Journey of light and symbolism in Dubai shopping mall

Visceral Intricacy

Journey of light and symbolism in Dubai shopping mall

             After 6 hours flight to the Middle East, we walking down to the runway and feel the dry of dessert environment. We are in Dubai, the fastest growing city in the world. We start the journal to explore the oil powered modern city. After the huge discovery of oil in 70s, Dubai transform themselves from the desert coastal city into the mega city. 40 years of development transform Dubai into center of economics and luxury life. Luckily, the modern city offer the way of living that protect human body to contact with the sun. Automobile change how people transport. Air-condition help them to create more livable space inside the buildings. And money help them to have more technology and more construction projects that make the city more livable. But that not mean the artificial environment can fulfill the experience of the city. I notice some intention to create the experience of culture and city to increasing value of the city though architecture of shopping mall

Light and city

              Dubai sun is insanely hot. But that not mean we have to avoid every opportunity to contact with it. Relationship of sun and architecture can be found along the history of architecture. From the authentic sun light of the Pantheon to the book written by le Corbusier in era of modernism. Since Dubai have only 2 million, they can use the area for shopping mall as much as they can. The bigger area of the mall mean more surface that contact with sun light. And more opportunities to use natural light in the shopping mall. Numbers of dome and style appear in many new shopping mall in Dubai.

               The journey start on the mall of emirate. The huge renaissance glass-dome at the entrance create the special moment after we walk pass the indoor parking space in front of the shopping mall. And the use of sky light continue along the main circulation of the mall till the other side of shopping mall. Not just the dome that refer to the previous civilization around the world, there are also skylight in modern style. The usage of natural light design to give enough light to the mall but artificial light use in the shop. That mean natural light are effect directly to experience of human. And the artificial light have power to create the environment of commercial since each color of light can generate different experience. Natural light is the most powerful not just the physical meaning. But it the source of life, natural light become God in the Egyptian civilization. The connection of heaven and earth in Christian architecture and the shopping mall of the 20^th century. The natural light always one of the most important tools for creates experience for us. After we walk pass many skylight and dome in the mall of Emirate. Finally we reach the highlight of the mall. The large artificial ski resort with real imported snow called Ski Dubai. And now we walk into -2°c fully control environment. No more skylight allow in the space. Artificial Light installed on the ceiling and emit light in same as the natural light in ski resort environment. This is the example of how we use artificial light to create space that belongs to other place to create environment of northern Europe in Dubai. If natural light connect experience of outside to interior of shopping mall, artificial light is the opposite. Because it can disconnect the space from outside and create experience of be inside another environment.

               

Symbolism and shopping mall

             One of the most characteristic of late shopping mall is how they intergrade ornament, symbol and historical object into the invention of modern shopping experience. These process create theme of space in the shopping mall. The reference of many civilization can be found in one mall. One of the most successful theme mall is IBN Battuta Mall. The mall divided into 6 court and 6 civilization, each mall added ornament that belong to each civilization. China court decorate with artificial timber beam which not work as the real structural components the main objective of it is to give the experience of be inside Chinese palace, that is how it work as symbol of Chinese civilization. Every court have that kind of symbol but there are one court that special because the symbol not just refer back to architecture in the history, but push our experience to another level. It is Tunisia court, Tunisia court have painted artificial sky ceiling to simulate the experience of become outside. But what symbolism work is not just create theme space. It also give the experience of outside. The fake façade of Tunisian house that should be seen outside the house make it look more real. Because our eyes perceive what we saw and the experience told us what it should belong to. Then symbolism create experience of inside and outside. And give us the experience that we not expect to see in Dubai. These powerful tool also make the shopping experience more powerful in themed shopping mall

                  If natural light is representation of god and symbolism become representation of human civilization. Shopping mall may become cathedral of modern world, the place that we spend the money to experience the moment of happiness.