| Title |
The Suburban Representation of Urban Qualities - In Mid-20th-Century Suburban Shopping Centers of the United States - |
| Authors |
Hong Ji-Hak ; Cin Eun-Gee ; Kim Kwang-Hyun |
| Keywords |
Suburban Architecture ; Suburbanization ; Mobility ; Urban Experience ; Representation ; Mall |
| Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to examine urban qualities that suburban shopping centers have represented, especially in the mid-20th-century United States. Conventionally, suburban architecture has been conceived as a separate discipline from urban architecture due to its distinct socio-cultural background. This paper, however, strives to establish the theoretical connection between suburban architecture and urban architecture based on the assumption of its interrelationship. The impact of modern technology on the suburban shopping space is revealed in such phenomena as the following: standardization of spaces, functional division of areas, and interiorized public spaces. Henceforth, suburban shopping centers have transformed, from being community shopping centers implying a nostalgic image, to regional shopping centers representing the modern metropolis. This typological transition to a regional shopping center implies the construction of "suburbanized urban qualities" through idealizing the downtown shopping environment. In other words, the reinterpretation of the modern metropolis as an ideal made possible the representation of urban qualities in a suburban architecture. |