ShoppinScapes 2013 - International Conference ShoppingScapes´13

The designation of "ShoppingScapes" tries to focus in a word the meeting of ideas related to the presence and meaning of commercial superstructures that have been spreading throughout the territory, transforming and (re)building the landscape, as well as affecting the development of cities in general. Similarly, the description also applies to a variant of the traditional shopping mall, which generally punctuates the suburban area, appearing as authentic commercial retail hubs, assuming their strange and contradictory condition of noncities, emptying the traditional city centre of characteristic activity with its displacement.
Thanks to such impacts, the presence and positioning of these superstructures is assuming a greater importance in the processes of territory organization and management, together with the emergent questions related with the current economic and financial crisis and the general lack of role models that may best suit these transformations to the new emerging societal paradigm. However, today we see that urban life is easily confused with the experience of consumption, both being part of the same landscape. It is hard to dissociate the image of a shopping mall from an urban context, or to consider
the contemporary city without the world of consumption that this commercial typology provides. Interestingly, it turns out that the areas provided by these shopping structures appear not to be merely dedicated to consumption. In the theatrical and simulated environment of its "streets" and "squares" - free recreations of the structuring elements of the historic city - one can wander, eat, drink, rest and consume
symbols and goods. But, as a product of globalization, symbol of a hyper-modernity, isn't the "shopping centre" a sign?
Presently, the current and transversal context of an economic and financial crisis has implied a clear shift in how we relate to these structures, not only by inducing changes in consumer habits, but also in terms of its urban presence and representativeness, affected by the questioning of the economic viability and sustainability of the model they represent. It is thus demonstrated that the shopping centre, despite presenting itself as a product of the typological evolution of a fundamental constituent of the landscape and urban activity, does not represent a permanent or unchanging formula, but rather a flexible piece of limited duration that, much like the factories of older times, might become one of the futures brownfields for urban expansions and retrofits of a city yet to come. We should reflect on situations which have already found an echo in the example of the dead mall, particularly on the logic underlying their changing processes.
This international conference will debate the following issues: The focus on major issues that formalize the listed aspects, in particular the possible concepts and interpretations behind the idea of a shoppingscape, the process of its evolution as a model and a typology, the relationship with the territories and the planning management, the social and cultural dynamics that it has been promoting and the considerations on its possible future. This event will be held in May 2013 (27 to 29), in the Institut Français du Portugal and at the Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, in Lisbon.
Call for papers:
The International Seminar ShoppingScapes'13 invites researchers and professionals to contribute with their specific vision through scientific articles to be presented in the scheduled sessions on May 28 and 29. Proposals for papers should consider the following elements: title of the proposal; applicant’s identification (name, institution, country, position and email); abstract (should not exceed 500 words, can countain no more
than 2 jpeg images, and should includ some major bibliographic references); and a short curriculum vitae (should not exceed 300 words). All proposals must present original research, and must not have been previously published. Conference papers will be published on a conference proceeding CD with ISBN. The guidelines for full paper will be available in late January 2013.
Theme I: Typologies, history & geography
Which models and types (past, present and future) can be catalogued as "shoppingscapes"? How did they evoluted? How to distinguish and characterize these models and types according to their geographical locations? Which will be their future, given the current socio-economic constraints?
Theme II: Territory and landscape
What are the effects of the current consumption practices in the process of transformation of the territory and the landscape? What about its impact on urban form and on city structure and organization? What kind of relationship can be established with the historic city? What kind of models for territorial and urban planning can be suitable for current consumption practices? How can they evolve, or how should they have
evolved?
Theme III: Architecture, spaciality and perception
What kind/type of appropriations and spatial perceptions can we describe and identify in the relationship to the structures and objects defined as "shoppingscapes"? What (new) conceptual models for these megastructures? What kind of architectural values can be, or should be identified? What do they represent? Are these structures providing, or should they provide a new kind of public space? Are they changing the concept of public space?
Applications should be sent through email, in one single pdf file, to: vasco.pinheiro-AT-ulusofona.pt
Conference Schedule:
Deadline for abstract submission: January 27, 2013
Notification of acceptance of abstract: February 10, 2013
Deadline for full paper submission: May 15, 2013