Tuesday, August 2, 2011

TERM PAPER SUBMITTED

for

Ph.D (RESEARCH METHODOLOGY)
semester-I


Topic:
Shopping Malls in Hyderabad : A Visual Perspective



Authored & Submitted by:
G.NARSING RAO
Ph.D Participant


Department of Film Studies & Visual Communication
The English and Foreign Languages University
Hydrabad.
2010-11


Shopping Malls in Hyderabad : A Visual Perspective


" A whole history remains to be written of 'Spaces' which would at
the same time be the history of Powers "
-- Michel Foucault (1980:149)



This is the study which was taken out of my passion to express my observation which almost nearing about four years of my study of different shopping malls in Hydherabad and Secunderabad. It was my long held notion to know about the shopping mall concept where as there is anyway a huge spread of commercial activity through different shopping establishments in around the city since centuries. The gradual development in state is always being the crucial aspect which actually making impetus to promote this new phenomenon in commerce which was almost went to a saturated stage in developed nations.

The Globalization process is key phenomenon which made our rulers in escapable from its acceptence whether there is any international pressures are not in a context of globalization which became a quintessential phenomenon. One of the major elements for mushrooming shopping malls in the city can be traced to urbanization in any country which is not only a manifestation of the development and wealth creation of any nation but also indicates the growing aspirations of people simultaneouly. Globalization encompasses many things : the international flow of ideas and knowledge ,the sharing of culture,global civil society,and global environmental movement.(Stiglitz 2006:4)In any country the per capita income and increase in Gross Domestic Production(GDP) ratio manifest the growing income levels as well as elevation in standards of living which inderctly points to increase in Purchasing capacity also.The grate hope of globalization is that it will raise living standards throughout the world:giving poor countries access to to overseas market allow in Foreign Investment,that will make new products at cheaper price.(Stiglitz 2006:04) One side, the GDP making our country to attract new invesment either Foreign Direct Investment(FDI) or Domestic Investment in bringing about changes in strutural modification in State Economic policies as well as creating a conducive atmosphere to sustain that environment through out. This rapid growth makes any state or people to promulgate new laws in order to continuance of these legal frame work. This entire phenomenon occurred through out the world which we couldn't escape. During 90's our new economoc policies were intiated in the country which still being continued and intensified further through different phases in the name of structural reforms.
In this context we have to see the impact of our developments, as above said, how it took shape and had impact on our hyderabad city life. It is not just income—even the income of average individual—that matters but overall standards of living.
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Development is typically accompained by Urbanization,(Stiglitz 2006:46) here, the main aspect being the rise in economic activity and financial position which was not due to our state efforts alone instead we have to measure in a global scenario where our policy makers ought to adopt such policies in which the concern cities,including Hyderabad,went throuhg a devastating change and paving a way to new constructions and architectural innovations compelled by both global financial inflows into our markets and thriving to meeting up the tastes of growing niche consumer's high standards in terms of consumption in an international market ambience. In attracting consumers to shopping Malls, there are certain factors involves in not only to promote,market their products but also to adopt such techniques to retaining the customer base towards re-enticing them to the same shopping Malls in order to increase sales besides bringing in the “brand” values to the place where the products are being exhibited/marketed until gets its utility or consumption. The reason behind this assumption can be market scenario where the economics interests also often takes precedence over cultural identity.Most people put enarmous value on their heritage,their language,and their sense of cultural identity.(Stiglitz 2006:129) We have to consider that a shopping Mall is a non-living entitiy which gets its life through its occupants in a geophysical location consisting peculiar cultural identities and where the thrust concerns for companies and marketing promoters would eventually becomes evident in fulfilling in above said “desires” thoroughly in such atmosphere which meant to satisfy not just the marketing companies or promoters but also to the consumers,who are ought to be at receiving end, for whom the entire gamut is being prepared and churned out, while satisfying their “consumer will.” when we are using the word the “consumer will” it propogates the underlying psychologial aspects of human being because any customer is human being first ,whom we call a customer in commercial sense -a person having capacity to buy products/services in order to fulfill his/her needs. Since being a human being has psychological traits which drives towards mediated product or places where they can not only find satisfaction but also utilize it towards gratifying their personal desires or needs which were may or not at all concerned in the product/service itself.
Any city which being prepared for a massive transformation in a globalization process or we may call it as rapidly developing city should meet certain perceivable precursers which serves not only to consumers alone but also has its pupose for commercial entities in relation to its business strategies and commercial viabilities comes across different cultural spheres. Here we can compare this ways of devastating changes to New York city during its rapid developmental statges which dwelled into a urbanized global hub for international trade at the cost of its early local essential image and purpose. Which manifested in the rise of buliding heights or called Skylines in a limited spaces to accomodate more people in this we can compare Shopping Malls may not be Skylines yet imitates the nature of them in accomodating more business estblishments within a limited space at one place.
