Over the past decade, there has been a major decline in the number of shopping malls and department stores in America, resulting from an influx in online retail. Amazon, the largest contributor to this trend, has begun purchasing these now obsolete shopping centers, to be converted into massive warehouses and fulfillment centers. However, they also present potential for social reconstruction. 

 

From Gordon Matta-Clark's anarchitecture and FOOD restaurant (1971-74), to Hans Widmer's social utopian text bolo'bolo (1983), as well as the occupation of Wohlgroth in Zurich during the 1990s, there have been past examples of radicalizing urban architecture for artistic and social benefit. So, given this context, could similar practices realistically be employed today? Can these dystopian spaces be transformed to remediate materialism, or will they be seized to perpetuate capitalism, creating a true dystopia?

​

"Infiltrate and occupy defunct shopping centers before Bezos lizard does"

​

​