What If Malls Reflected Their Communities’ Needs?

Imagine a mall where Gucci and Cartier stores sit under the same roof as public libraries, childcare centers, museums and doctors offices. A mall culture where competition has pushed developers to look beyond straightforward consumption and create futuristic complexes, each with unique attractions — making the mall an in-demand destination. Welcome to Bangkok. In a city where the midday temperature regularly exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity stands at a relentless 80 percent, there is a particular appetite for community center-like hubs with free air-conditioning, easy access to daily errands and cultural activities. And thus malls continue to thrive in Bangkok — with nearly 100 dotting the jagged urban landscape. The massive contemporary structures demonstrate how malls can serve as focal points of daily life, shopping being just one of their leisurely pursuits. They can serve as the entryway to a subway station, a university food court or the location of a consumer’s latest plastic surgery procedure. Malls in the city snake on both sides of the Chao Phraya River, lurking over famous sites like the gilded Erawan Shrine and the sprawling Pathum Wanaram temple. Inside the travel-theme Terminal 21 mall, where each floor resembles a different global city. This is “Rome.”  Misty White Sidell/WWD “Some

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