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The restructuring of New York's urban environment (in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries) was not just a skyline. The land mark towers...were rarely of any functional use to their corporate builders...the only justification was entireprise visibility on the urban space [their logic was the] establishment of a physical presence for an unmaterial business, such as Insurance,and the assertion of an individual ego.(Fenske and Holdsworth,1992:154) There should be similar precedences may occur in manifesting the developmental strategies while designing the land scape for any city or urban planning sometime beyond State control. For instance, globalization has unleashed market forces that by themselves are so strong that governments,especially in the developing world,often cannot control them.(Stiglitz 2006:20) Shopping Malls could not stay beyond this evolving urbanization because the globalization and urbanization are key aspects which give birth to them.Shopping Malls and the space it provides usually constructed in one place having multi-storeyed spaces to accommodate more consumers while satisfying them besides making those place economically viable for its builders. Given the financial realities of a profit-driven market in land,there was obvious logic in concentrating people vertically in tall buildings on a small lot.(King 2004:6) Which not only saves on economic front also profitable along with fulfilling all global cultural standards which meant for itself.
In the context of Globalization and Global culture We have to know first what made our policy makers to concentrate on such a phenomenon, which is global in nature but intended to serve local interests. In most cases to take such a phenomenal transformation there should have been a context in which the change occurred.
As for as the Hyderabad city is concerned, not only State initiatives which aimed at giving impetus towards change but also other crucial factors such as Global culture spread across the nation states in order to find its way in every corner of the world. Here the role of globalization cannot be denied as it has reached a stage hardly to call it as globalization instead being named even as Glocalization being its nature to adopt local cultures, traditions, customs in it by which offering a new identity which is being, completely new cultural system or system of culture,emerging from the diffusin of cultual values,beliefs,and practices world wide and which taken on new attributes,and becomes transformed in the process(Hexham,I. and Poewe,K. 1997) which may be seen as part of global culture. In this context we have to understand what Globalization and Global culture is and how it can be related to our present understanding of widespread phenomenon of Shopping Malls across the city and the functioning and impact of its constituent sub-cultural elements associated with it. Here, we have to go little deep into the functional limitations of Global culture and its semantic association with Signs, Cultural practices, Internationalization of localities: development of any city can be measured in terms of its wide spread accessibility towards global phenomenon which allows it to bring in the new globally available techniques and practices because ‘global culture’ often means the discovery of something, either ‘at home’ or in a place one is not familiar with, which, when experienced for the first few times, is not expected to be there .(King 2004 : 30)
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This confirms that something new coming into our market denotes a new phenomenon which is global in nature and has been accessible to practice. Most of us will always live locally in our own Communities,States,Countries. But globalization has meant that we are, at the same time, part of global community.(Stiglitz 2006:22) This reference can be applied to Hyderabad city and its increase in global image and by encrypting into it the world-class infrastructural diamonds either through market shield or State sponsored constructions. If we accept that globalization as a global phenomenon that creates a place which ‘global’ in nature, also have to accept that its constituent sub-cultural elements also will be accompany with it—such as—Architecture, Design, Scattering of visual images, Food habits, Visible spaces, Corporation’s image perspectives and its semiotically encoded meanings entering into our daily lives which may lead to transformation and instigate to rethink, moreover, leading towards reconceptualization of our very previous notions. It is also a ‘worldly globe’ where nations, cities, corporations and human subject—as well as transnational and global institutions—vie with each other, in a very tangible way, to display and represent themselves on the politically and economically uneven territorial surface of the globe. They do this in carefully selected, visible places, and in sheer size of corporations reflected, for example, in the size of their office building as well as semiotically coded clothing of architectural design. (Robertson 1992) While discussing about visual aspects and its relations to the construction of Shopping Malls and its design elements—the way it has been designed to elevate the corporate ‘images’ of the construction company or its associated partners who actually being the corporate firms for whom the ‘visual spaces’ being created/constructed through Shopping Malls.The role of creative brains in designing the visual spaces for global corporates in Shopping Malls seems crucial which actually speaks beyond its space and purpose. Here we have to interpret the way in, King.A.D., argues:

