioning the future and considering the growth of city. Furthermore, malls still have not solutions for access of disabled people. One of the reasons of deadlock for a disabled person is lack of understanding. According to Sürmen, handicapped humans go out less time from their homes when it is compared to able-bodied humans. Social organizations to make these people’s times colourful are

• restricted. Thus, these kinds of recreation areas that are comfortable usage for

handicapped humans are different areas according to them. Quantity of reachable trade buildings can be few or a few of them are at a distance, because of these, trading hours have a big effect on handicapped humans (Personal communication, 2010). These people need to buy something for themselves, but whatever it is that must be purchased by themselves otherwise it means that to be unsocial and to stay indoors at home or in

• ther words to not act like a normal human. Shopping malls are built with a lot of

money nevertheless most of them are in distant places or do not have correct environmental arrangements. These are problems for a disabled person who has the average income level because a disabled person needs a car or helper person to go to the malls which are far away. Public transports are still not enough in order to use without help by disabled. Also people who are able-bodied do not want to change buses because it is tiring. For these reasons shopping malls that cannot afford to lose customers have started a new method which is known as free shuttle bus. Although free shuttle buses belong to the management of malls and the purpose of customer acquisition, they are not big and comfortable especially for users of wheelchair. These negative factors inhibit handicapped people from shopping. Disable people are obliged to wear clothes which are bought on their behalf by their relatives. The other reality is

to be social. “Especially in the shopping malls, they are prepared for social cohesion better and could be more social. Perhaps, going to a big shopping mall is a considerable and extraordinary event for disabled people who get out of their homes occasionally” (Personal communication, Sürmen, 2010). Sürmen’s words make clear the seriousness of this relation. People use the malls not only for shopping but also watching cinema, eating something, joining some social activities like bowling, billiards, ice-skate etc. and meeting new people. Early malls’ content were not multi use but with economic anxiety, population growth and importance of being social in lives of people caused to change the content. Today shopping malls are perceived as social centre thus people prefer them for spending time. When handicapped people go to the shopping malls, they have a chance for meeting different people, seeing new goods or products, joining activities and entertaining themselves. Meaning of going out is a step into the real world for them. Another problem for disabled users of shopping malls is circulation within the building. The first obstacle starts with staircases, lifts, building and store corridors, and also car parks. Ground level car park areas are appreciated by the handicapped if measures are taken against weather conditions and if distance of the buildings doors can be closer to these areas (Personal communication, Sürmen, 2010). This explains that one of the serious problems is parking for these people who drive car. Surely the aim is not just visiting the car park however when they do not find a useable park area, they are forced to leave there. Handicapped person car park places’ dimensions are not sufficient at car parks of the trading buildings or the places are used by able-bodied humans (Personal communication, Sürmen, 2010). On the other hand, used materials for covering on the floor can be slick or with cavity for visual aesthetics but to walk with stick and to use wheelchair are difficult. Portable workbenches which are set up on the corridor at the shopping malls cause accumulation of people and narrowing of transition path. The other difficulty appears suddenly in front of

them at store. Pelton says that when she particularly decided to live pleasant hours, even though this plan involved great discomfort, she had achieved to try on dresses at stores, but only at stores which had changing dress cabins for disabled people. If the cabins had no wheelchair access, it was hard for users of wheel chair. In these situations, she had been parking her wheel chair closer to the dressing cabin and was

• bliged to walk to the cabin with her crutches (2007, para. 17). Pelton’s words prove

problems at store, even if using dressing room is like a torture for their body behaviour. Such treatments cause handicapped people to feel bad. Moreover able-bodied people keep staring at them in these situations, they do not go on their activities and most of the time such behaviours embarrass disabled people. “It is clear; I cannot take goods on the shelves as a person using wheelchair. Also this is a normal situation. But to find an employee for helping me is very hard. When I go to the store, I look for an employee in everywhere for helping me to examining the goods or asking a question. If I do not find an employee, I give up and return my home. Like these situations are happening” (Personal communication, Sürmen, 2010). Such as when insensible management of stores organize their store ignoring disabled people’s needs, they do not compensate their shortcomings and insensitivity. To live with these negative effects does not mean there is no solution. Every time there is only one reason under visible reasons of such problems, lack of information and

• insensitivity. The insensitivity shows itself in every social area. Shopping malls are
• nly one group of them. “Width dimension of car parking place is still 2,5 meters

although, I warn about it again and again. Prepared shopping carts for disabled people are broken, and I warn employee for repair them, repeatedly. On the other hand, some shopping malls can be better at this.” (Personal communication, 2010). This expression gives a clue about what more expected as a good pursuance, while to repair to the

shopping carts is a hard job. Sürmen continue to share his experience “Some doors can be

• narrow. A suitable door is 90-100 cm between for wheelchairs. And when I pass from the

cash desk, I have difficulty most of the time” (Personal communication, 2010). Such easy and resolvable details are got out in front of disabled people as an obstacle by irresponsibility of

• people. Some steps can be taken to solve such simple problems. Every developed government

has Disability Act. Necessary information can be found about dimensions and qualified staff

