From shopping mall to civic mall: An approach to construct public sphere in contemporary China
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School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
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Date
2021
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Master's Programme in Creative Sustainability
Language
en
Pages
68+4
Series
Abstract
The public discussion shows a structural absence In the contemporary Chinese context because of limitations and changes In different levels. Whereas interpersonal interactions on public issues are crucial not only to the well-being of individuals in their daily lives but also to social consensus, this absence brings about a crisis on different levels. Exploring how to bring public issues into the public’s daily life space and construct a sustainable public discussion scenario is the main goal of this thesis. The first half of the thesis, theoretical study, is centred on the political philosophy concept of the ‘public sphere’. Aim to find deep understanding and guidance for practical design from a series of theoretical studies. First, by comparing the concept in Western political philosophy with the Chinese public sphere paradigm proposed by different scholars, the author examines the specificity of the concept of the public sphere in the Chinese context and analyses the current situation and problems of public interaction in China. Second, by analyzing the public sphere from a spatial perspective, the author summarizes the possible spatial characteristics of the public sphere: High accessibility; High comfortableness;Communal; High diversity of the population, Hight openness(Strangers can easily start a facial engagement here) and the High matching rate between the logic of space operation and the public sphere. These characteristics are used to screen a number of potential spaces which can support the public sphere. The conclusion is that shopping mall has a great potential to support a sustainable public sphere in contemporary Chinese urban spaces. In the latter part of the thesis, the author proposes the concept of the civic mall, referring to shopping malls that incorporates public interaction into their operational logic. In a civic mall, public engagement will be encouraged by the consumption space, and the mall benefits from the user stickiness and flows in the process; organizations, companies and public sectors that provide topics will have a platform to bring their topics into the daily lives of the public and receive feedback. By making public engagement and consumerism mutually beneficial, civic mall aims to push consumption space beyond its own value and into a public sphere space. The authors validate the feasibility of public markets in real social settings through a field study of the K11 shopping centre site in Shanghai and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders. In the end, this thesis summarized a design guidebook for designers, social activists, shopping mall operators, or architects to transform a shopping mall into a civic mall. The guidebook was presented visually through a timeline.Description
Supervisor
Jalas, MikkoThesis advisor
Jalas, MikkoKeywords
public sphere, shopping mall, civic mall, public space, chinese public sphere, public discussion