I take the production of architecture and the built environment more generally not
simply as ‘one’ way of thinking about signs of modernity in the city, the nation,
and different discursively constructed worlds—a ‘plurality’ of competing,
complementary and overlapping symbolic and spatial orders—but ‘the’ most
important material and visual realm in which this competition takes place.
(2004:3)

The constructions of Shopping Malls: also construction of spaces, which denotes a material benefit, in general, actually, connotes the very globalized phenomenon. Which induces a psychological construction of a culture, a national image, an empirical global presence, where people not just see but also participate in an ‘exotic’ environment along with its subcultural practices per do. As I said shopping Malls not just meant for providing a place where consumers can buy things they wants to, also a ‘visual’ material construction through ‘specific’ architectural clothing having certain tastes and concerns which emanates as a result of the globalization and its constructed global cultural practices which may dominate in designing the visual spaces and look-and-feel of the Shopping Malls also, simultaneously, serves the purpose of connotative meaning construction practice of a global phenomena—global culture. In this sense, visual spaces in Shopping Malls not just providing space for economy it is also, however, a material world, a world of interactive symbolic discourse and gesture which operates through an ‘economy of signs and spaces’. Which may comment, politically, of something beyond to its very core purpose— selling/buying. (Lash.S. and Urry.J. 1994)
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Here, we have confirmation of the argument that social and economic functions are constantly thought of through the images of existing building types (Frank and Schneekloth 1994) and ones developed in particular places, particular times, and within particular modes of production. (King 2004) We have to see, in this context, the mushrooming of Shopping Malls not just as an economical resultant but also to crosscheck the very phenomenon as a product spatially constructed to satisfy the very demand created by us in order to experience the world ‘image’ at one place as was consistently being propagated and educating through different mediums through which the cultural outcomes of different people from various (but not all) parts of the world which, through processes of migration, electronic communication, etc. come to be represented in a single place .(Olwig 1993; Works 1993) This processes were continuing for decades mediating between the sellers and buyers as if how to access and achieve the world image –empirically and emotionally--at home which in turn may replace our vicinity into a Global market place. If we (State) had not taken the due safeguards, may, in future we have to rethink about ‘ours’ while living in a global at home. The dynamics of Space construction The main aspects that makes interest studying the construction of any material space such
as the Shoppin Mall one should be considered what are the crucial elements which actually contitutes the building through certain processes. Because every field of study has its own unique advantages in suggesting the very form and content it shaping its reality. We know that civil construction which laids down the approved scientific measurements to be followed in sustaining housing standards before and after the construction of the Shopping Mall. There are somany theries regarding the design and aesthetics practices which goes through the construction and after. We have to see separately each aspect in this regard. There are other dynamics works within and outside of the Shopping Mall. Because Shopping malls have become a sign of urbanity within a specific geo-physical cultural phenomenon.

Usually we are seeing here as part of global culture through globalization process. Any material construction,such as Shopping Mall,should possess global qualities in order to sustain its living interests in a global cultual context by replicating it consequential effects. When we look at theoritcal aspects af a Shopping Mall also looking at the designing and aesthetic practices adopted by the construction companies or promoting firms for their commercial interests. Generally they tend to seek help from the countries,mostly from where the Shopping Malls culture has reached to a saturated stage, while intiating the same in india or particularly in Hyderabad city. The sound practices are observed in terms of height ,design, atmosphere created in and around the Shopping Malls while maintaining international standards in enticing consumers at the same time 'communicating' beyond itself as part of global culture.






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Here, we have to consider the role of architectuer in creating the sense of urbane while excerting the notion of globality and reiterating the self identity.Every touching experience of architecture is multi-sensory: qualities of matter,space, and scale are measured equally by the eye, ear,skin, tongue, skeleton and muscle. Architecture strengthens the existential experience, one’s sense of being in the world, essentially giving rise to a strengthened experience of self.(Juhani 2005:28) Every city tend to take a shape as development takes place: the roads, raliway stations, public places,commercial establishments, in shaping the place. Urbanization needs to be seen in difference because its impact has the phenomenal effect on long term on a geophysical location and its vicinities. How people react to those effects somtime needs to know the place or location which has been designed, as an urban city usually designed with a specific sensory motive, in which people live experience themselve and react to the context for which it has been conceptualized.Urban theorists such as Lynch, have spoken of the ‘‘sensory city’’ as the heart of the lived experience,(Lynch 1981) while in other disciplines, including urban psychology and urban geography, phenomenological approaches have reinforced the sensory elements in shaping environmental perceptions and place.(Tuan 1977 and Porteous 1990) which usually represents the urban planning and the elements involved in its process of making a city.

Globalization has pressurized the local acrchitects to adopt global design and aesthetics in making a city: Shopping Malls. The uniqueness the Shopping Malls has is to be located at a 'certain' location in an urban environment. The differentiation made by the land mark public places such as Shopping Malls, may have been recognized as the thumbing sign of urban environment because the prerequisites demanded by the city to stand apart from local context and also creates an exotic outlook which is special in itself and being expressed of an urban psychology through architectural signification. As nodes and landmarks, public spaces have long since been at the centre of the city—through time viewed as a means by which to navigate through the city, as connections between buildings,(Bentley,Alcock,Murrain,McGlynn and Smith 1985) as residual spaces left behind by the socio-spatial fragmentation of the city,(Sennett 1994) If Shopping Malls are seen as conneting buildings between themselves which are mostly consists similarities, as shopping Malls per see, except its perceiveed sensory characteristics in its architecture and spatial construction which seems to be aimed at consumptive prerequirements of global cultural identities. As Pallasmaa rightly notes, that different sensorial attributes have been emphasized by different architects in their work—the visual encounters withLe Corbusier or the muscular and haptic dimensions of Alvar Aalto are cited as examples. But while espousing a more multi-sensorial architecture that gives spaces a ‘‘sense of place’’ and creates the embodied existential metaphors which lead to our self-identity, he, like Gutheim earlier, does not centrally engage with deeper questions of whose notions of sense and space should be incorporated and how such space should be represented.(Rogerson and Rice 2009 :144 ) Here, the most important factors which are considered for in any architecture that sombody's notions are playing crucial role in designing the Shopping Malls and construction of its Spaces.
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Usually,or even tradionally we know that architecture is a base from where the entire gamut of the concept called Shopping Mall starts. Without considering the importance and legitimacy of the study of Architecture and its pivotal participation concerned one cannot understand its allied dynamics of constructing a 'space' for any specific function or aesthetic expression. Before going into the explanation of the architectural dynamics playing in constructing the space in around the location,it is better to know about the 'Architecture' itself. Here, Aldo Rossi's interpretation regarding the city may useful, as he says:

