In this essay, the V&A Waterfront and Adelphi shopping centre will be discussed as to the concept of pseudo-public spaces. Each of these spaces serves a purpose whether it a distention like the waterfront or just a local mall provided everyday good. Each of these malls have been design and create to such away to influence the public how they use and react with in the given space. There are rules and legislations put in place at every mall prohibiting the public and forcing them to act in a specific way, thus questioning the space as being public as only specific behavior is expected from the public and when the behavior is not enforced consequence will follow.
Public Space can be described as a space politically as the metaphorical space of public debate(.Houssay-Holzschuch 2009, 353) or land owned by public authorizes like parks cafes and gardens. Or as Isaac Joseph a French sociologist, states that public spaces should allows people from all over to meet and interact, and that there s is a need for open access in the social scene(Houssay-Holzschuch 2009, 353). Historically, public space was where people from all races and classes could come together, the city streets and parks sensually become the ‘melting pot’(Besser). Thus challenging the idea of bring people Its also seen as a to share ideas and a space where free speech could be practiced. However laws have now been put in place to Public space is a very difficult term to define, thus you have to place it into context as the a space may be public at one level but still be private in another.
A pseudo place is a the ‘ manufactur[ing] the illusion that something else other than ere shopping is going on, while also mediating the materialist relations of mass consumption and disguising the identity , which altimetry deals with the dissemblance and duplication (Gross,1993, 19). Malls and shopping centers are create or the purpose of retail, its not design for the consumer but instead for the retails and developers (Richards 1990, 23). Shopping centers are typically produced by huge corporations coalitions of finance, construction and commercial capital and are meticulously planned (Gross 22). This can be clearly be seen in the V&A Waterfront. For example the size and scale of the mall is impressive provided the idea of the undiscovered and find something new and different. An illusion is created that draws people into the mall. Following the postmodernist view of the 21st century as the ‘distinction between reality and illusion has become problematical’ as today’s society lives in a world that was created and fabricated to generate a world that appears to be ‘perfect’ thus the concept of hyper realty is born (Goss, 1993, 21). Hyperreality is a term coined by Jean Baudrillard a French philosopher on postmodern theorist stating that hyper reality is “the process in which representations of things come to replace the things being represented”(Oberly 2003). Designer employ ‘illusions and allusions’ that provide the common ground for the consumer to relate too in a ‘imaginary world’ (Goss, 1993, 21). The V&A waterfront is a “hot mall” as it offers entertainment through the use of retail. For example like window-shopping. Thus pseudo-public spaces are spaces that appear to be public but are actual fact privatized spaces that are “sanitized” of specific aspects (Besser). For example mall, theme parks and stadiums.
The design of the waterfront mall is done in such away to help draw the public in towards the shops. As the entertainment areas are mainly on the outskirts of the mall, also the about 85% of the parking areas are either behind or underneath the shopping area, thus forcing the public to walk through mall. Show in map1, showing all the parking areas that are available ether across or underneath the waterfront. The waterfront is very impressive due to is size, the large walk ways give the idea of opens and is filled with natural and slight breeze, thus make the public comfortable and give them space to walk as seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 11 shows the scale of the V&A Waterfront. The ceiling is one big sky roof, thus allowing the illusion of daytime to come in. There are large amounts of access points, thus giving people options as where they want to go or walk. The V&A Waterfront also acts like a village or mini city, is self-suffusions in the way it functions, it caters to everyone from locals to tourist with different restaurant to international brands and home grown labels a so called ‘shopping town’. Victor Gruen, the pioneer of modern mall, that mall shouldn’t only be a pleasant area but a center of ‘cultural, relaxation and a educational’ (Gross, 1993, 23). The V&A Waterfront provides all of these features, thus making it a ‘shopping town’. The waterfront has a very rich past, as it on the port of Cape Town. Fig.12 is an image of the clock tower, was the original Port Captain's Office. It has become more of a place of destination, as most people go to the waterfront for special occasions and celebrate. The ideas is to keep the consumer in the area of them mall as long as possible, this is done very successfully in the waterfront, as there are plenty of activities to keep one entertained for hours, from boat rides around the harbor to dinning at restaurants , or simple walking around the premises window shopping. This is illustrated in fig. 3 where people surround an entertainer and fig. 1 where day boat cruises are all lined up waiting for customer on the left side of the image. Fig. 10 is a example of they types of boats being used for the day trips around the harbor.
The designers and developers of Waterfront, constructed a place of safety, order, and cleanliness create a utopia. A world where the public can get away from everyday mundane life. Be part of the privilege, as the waterfront caters for all ‘class’ of people from the cheap fast food chains to the more luxurious restaurants. This can be seen in Fig. 2 where there is a cheap fish n’ chips shop called the ‘fishermen’s choice’ a self-service restaurant chain to the left of the image and right next door to the right is a very posh seafood restaurant called ‘Servruga’. As well as the shops, where you can find the cheaper large fashion chains like Foshine to the international private boutiques like Dior. Fig. 5.1 is an image of the big named designers found in the waterfront. As the V&A Waterfront was one a ‘white consumer’ space the apartheid area, has now transformed to welcome the ‘racially and socially diverse people ‘(Houssay-Holzschuch 2009,352). The mall offers at least the illusion of a vital public life and harmonious community (Paksukcharern). It becomes a heteotopic environment where places come join in a ‘collage of simulations under control”(Paksukcharern).
