Victor Kamenker

Victor Kamenker

Ostensibly, both the Prudential Center and Newbury Street are urban spaces that are designed for commerce and public gathering. Despite this, the two have very specific idiosyncrasies and differences, but both still manage to create environments conducive to success of the urban marketplace.

Both shopping centers are designed with the pedestrian in mind, but this is incorporated in different ways. In the Pru, the emphasis on the shopper is created through grand hallways with high ceilings and plenty of open space—the walls, ceilings, and floors are cream-colored, and there is plenty of natural light filtering in, giving the illusion of spaciousness. On Newbury Street, the sidewalks are practically as wide as the driving lanes (wider in some places), and there are a number of intersections toward the west end of the street that do not have streetlights, making them more pedestrian-focused.

Additionally, the dearth of parking spaces and the draconian regulations make it very difficult for automobile drivers to navigate the area. Additionally, both shopping areas have stores of various characters interspersed with eateries and more quotidian establishments like pharmacies or grocery stores. Once inside the Pru or on Newbury Street, one does not go to just one store—the atmosphere created in both places encourages visitors to make an experience out of the visit and have a shopping afternoon or shopping day. On Newbury Street, there are many glass storefronts that simulate the experience of walking through a mall—visitors can peek in to stores with particularly intriguing window displays (like the sewing machines at Allsaints).

The entrances and exits to both locations are very carefully planned. Obviously with the mall, there must be actual entrances; these are designed to let out either at major intersections, at subway stops (e.g. Prudential stop, Back Bay stop), and at the hotels that abut the malls (Westin, Marriott, Sheraton, Mandarin Oriental). Newbury Street has entrances from every cross street, and the corners everywhere are built in such a way that turning onto the street opens up the view for the pedestrian of everything on offer—i.e. the corners are not obscured with tall buildings that block everything else.