“ Withtout here outlining such an overall frame of reference for the history
the study of the city, we can note that two major systems exists: One that
considers the city as the product of the generative-functional systems of
its architecture and thus of urban spaces, and one that considers it as a
spatial structure. In the first city is derived from an analysis of political,
social, and economic systems and is treated from the view point of these
disciplines; the second belongs more to architecture and geography. “ (1984:23)

Architecture gives us a broader frame work which gives not just impetus acquired but also the contribution of its theoritical assumptions made, and followed by its practitioners as tradition, will emerge to simplify our understanding of space construction and revealing aesthetic elements. I use the term architecture in a positive and pragmatic sense,as a creation inseperable from civilized life and society in which it is manifested. By nature it is collective.(Rossi 1984:21) any architecture should reflect the social life and the order being followed for times. When the city,like Hyderabad, is under massive transformation it also be replicated through its socially functioning elements such as business establishments or Shopping Malls which usually locate at a particular place with a typical space construction. History of the architecture or architects role in shaping up any City's land scape and its aesthetic outlook can be traced back to ancient time; for this case; Hyderabd city was founded around an architectural memorial built for thousands of people who died in a Plague epedemic, which eventually led then emperor Md.Quili Qutub Shah to come up with a memorial building called Charminar in 1591.A.D. Which is now a landmark synonimous with the name Hyderabad City.

Architecture came into being along with the first traces of the city; it is deeply rooted in the formation of civilization and is a permanent,universal,and necessary artifact.(Rossi 1984:21) Any architecture has certain qualities in its execution of Space construction and Form for a specific function. When we observe Shopping Malls in this context, we tend to look at its fuctionality rather than it as an artifact(here an artefact is work of art which manifests and contibutes to the idea of a city to be remembered or to be experienced through its functional elements and ability in any given context.)If we think architecute as an artifact contributing to the idea of a city,this indirectly pointing to such establishment which were distinct itself in a city atmosphere in the context of urbanization taking place in the process of globalization.
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The mushrooming Shopping Malls may perfectly match with this notion of making of a city to be seen and experienced. By architecture of the city we mean two different things: first, the city seen as a gigantic man-made object, a work of engineering and architecture that is large and complex and growing over time; second, certain more limited but still crucial aspects of the city, namely urban artifacts,which like city itself are characterized by their own history and thus by their own form.(Rossi 1984:29) When shopping Malls are there, which as a material construction for a specific function, the role of architects and designers are obvious. The role of architecture and aesthetic elements has some sort of peculiarities in shaping the purposes of Shopping Malls both in making the shopping area a palce of a distinct itself as an 'indepenent' construction to be matching the ideal of a city in making in the context of globalization, as said above, and meeting the functional standards through constructing and designing of its Space to be a viable material object in executing its purposes of an economic activity and profit making. Here the profitmaking and economic vialibity is a dependent factor on the scale of experience of its occupants and capacity to impress upon the psychology of them. Usually, any Building, Monument or Visual structure, has its own target audience for whom the construction is being aimed at. The role of designing and spatial elements in architecture has vital role to play in enticing its target audience.Any architect usually should keeps in mind while creating,designing the building as an urban artifact in order to bringing in the shape of his prefixed ideas into reality to match with its fuctionality and also in perpetuating intended aesthetic intention and architectural integrity; here in this case we take Shopping Malls. Aesthetic intention and the creation of better surroundings for life are the two permanent characteristics of architecture. These aspects emerge from any significant attempt to explain the city as a human creation.(Rossi 1984:21)

Now, we look at the internal architectural aspects of urban artifacts such as Shopping Malls which is not just being an organ of social activity,independent of this, certain facts regarding the Shopping Malls itself makes a good study. The main aim of my study is to look into deeper aesthetic intentions, at the visual as well as spatial aspects, which actually constitutes and constructs the concept called Shopping Malls. Studying the visual aspects of The Shopping Mall is not just in general sense,rather, to explore the visual splendour of them in order to know the contribution of visual part in its success in attracting more number of consumers everyday which may have been the resultant effect in new inceptions of Shopping Malls in and around of Hyderbad city.
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Visuality of Malls:

