Shopping and Urbanity: Emerging Assemblages of Main Street, Mall, and Power Centre. (20th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rao, Fujie; Dovey, Kim
• Is Part Of: Planning theory & practice. Volume 22:Number 5(2021)
• Page Start: 747
• Page End: 764
• Publication Date: 2021-10-20
• Subjects: Shopping -- retail -- urbanity -- privatisation -- assemblage; City planning -- Periodicals; Regional planning -- Periodicals; 307.1205
• DOI: 10.1080/14649357.2021.1965647
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1464-9357

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Car-dependent cities of the mid-late twentieth century transformed urban shopping as shopping centres became privatised and separated from urban life – traditional main streets were often replaced by suburban malls and then power centres (big-box clusters). We identify 13 emerging synergies between these retail types and critique the ways the synergies may foster or endanger urban public life. This evidence suggests contradictory trends: a return to urbanity with more fine-grained, mixed-use, and pedestrian-friendly shopping, juxtaposed with anti-urban tendencies of entrenched car-dependency and sophisticated private control. The role of planning in creating resilient urbanity is at stake.