Mall of Europe

Speed and dimension in how commerce evolves these days appear to have changed dramatically once again with the interlinking of consumption and leisure time to form an ‘urban entertainment centre’. Although factually, the dimensions hardly differ from those of historic projects: the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul takes up an area of nearly 19 hectares (47 acres). More important today, however, is to use large-scale projects to give method and structure to ‘urban chaos’, providing legible points of orientation and an identity all in one. The allure of spectacular buildings as metropolises compete with one another is an added attraction that existed long before the arrival of medieval cathedrals.