Molly Cinnamon

Molly Cinnamon

First, the indoor shopping malls, Prudential and Copley Place: these malls, while indoors, attempt to achieve a sense of the outside. In the Prudential, most of the ceilings are made of glass, and in Copley, in the main courtyard there is a water feature that rises several stories tall. Glass is utilized in both to create a sense of transparency and luminance. The walkway again mirrors this mission, although was broken up abruptly by support stanchions that added a lot of weight to the environment. For both malls, the entrances require the visitor to go up an escalator (or elevator). The elevated nature of the buildings perhaps prevents "unwanted" visitors (i.e. the homeless). However, there were many paths that met in the form of courtyards with ample seating. In contrast, Newbury street is a straight line. There is little to no seating, replaced by many trees. One could almost compare it to the malls, as the buildings themselves served as malls and the sky the ceiling. There is much signage to illustrate the commercial element of this space (just like in a mall), but there is a more authentic, lived-in feel. Yet the entrances also require the visitor to walk up or down steps. Despite being totally different environments, the malls and Newbury have mirrored properties as commercial spaces.