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Essay / The description and objectives of Canal Walk Shopping Center in Cape Town
The reasons why people visit Canal Walk Shopping Center would be diverse, other than shopping, an example of leisure, eating and socializing, interacting with d other people. and so on. The average, less wealthy person mainly visits the center simply because entry is free and open to all, and it is a safe, pleasant and comfortable environment to spend time. Canal Walk appears to be open to all audiences, but it is not a public place, it is private property and whether it is a public or private space is still under discussion to this day , some may even refer to it as a controlled space (Reyes, 2016). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay These things are planned, structured and managed in a way that influences the lives of individuals. Shopping is a way of life all over the world and the Cape Town community is no excuse. Sociologists have gone so far as to compare these planned commercial spaces to a “colonization of other private spaces,” because shopping is and has become a way of life for many people. The Canal Walk location was perfectly planned as a strategic beacon that could appeal to the targeted buyer. Clear examples of this can be seen at Canal Walk in relation to store layout and selection. You can easily see that they put the larger and more common stores (Anchor Stores) on the outskirts of the center, near the entrances, but that still makes you pass a few other stores that serve your daily needs ( Woolworths and Checkers). The types of retailers present in this center are generally high-end establishments specifically located to attract tourists (H&M, TOP MAN). The tourism market is very beneficial as they are known to be big spenders, especially given the current state of our economy. Some may say that these retailers are aimed at wealthy and affluent citizens, a type of social group aimed at the middle and upper classes. Certain techniques are used to communicate this message, a good example would be the use of architecture and other social control techniques (Reyes, 2016). When we look at the visual design of the mall inside and out, it gives a message that says: “playground for the rich”. The surrounding areas include the luxury Marriot and Colosseum hotels as well as new luxury developments that have just disappeared. up there, promoting the entire neighborhood as an exclusive space, it embodies a specific set of social values that affirm that this is a space reserved for a few. This is a perfect example of how a supposed public space is developed by people with money. Not only is people's behavior adapted, but so is their individuality. “In reality, public spaces are a battleground for social control. When it comes to shopping centers, on one side we have the owners who impose their will on what are in reality public spaces and on the other side there is the public who consider these spaces as a public entity ". (Reyes, 2016).Canal Walk is one of those spaces that connects a public entity and a private space. The main objective while designing shopping malls is to provide visitors with such an amazing and unique experience that they spend maximum time shopping or window shopping. In other words, the design of the shopping center should encourage consumers to spend as much as possible.