Unstitch: Saving an Urban Fabric

Author

• Carissa Hillen

Files

Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29820

Publisher

North Dakota State University

Rights

NDSU Policy 190.6.2

URI

https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf

Abstract

Shopping malls were designed to be communal spaces that mimicked town squares, where one could shop, socialize, and feel connected. The architect intended for them to be dense, to promote walkability, and have mixed-uses to attract a diverse range of people. What ended up being built was far from what was initially envisioned. Today the mall can be seen as a large enclosed structure, lined with shops, and surrounded by parking lots. This unsuccessful model was replicated across the United States after World War II and is now damaging many cities. With the trend of community life changing, people now want to spend their money on experiences rather than goods. By bringing Gruen’s vision of a shopping mall back and restitching the urban fabric that they reside in, one can bring new life and an identity back to the community. My research investigates how architecture can solve the problem of a dying shopping mall and turn these spaces into more of a life-style center, used by everyone.

Recommended Citation

Hillen, Carissa, "Unstitch: Saving an Urban Fabric" (2019). Architecture Theses. 377.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/architecture-theses/377