March 5, 2009
Charming, but…
Eastwood City Walk's concept as a shopping area is charming. It was made to look like a cobblestone street lined with three-story buildings on both sides. In truth, it's really just two long buildings connected on one end, but they change the design of the facade every few meters. Each building has wide promenades and even the second level has open corridors so you can look out over the 'street.' There are also balconies in some of the third level spaces to reinforce the illusion of being in a genteel European street. Unfortunately, what makes Eastwood City Walk charming is also the reason why it never succeeded as a shopping area. With the heat and humidity of Manila, no one wants to walk up and down those open corridors to go window-shopping. How many people actually go shopping with a particular item or store in mind? A few specialty shops are still there, plus some cafés and restaurants, but they're all only up to the second level—I haven't seen a shop on the third level in years.
c'est la vie des centres commerciaux, il y en a beaucoup où il ne reste plus beaucoup de magasins, souvent en effet quelques restaurants arrivent à survivre ;o(
ReplyDeleteit is the life of shopping centres, there is a lot where there do not remain any more many stores, often in effect some restaurants succeed in surviving ;o(
Reminiscent of the old row houses in Baltimore, Maryland where Patty and I lived just before I got out of the Army. Seems like ages ago. 1957..
ReplyDeleteAbraham Lincoln
Brookville, Ohio
true not many go with any specific shop on mind.....with recession hitting d globe can't see them doin any good business in near future
ReplyDeleteHilda, I love the angle of this shot. They did a beautiful job of building the mall, they just failed to think it through. They should have asked you what you thought :D
ReplyDeleteWhat a pity..I find these small specialist shops fascinating though if I'm honest I rarely buy much..
ReplyDeleteInteresting background information. Another example of where the designers should have thought more about the environment in which they were building, and how people like to move about.
ReplyDeleteIt's very pretty. I don't think a mall like that would be successful around here either.
ReplyDeleteEconomic depression now, may be more bad before. : (
ReplyDeleteHealth is the Greatest Happiness & The World at The Present
Interesting angle on this shot. At least they chose nice colors for the buildings.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the Renaissance shopping area over here in Jackson. Outdoor malls are making a comeback in the US, but I'm sure in a few years people will start thinking that traditional malls are great and we'll all go back to that!
ReplyDeleteThis looks an awful lot like the Outlet mall here in Molfetta...globalisation anyone?
ReplyDeleteBad business! Good photo!
ReplyDeleteI think weather is the main culprit. Who wants to browse outside in 100% humidity? I remember the outdoor shopping centers falling to indoor malls back when I was a kid growing up in Austin. with 100 degree plus summers, nobody wanted to wander in the heat when they could be in air conditioned spaces.
ReplyDeleteGreat shot, though Hilda. It does look like a really pretty place.
It does look nice. I can understand why it didn't succeed. Some developer dummies in Florida have built outdoor malls - here in Ocala and I know in other cities, like Destin. They're way too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter...I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteThe buildings look pretty nice anyway; nice shot!
ReplyDeletei also noticed that. and i also noticed that a lot of shops are slowly closing in some malls.
ReplyDeleteBut it looks nice right!? what a hoot....I like the colors....
ReplyDeletei think Laurie is right. Shopping in air conditioned arcades is the culprit
ReplyDeleteSo sad, it looks so nice! But I can understand that without air conditioning nobody would like to venture out in those temperatures! All the best. Ciao. A.
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