The term Visibility refers to the 'ability to see' or 'been seen' which is in front of our eyes. This clearly indiactes what we see any visible object in front of us and the way we react to it. Broadly, here, how a person can see the Shopping Mall and what he perceives then and after. If Visibility to happen, we have to be there and to be experienced the location or be part of the space which creates an impression what have been constructed either in customers's mind or in its ambience.To create an environment, architects have to consider the orientation in which the space is being used. By aiding orientation, furnishing the relative location of self & other objects (a condition which has emotional as well as practical connotations)(Lynch 1959)

Constructing the sense of modernity

Modernty has specific meaning in post-modern scenario where it give us some new insights regarding what modernity is. Here, Fredric Jameson, remark may be useful in understanding how modernity works:

In his ‘architectural conversation’with Michael Speaks, Jameson simplistically declares his position:My idea on the postmodern is, first and foremost, that the aesthetics of this period and the forms it projects have to be seen in terms of a whole mode of production and not merely as a kind of style: one that has to do with more complete modernization and with the elimination of those older enclaves of historical difference that correspond to older kinds of agriculture and older modes of life.(1992:32)

This indirectly implies that any new invention or discovery leads to a change which usually erodes the older forms which constitute the difference when compared with new one in given historical context of different production modes. This change is usually accepted by the people in their daily live as it was evolved in a participatory productive context which is not unrelated them. We can refer the process of constructing a space in a Shopping Mall as a production of skilled people involved towards a commom goal which also a natrue of discovery of new space that was not there earlier. This refer to producing new in a productive context,as Jameson said,by eroding older forms of a practice to make a difference in terms of innovative aesthetics and forms. Here the role of architects makes crucial in innovation or creation of a new space in a given location for a specfic function. While before go into the explanation of the role played by Aesthetics,Forms and Spaces in constructing the meaning of modernity towards the very purposes of a building structure such as a Shopping Mall in a city through globalization processes, have to look at its different elements.When the relation of an architecture with the location or building becomes inseparable that will implicate a larger goals behind its inceptions and the functions.
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The relationship between a collective artifact ,which is necessary an urban artifact, and the individual who proposes and single-handedly realize it can only be understood through a study of the technics by which the artifact is manifested.(Rossi 1984:113) This assertains that the person(s) or an organization which is intiating the construction of a building structure or a Shopping Mall should have to manifest their cultural aspiratons or ideas through applying “technics” to the form of a Shopping Mall : either by an architect who gives to building their (owners or organizations) ideas and cultural aspirations or architects have to take an independent position on this. When we looking at “technics “ as paramount principle which plays pivotal role in as construction of a building's Aesthetics, Form and Spaces, we have to see that , is there any definition which could amply fit into this category for further consideration of our study which in some sense involves the role and capability of functionalism in the processess of modernity through architecture.

The dictionary defines “technics” ( Italian technica) as “ the study of principles of an art or of the arts in general,especially practical arts”( Webster's New Twentieth Century dictionary,unabridged,2d ed)( Rossi 1984: 112)

There are many different technics; one of them is architecture,(Rossi 1984:113) being this the emphasize is given to find out different technics adopted by different architects in designing Shopping Malls in hyderabad through which we can see the assumptions of architecture applied to a global phenomenon. In architecture, the role of Aesthetics, Form and Space are crucial. And also to analyse the relation between the functionalism of a building independent of its spatial aesthetics. While analysing the spatial dementions such as the construction of aesthetcs,Forms and Space in a Shopping Mall, inderectly we are pointing to the principles of it which may give an impetus to the involvement and dessemination of various semantic meanings to prompt for a wide variety of discussions in visual and cultural studies. As earlier we have noted that urbanisation gives impetus to a change in the look and feel of a city to be remembered as an image or as a cultural and historical conception. Which manifests the collective nature while maintaining the individual expressive stance. In speaking of the constitution of an artifact and its memory, I'am thinking of these problems (urban ecology urban and psychology) in terms of their collective nature; they pertain to the city,and then to its collective citizenry.( Rossi 1984:113) Now, in this context we have to analyse the Spatial dimention and its role in constructing the meaning for a function through aesthetic aspects in a given global context. To mantain the academic impartiality here I am not taking any Shopping Mall exclusively in Hyderabad but may be using their image in the degree of its composition style for my analytical requirement where ever it is necessary.
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Aeshtetics, Form and Space construction

Most of Shopping Malls replicates the taste for cultural aspirations for both the niche urban consumers as well as common commuter. The appearance of Shopping Mall in a peculiar location also works as a referent point to the construction of it. We can find some sort of symbolism involved in enticing consumers to Shopping Malls. Architects aimed to symbolise the construction of its space both exterior and interior in order to maintain balance between its function and form in a larger context. The nature of symbolism usually manifests through archtecture that justifies the urbanity and cultural ambition aligning with functionality. The symbol of the sphere thus can sum up an architecture and its principles, at the same time, it can be the very condition for its being constructed.( Rossi 1984:114-115)

As termed by Akman, Ozlem:

In our contemporary discourse, the term “aesthetics” (also written as “esthetics”) has come to possess different meanings (Townsend 1997) or combinations of meanings. The first meaning extends to all forms of sensory experiences relating to arts, painting, and other visual forms,including crafts as well as music and other performing arts (Holbrook and Zirlin 1985; Schroeder and Borgerson 2002). Second, it includes sensory experiences concerning everyday objects(Forty [1986] 1995). Third, it refers to a wide range of conceptual categories that define aesthetics such as form and expression, harmony and order, symbolism and imagery, beauty, taste, and feelings (Carroll 2001).