However as compared to the design of the Adelphi shopping center in Sea point main road, the mall is very limited, it only has four access point to from the parking lot, the main entrance is somewhat hidden from view. In comparison the Adelphi center is much less attractive and holds much less than the waterfront does. The Adelphi shopping center is mainly used forever everyday goods, has its main attraction is the Pick n’ Pay that can be found within it, the floor layout gives this idea away, as the patter of the floor is directs the consumer directly to that area, where as in the V&A Waterfront the floor patterns are all scattered and there is no path to be followed, thus the customers can walk around without being influenced and be entertained. This can be seen in Fig. 5 and 6. Scale is much smaller and does not create the same ‘wow factor’ that the waterfront embodies. However like the Waterfront, all the restaurants are on the outside and also do have some natural light that enters through the use of skylights. Shown in Fig. 9. Even so the center holds much less significance and doesn’t hold much, it is a quick-one-stop shop. They environment is very mundane and not a place you would like to spend time in. The center relays more on the community around as it’s close by to come and spend money, than say attracting people from other areas to come. This complete opposite when compared to the waterfront, as the waterfront relays on the attraction factor of the mall, the tourism industry as well as local and other areas from South Africa .
Even though the V&A Waterfront and the Adelphi center are very different, they are still open to the public. However both these centers has a stricter code of rules and regulations that has to be followed at all times when the consumer their premises. In shopping centers all smoking is banned, as well as pet, roller blades, skateboards as well as weapons and many other things, thus limiting the consumer and in many shops food and drinks are banned. Within the waterfront, one has to ask permeation and pay for the rights to be able to perform or sell goods on the sidewalks. In fig. 4 are the cultural street performers that are found in the waterfront. It is also expected for all consumers to be dress appropriately and to behave themselves in a manner that proper. ‘Street people’ are often harassed , and cased out due to the fact that they ask for money or food, causing the consumer to be less likely to spend money, as their righteous ideas may be compromised thus ‘diminishing the joy’ of spending money(Goss 1993, 27). The ever present surveillance and security may be more of a ‘image’ than substance, as away to make the consumer who go to the mall feel safer and keep other consumer in check. “Malls prohibit leafleting or making speeches. Mall security guards routinely remove homeless people as well as anyone wearing what they deem to be gang colors. As a private space, Malls can control speech and looks”(Besser). This can be seen in the V&A Waterfront as well as at the Adelphi shopping center; there is a constant reminder that someone is watching you. There is security guards that walks, making sure that the rule and regulations of the shopping centre are enforced at all times. Seen in Fig. 7 in the Adelphi centre and in Fig 8 is an image of the cameras that is found through out the Waterfront encircled in red. This however has a effect on the type of person that might enter the malls for case in point,” many people who anticipate being recorded will dress or groom themselves in a more conventional way than if they know they're not being recorded”(Besser). There is a command over the spatial structure and the illation of representation has a very strong link to the use the behavior and use of security and surveillance (Paksukcharern).
As public space, in the 21st century has become a difficult term to define, as public space are now define in three different level, each of which has its own definition. However traditionally in a space where all walks of life can come together. However in our postmodern world today the term of pseudo-public spaces is define as a place that presents itself as a public space but in reality, is far from it. Aspect of the so called pubic like space has been removed and replaced with laws and regulations expecting consumers to abide by or the security will escort the unreeling out. Thus spaces like the V&A Waterfront and the Adelphi centre are space, that people folk to, with out realizing the illusions and allusions used to by the designer and developer of the Malls, to draw the public in and follow a strict conduct to maintain a this ‘magical reality’. He Waterfront is much more successful than the Adelphi shopping centre due to the general design and layout. However both shopping centers are examples of pseudo-public spaces.
Fig. 1 "V&A Waterfront."
Fig. 2 "V&A waterfront1"
Fig.3 "V&A Waterfront2"
Fig. 4 "Shwe-shwe....Shwe-shwe."
Fig. 5.1. "V&A Waterfront3"
Fig. 5 "Adelphi1"
Fig. 6 "Adelphi2"
Fig. 7 "Adelphi3"
Fig. 8 "A&V Waterfront"
Fig. 10 "boat tours."
Fig. 11 Web
Fig. 12 "Waterfront - Clock tower ."
Map1 "Map of Waterfront parking."
Bibliography:
- Documents
Goss,J.1993. The Magic f The Mall: An Analysis of Form, Function, and Meaning in Contemporary Retail Built Environment. Annals of the Association of American Geographers,83(1).pp18-47.
Houssay-Holzschuch, M.& Teppo, A. 2009.A mall for all? Race and public space in post-apartheid Cape Town. Sage Publications .pp351-379
- Internet
Besser, Howard. "Intellectual Property: The Attack on Public Space in Cyberspace." UCLA School of Education & Information , 03/26/2001. Web. 07 Apr 2010.
Paksukcharern, Dr. `khaisri. "Made in Bangkok." Testing the `boundary of Inclusiveness of Public Space. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr 2010.
Oberly , Nicholas. "reality, hyperreality (1)." The University of Chicago , 2003. Web. 10 Apr 2010.
- Images (internet)
"Map of Waterfront parking." V&A Waterfront Parking . Web. 11 Apr 2010.
"V&A Waterfront." The main shopping hall at the V&A Waterfront. . Web. 09 Apr 2010.
"Shwe-shwe....Shwe-shwe." Web. 09 Apr 2010.
"boat tours." Web. 08 Apr 2010.
Web. 11 Apr 2010.
"Waterfront - Clock tower ." Web. 10 Apr 2010.
- Images
Fig 2, 10 April 2010 –"V&A Waterfront1"
Fig 3, 10 April 2010 –"V&A Waterfront2"
Fig 5.1, 10 April 2010 - "V&A Waterfront3"
Fig 5, 10 April 2010 –"Adelphi1"
Fig 6, 10 April 2010 –'Adelphi2'
Fig 7, 10 April 2010 –'Adelphi3'
Fig 8, 10 April 2010 'A&V Waterfront4'
Fig 9, 10 April 2010 –'Adelphi5'
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