Gallery Galleria Galerie: Malls as Urban Rooms

Yo! Modernism! In the Philadelphia region, “yo” is a colloquialism used to get someone’s attention quickly. It’s a phrase without pretense, and when combined with Modernism, it puts into focus the importance of place and community in our modern heritage, as well as the urgency of preservation efforts. The 2022 Docomomo US National Symposium will explore why Modernism still has the power to turn heads, to inform, and to adapt, and how its many manifestations reflect on local, regional,­­ and broader goals.

I’ll be speaking on a panel with Jeff Hardwick and Caroline Rob Zaleski about the history of malls. My talk focuses on the turn toward galleria-style malls in the 1970s, built not in suburbs but in central business districts (or places that wanted to be CBDs).

9:50AM, Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania, symposium registration here

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