Since China's market reform in the 80s, the booming urban malls have become an indicator of economic growth and marketization of urban land. Even though the change in logistic chain and the booming e-commerce are threatening some traditional malls, shopping did not wane but seek out innovative ways to further engrave its presence in the city - Whether it be redeveloping urban villages into shopping streets, building malls like parks, or building parks in malls. How would the urban fabric respond to such omnichannel retail, and feeding back to the supply chain construction on the broader scale? As shopping spaces become more interconnected, they create an insulated landscape of fulfillment. Given their dominance and omnipresence, do malls begin to define the city’s public culture? More importantly, given the past two decades of shopping mall apocalypse across western societies, how will Shenzhen look in 10, or 50 year as it repeats the pattern - What is the alternative future of these “contemporary ruins"?
