But Victoria Gardens is no City Walk, its ambitions are much less hyper-realistic, and perhaps this is what sets it apart from many other themed malls that we have seen. But the result is a somewhat duplicitous place that insists it is one thing when it is actually something else.

Link: Victoria Gardens
Reference: Downtown Mauled - Part I


New and new "old"

A nod to modernism

Signs, signs, everywhere signs

To create the convincing sense of a real town, the developers hired several architecture firms to design the various buildings in the complex. It is clear that the designers have studied not only Jerde and the New Urbanists, but that they have also carefully scrutinize real towns. None of the buildings are particularly interesting architecturally, the most impressive thing is that the buildings are scaled and proportioned well. Cleverly, it is not only the more quaint of building styles and eras that have been emulated; some of the buildings are actually bland stucco-boxes. This stroke of genius not only saved money, it is part of what lends a feeling of authenticity of a town that has grown over time with infill buildings. To further the less-than-perfect feel of a real town the streets vary in width and character, and service areas are within view. In general, the building styles progress from “older” in the center to “newer” towards the fringes, but there are exceptions.

Stucco boxes

The Food Hall

One of the more interesting building is the food hall which is the only structure with an articulated interior volume. It is basically a decorated industrial shed that looks like a cross between an agricultural warehouse and a county fair exhibition hall, which works rather well since the interior houses the food court for this mall. The JC Penny store also brings to mind the grand designs of old department stores, at least on the main entrance side. Unfortunately, the other sides of the building look more typically like a suburban box store.

Victoria Gardens even has its own transportation system, and it isn’t even an idealized old horse drawn trolley or other such nostalgic vehicle. It is the typical cheesy bus painted to look like an old trolley that you see in so many real towns trying desperately to capture a historic ambiance.

Mall-scape view"

One of the most important features of the project is the planned Cultural Center which will actually give a civic presence to Victoria Gardens and further blur the line between town and mall. Once completed in 2006, the center will feature a theatre, library and event space.

The best surprise during our visit was a portable restaurant trailer set up on the corner of an as yet undeveloped block. The accidental and random placement of this trailer was wonderfully unexpected and more than any other part of the mall made us feel like we were in a real town. These food trailers are exactly the kind of thing that you might find set up at a farmers market or street fair. Clearly brought in to help relieve the congestion in the food hall which is only fifty percent open at this time, it is rather unfortunate that such a thing is not likely to be allowed once build out is complete.

Rico Taco, the lowest of low is sure to go

Another accidental occurrence which lent some realism to our visit was the sight of two men pulled over by the police and being frisked on a side street. Now that is a real city street scene for you. But just when it is starting to feel like a real town, you are reminded by the “customer code of conduct” signs that you are on private property after all. Don’t try to organize a protest rally at the “Town Square,” circulate a petition on the sidewalk, or roll out a picnic blanket on the grass. While the developers want Victoria Gardens to feel like small town America, what they really want is for you to open your wallet and shop.

Busted