The symbolism mostly seen in exteriors of ShoppingMalls which actually plays very prominent role in disseminating the sign which constitute as an urban artifact at first place, and using aesthetic appeal ot its expression of “urbanity” in second place, towards a goal of economic activity which is its essential fuctianality. For to think of symblolism solely in terms of how a particular symbol actually served an event is simply a functionalist position.(Rossi 1984: 114) Shopping Malls have not been as just symbol of an expression of an urbane artifact, also serves the need to satisfy to allocate the space optimally to its functionality. Some time it leads to modify or even call compramise on the aesthetic and design elements. Any spatial construction usually involves the reference points against which the visibility takes place. The exterior of Shopping Mall is primary aspect in not only making a sense of place and the environment but also enticing consumers to enter into it. Architects generally try to design exteriors against any referent points, such as the background or surroundings of a Shopping Mall area. Because the aeshtetic outlook can be realised in a referent local context.
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As kevin Lynch points out :

“...the basic elements of visibility in the city may be classified as Lines; Lines – these
are the linear reference elements, experienced & conserved as a sequence of visual
events. ( Lycnh 1959)

Every line in the city can be seen as a basic element called “street” or “paths” on which entire city is being build either physically or in a mental map. These lines generally be as lines of movement through which observer organizes the entire city from a coordinate axis. In modern city, this appers to be one of the most important elements of all. While architects keeps in mind the direction from which the observer moving across in which referal point; whether in a complex network of lines or in a simple continuous line or what is the location's importance in the city land scape in an economic and cutual compositions.Networks or sets of retained relationships rather than individual paths, can operate over much larger & more complex areas. They have an obvious practical orientation significance, but often lack emotional power if they are divorced from more tangible reference devices. They may be useful either because they have: directional consistency or topological regularity or regular interspacing, or any combination of these, (the regular grids have all three).(Lynch 1956) Architects also notes the surroundings as tangible referent device where the kind of observers ( may seen as potential customers) moving and comparing their perceptual difference with other spatial referent device with the present, which leads to a recognition with an impression through experience of the sphere or spatial environment of a Shopping Mall. The economical status and attitude of moving observers plays pivotal role in establishing cultural connectedness with Space and the location. When observers are moving along a line may have to think of their positon,such as right or left to the path, while observing any space unless may not be viable to access easily in a traffic controlled regime. These makes decisive role in accessing to any visual space or environment at any given location or context within a city geographical position.These lines may have a sense of direction, which comes from some progressive sequence of events along the line, or from the importance of origin or destination, or from a directed character in the traffic, or from visible differences between the two sides of the channel. This quality adds greatly to the orienting power of the line.(Lynch 1959)
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Photo:1
GVK ONE, Shopping Mall located on directional simple line which connects different referal points on a line, has simple transparent exterior which concentrates on radial spatial dimension to make most of its space inside the Malland to suit its curved space exterior line. Aeshetics dominated by line of traffic.
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The main aim of recognition of a shopping Mall or positing in a strong mental realm of the observers requires the very impressive symbolic visible gesture through archictectural or spatial construction. This is dependent on the line what it confers in at a given moving referral points in specific geographical land scape in the city. The position and the impression of the Space sometimes dominates the architecture as if how to design and what kind of environment be created and exteriority to be adopted to Shopping Malls. The line may also be able to confer a sense of position along its length, as from a differentiated sequence of parts; or from modulations of direction or spatial form or use; or from continuous gradients {Thus there is the sense of “half-way” or “soon” or “gone past.”}of these qualities. Such by name effects also strengthen the basic unity of the line, by giving it a “melodic” form when observed in movement.(Lynch 1959)







Photo: 2.
Exterior of Shopper's Stop at begumpet located on a sinlge referent device which has simple aesthetic visibility.
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When observers moving on a networked lines and paths in a direction connected through small constructed spaces, he has to under go certain confusion as far as the continuing similar complexities of spaces are encountered. In such context architects usaully try to give the spaces of Shopping Malls a sense of compelling form to stand out dinstictively among resistant complexities and similarities. Here, the construction of spatial environment needs more aesthetic compositonal tecnniques rather usual ones. Spaces are made apparent by surface patterns (texture,color, light gradients); by light & shadow; patterns of motion; sounds, by touch & by kinesthetic experience; by visual transparencies, overlappings & perspective. To the degree that they are articulate & have compelling form, they are powerful reference & recognition features: at least as strong as the intense line of movement.(Lynch 1959)