• easily. Shortly, these can be said that ramp, if necessary special path, car park area near the

main entrance, wide door, disabled wc, wide corridor, disabled dressing cabin, helper staff, lift for emergency exit like fire etc., special cash desk, removable element like ramp, part of door, tactile surface, to guide with audio system etc. as some solution. While disabled people live problems at -big- shopping malls, some –small- stores have good solution. One of the fast food restaurants in Istanbul has solved the staircase problem with disabled lift and added a disabled WC although it has small area as square meters. Thus it is used by disabled people. These days, shopping malls are built more carefully about this issue. But only interior circulation is organized within the rules, stores have not solution yet about disabled accessibility. As a negative effect on human psychology of shopping malls, results of impulsive shopping are worth looking into, since they have a great impact on economy. Consumers hit by this impact -economical collapse- find themselves in debt, or at least left without any savings for the future, which is exactly the case of the 21st century’s individuals: The younger generation of customers, referring the ones under 32, end up broke at the end of the month (Peterson, n.d., para. 2). Fuelled by the shopping malls and combined with the careless spending habits of the youth, one would not expect a different result. However, that is only the floating part of the iceberg. Not only individuals, also local businessmen are hit by it. In Soweto following the first year of newly built shopping malls, 38.3% of local businesses gave

up as an outcome (“Malls Crush Small Businesses”, 2010, para. 12). However, there is more. The next year this percent was reported as 47.6 (“Malls Crush Small Businesses”, 2010, para. 14). Slowly the number seems to approach to 100%. As a result the local economy and the people living are brought down, while someone across the ocean fills their bank account. Additionally, the economical collapse that is referred to is not because people buy what they

• need. Exactly the opposite: People buy what they do not actually need. The university

students of today have their rooms stuffed with luxurious electronics and furnishings, and also eat at elegant restaurants (Mchome, 2010, para. 1). The problem here is that consumers are not satisfied with the minimum, they always want more and more, and the minute after that you can track their footsteps back to the nearest shopping mall. The following negative effect on human psychology is that these enormous shopping palaces, where the consumers get carried away with the charm of those centers, grows the addiction fact hidden in them. It is known that addictions do not appear suddenly out of nowhere - they do need triggers to surface. It is argued that following the familiar path of shopping makes one feel in charge of things, when one is insufficient in dealing with the problems (“Shopping Addiction Causes”, n.d., para. 2). This clearly shows the stress of life and the feel of insecurity triggers addictions, including shopping addiction. As a result, the triggered person may end up trapped in a shopping spree upon entering a mall. Additionally, it is possible to reach a different state under the control of the shopping addiction. For example, some impulsive buyers claim to have maximum focus during a shopping spree (“The Call of the Mall”, 1995, para. 4). This supports the loss of consciousness of time

• bserved on addicted people, the state where you do not realize conditions not related with

your target and where one never knows how fast the time flows. As a result it is not possible to determine how long the addicted person stays in the mall perusing the shelves, which leads to compulsive shopping. Furthermore, not only being exposed to addiction is a problem,

being unable to satisfy that addiction is also a major problem. In mostly all addiction types,

• ne becomes aggressive and more prone to violence once kept from the addiction factor.

When this example is implemented into shopping addiction, the person having it becomes savage, unless tamed by the sales clerks. Another effect of shopping malls are deceptive feelings. The artificial setting of shopping malls result in intense subliminal stimuli, which are created in order to shift consumers’ focus. This shift is a result of a series of deceptive conditions named ‘Gruen Transfer’. The Gruen Transfer is an unusual psychological fact, making the consumers vulnerable and more sensible to buying impulsively after hitting them (Smith, 2010, para. 1). The designers of contemporary shopping malls are aware of this transfer and use its manipulative powers intentionally, which disturbed even the discoverer of the phenomenon; Victor Gruen. Additionally, supraliminal stimuli have a really high effect on creating false

• impulses. In supraliminal stimuli, certain images are created in advertising that one thing is

shown like something else, where it is absolutely expected people realize the similarity. This connotation results in deceptive stimuli, in which consumers face regret after buying products with such advertising, since such advertisements create a false desire towards the product. However; there are more design tactics used in shopping malls to boost the money consumers

• spend. When women hear their own heel-clicks on hard floors, they tend to spend more

money, which is why designers prefer hard surfaces in mall corridors (“Facts About Shopping Malls”, n.d., para. 23). Additionally; since a customer sitting is not able to buy, it is not easy to come across a bench to rest in the shopping area (“Facts About Shopping Malls”, n.d., para. 24). In other words, instead of bringing the benefits of the product out, the feelings that make you buy impulsively are brought out, or it is not permitted to stop shopping to keep people buying as seen in the bench example.

Considering all these effects, it is understood that besides its leading role in economy and commerce, the contemporary shopping mall has already become an environmental issue, by disturbance of urban development, increased energy consumption and traffic malfunction. Sometimes it can become dangerously addictive; manipulating the weakness of consumers and sometimes it can unintentionally block disabled people's rights by preventing their participation in social life where just a 10 cm wider door or a disabled WC is enough for changing their lives. For the future, more sensible approaches on developing such buildings would be better for both environmental sustainability and humans' well-being.

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Reese, A. (2000). Take back the night – controlling light pollution [Electronic version]. The Environmental Magazine. Retrieved December 2, 2010, from http://findarticles.com/ p/articles/mi_m1594/is_3_11/ai_62298551/?tag=content;col1 Shopping addiction causes. (n.d.) Retrieved November 16, 2010, from http://www.myaddiction.com/categories/causes-of-shopping-addiction.html Smith, S. E. (2010). What is the Gruen Transfer? Retrieved November 25, 2010, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-gruen-transfer.htm Strange and wonderful facts about our shopping malls. (n.d.) Retrieved September 2, 2010, from http://www.strangeracer.com/content/item/126134.html