Photo:3
Hyderabad Central Shopping Mall,Punjagutta, on networked lines. Which requires more aesthetic compellation to achieve the indented effect through specific exterior design. As the centre is lacated in a chaotic environment of crossed roads in city's heart space.
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The visuality of any Shopping in Hyderabad city mostly are space dominated not just in their space construction but also the interiors are being designed so. The surroundings if we compare between we can know.
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Shopping Malls as Visual Devices

GVK ONE : A Case

GVK ONE Mall to seems indifferent to other in terms of space construction for both exterior and interior. Most of its exterior created through interior with the partitioned glass wall which connects both.The shopping area being made possible between the central plan space and its glass partitioned periphery.Here, the Form and Function can be seen “concomitant” in delivering the result. Form is decided by the organizational demand and the operational function which is a result of necessity in Shopping Malls.'I am inclined to believe that the way a particular function operates does not change; or changes only by necessity, and that the mediation between functional and organizational demand can occur only through form'( Rossi 1984:118) one of the major reason in skeleton form in designing the architecture for GVK ONE mall, is the consideration for creating optimum space in curvicular radial space which located at high altitude compared with other shopping malls in the city. This contextual aspects along with economic status of surrounding niche customer base might have compelled to adopt 'modern outlook' in this arhcitectural work. GVK ONE Shopping Mall looks modern in its outlook through skeleton form which usually gives transparent view for both insiders and out siders simulaneously creating space for optimum use for organizational demand. Another interesting feature at its exterior is not concentrated for advertising unless otherwise required. Generally, skeleton form gives us inside-out look of its hidden structures such as pillars,floor, base be transparent to the outsiders as its name suggest. The glass transparent walls as exterior walls supports in providing inside-look-out and allowing light to surpass inside while providing meaningful space even in a congestive location on hill area such as Banjara hills. Its design mostly shows the dependence on the space available and demands to use optimum.


Photo:4 Photo:5
The exterirors of GVK ONE Mall on a hill top area in a radial design with skeleton form
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As for as interior is concerned the ramaining area at centre of the building left open for aesthetic applications. Because the open space left out due to the parallel walls: inside entrance and exterior walls created space for shops and for their displays.

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The architects skill in creating such a space seems at the compramise of exterior aesthetic beauty for any Shopping Mall. To avoid that , only shopping area does not makes sense in enticing or entertaining the customers. Here the space left open at central plan has been maintained for avoiding the suffocating experience which would have had on the customers if they had only to shop at indifferenciated exterior and interior shopping space. The creation or instilling the idea of a modern Shopping Mall which is an urban artifact and resembling a city in itself, has been achieved through the space left open at the central plan and used for such creation of other semiotics the shopping malls should posses. For the need to break the usual functionalist monotony ' I believe that we will not transcend functionalist until we recognize the importance of both form and the rational processess of architecture, seeing in form itself the capacity to embrace many different Values, Meanings, and Uses'(Rossi 1984: 118)

Photo:6
GVK ONE Mall during night; doesn't require additional lighting ouside in skeleton form architecture where the
glass walls are common for exterior and interior; economically aesthetic.
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The form of the GVK ONE being skelton and having been with transparent exterior glass wall is the potential for making aesthetic outlook during night with lighting glowing from inside of the shops to illumine entire Shopping Mall. Its purely economical that no additional lighting can be required simultaneously as the divergent lightings of different shops inside gives its convergent exterior a modern architecutral beauty to on goers or observers. This tendency arrives in the west during poor economic condition where the conservation of energy was a predominant phenomenon and was a challenge for then architects during 1950-60's. This architectural style has been replaced then 'plastic'-single crude or cube size square box style, and 'planar'-which is single or double storeyed building either horizontal or vertical linear spaced gaps requiring more space with little usage, forms of architecture usually required solid material in construction and more intention on aestheticity of the building involving huge amounts which also costs for additional interior and exteriror lighting. During economic recession the skeleton form was the best option in terms making its skletal nature into an affordable aesthetic formation in the style of the buildings as their was no restraint on the space requirement as it is the matter of surfacial change of a building based on its concrete pillars and flooring only.
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Here GVK ONE, seems perfectly used this architectural technique in its space construction. Another reason for adopting this form may be the very location where it is stationed. The road is a simple line with directed traffic flow in an ultra-urban residing area. The surroundings of niche customer base with city's modern cultural adaptaion which is main aspect for a sale of precious modern cultural commodities or services. Especially for brand product selling requires a modern architecture in which can reflect the present cultural trend that mostly preferred for. This potentiality and the niche customer base might have inflenced the architect in taking up the skeleton form keeping in view the economic affordability and the very location. This structure as an urban artifact reflect the notion in a sense that as if at a leading position of the race among Shopping Malls in reposing again how Hyderbad is being projected to outside world. The interior also designed as model of panopticon,where all entrances were placed besides each other and directed those entrances towards left out open space at central plan through out entire four storeyed floors prcoviding access to each other through elevators instead of staircase. The open space between the corridors were used for Visual Perception for observers or customers. The role of elevators provides observers the Textural, Motion perspective and Depth -in-Contour motion effects which constructs the visual perception through aesthetics in the visible fields. As Julian Beinart says in his study for the perception of individuals of urban land scape:

“Visual perception involves an active exploration of the surrounding world, and not merely its mechanical reading, as had been supposed by many previously. It requires of the individual to organize out of the myriads of light values that impinge on his retina, a coherence of planes, surfaces and spaces, which he then recognizes and understands as familiar objects. It allows him to perceive of objects in a spatial world, related to each other and to the perceiver in meaningful association.” (1956)

GVK ONE Mall, due to its spatial congestion outside and to overcome this, it has constructed its functionality through visually perceptual space towards its open place at central plan which impacts in creating not only the urbane atmosphere in customers mind also seem to carry that flow through out all floors accessed through moving elevators which were also predominant in perceiving and carrying out that flow from shop to shop until exit of Shopping Mall. In architectural language the open space seen as a central plan and shopping areas as periphery in the words of Rossi attributed to Andre Chastel:

"one also thinks in this connection of the discussion (which were only superficially typological) of the central plan in the humanist perion: “the function of the [central plan] building is double;it releases the soul as effectively as possible to its contemplative faculties and by this arrives a sort of therapeutic spirituality that exalts and purifies the spectators; yet the very sublimity of the work constitutes an act of adoration that attains a religious tone through its absolute beauty”.
(Wittkower 1949)
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The customers interests has been sustained through open left ouf space at the centre of the shopping mall(Central Plan) which is a predominant space created by the architect for the purpose of not only creating the identity to the place where it exists but also turnining the interior into a modern shopping environment on par with international standards against the perceived ambience conducive for observers in retaining the identity through out the duration of shopping. The structural aspects such as Floorings, Elevator's Positioning and operations actually plays pivotal role in constructing of an identity both mental as well as physical akin to the perceived visual field within the Shopping Mall. Stationary effects takes place in shops and mostly, the motion effects and contours happens at the open space at central plan.

As said above, the sensory image creation not only of Shopping Mall itself, simultaneously the Image of the city also been imbibed latently while experiencing the open space. The design of Elevators, the Restaurant, Elevators movement carrying customers,the handbags with a peculiar colours and designs in the hands of customers and the lighting and Occasional or Seasional marketing events, Artificial play grounds, Games parks and Shopping posters with different compositional styles... all together reflects that we are not just shopping that we have to, instead, the every visual perception of ongoing observers would result out of conscious or unconscious interaction with space which manifest through their peculiar behavior in a constructed environment such as Shopping Mall.The environment itself is not a stable form optically and is a continual process of physical transformation. It changes in terms of signals transmitted to the human eye with changing light values and it changes as the mobility of the individual changes. The environment, both the so-called natural and man-made constantly undergoes a growth change, a process of interaction of nature upon nature, nature upon man-made environment and man-made environment upon man-made environment.(Julian Beinart 1956) In this process every customer or observer be deceived as if there are experiencing a 'city' in the city called Hyderabad.

Photo:7 Photo:8
A fashion show ramp walk. A Golf Ground artificially created.
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One can say that the city itself is the collective memory of its people, and like memory it is associated with objects and places. The city is also locus of the collective memory. This relationship between the locus and the citizenry then becomes the city's prodominant image, both of architecture and of landscape, and as certain artifacts become part of its memory, new one emerge.(Rossi 1984:130)
Photo:9 Photo:10
A Place for cultural events also,at GVK ONE Refuelling countre for movie audience at INOX, in
GVK ONE
Photo:10


Open space decorated with seasonal festive ribbons at GVK ONE This implies that a Shopping malls also requires of the importance of city's image to reinforce in customers that could always be in their minds that connects through different places which makes what a city should have, particularly in a globalization context. How that image should be retained, perpetuate, and reinforce the idea of City in each and every turn of people's lives, has become a predominant aspect, particularly, of sustaining the interiors of a Shopping Mall which demands a peculiar man made environment for the purpose of Malls structural operation.
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Every customer or observer from the immediate sensory data he can build up for himself a hierarchy of groups of perceived elements, always with the purpose of defining his position in a visual world. As he moves in time, through this world, the unconscious structuring is related to the new perceived phenomena. The stimuli are compared, manipulated and resolved within the hierarchy, all with the purpose of coherence and understanding necessary for the successful survival of the individual. ( Julian Beinart 1956) and the visual stimuli produced through visual sensory organs,particualrly,in Shoppin Malls can be very pleasant because its intensity of myraids and cross visual and cultural perceptions are high as to create the mental image not only for the single visited purpose but to be permanent in memory that could evolve into a “Brand” for the Mall in order to bring back the customer to the Shopping Mall which is the final and formost logic of spatial dynamics which often starts working right from the conceptual and designing stage of architecture of a Shopping Mall before its birth.


References:
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Articles:
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142 — 155
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Narsing.G.Rao
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