Week 6: Site Specific | Irvine Spectrum

Ah, capitalism. Irvine Spectrum is really doing the most when really all it is, is a super hype strip mall. "Open air mall" if you want to get bougie with it. Walking through aimless pathways, Irvine Spectrum takes you through many illuminated pathways that don't have real direction, forcing you to see everything, in hopes that you'll buy useless objects. The "open air" parts were lit up by various twinkle lights, neon fixtures, and water features. Some with bright colors that feel fun and exciting, some with warmer gentle lights that feel inviting and home-y. I learned that Irvine Spectrum's design was based off of Alhambra, a palace and fortress in Spain, and the word Alhambra meaning "The Red One." There's a section of Irvine Spectrum full of Spanish tiles that run along the walls of an archway. That part was probably the "coziest" part of the mall, devoid of any storefronts. I think the main purpose for the designers was to light the walkways just enough for shoppers to wander and letting the storefronts do the "talking." The paths don't scream, "Notice me!" and the storefronts are, for the most part, inviting. The warm twinkle lights, tungsten light fixtures bouncing off of the tan/orange stucco walls make for a nice walk. I do think it has a successful design, even though I loathe this kind of "free market."

This storefront, L'Occitane En Provence, had this lovely display for shoppers whom are thinking ahead towards the gift giving holidays. I enjoy the way that the blue twinkle lights pull your focus into this advent calendar while the rest of the store is bathed in white light against yellows on the walls and ceiling. Cools and warms! It does give me a warm, fuzzy feeling on the inside because of the way this store presents it's content. I thought of cinnamon on whip cream, those weird orange chocolates, and all of the Christmas-y things. In a strange way, my olfactory senses came into play when viewing this display because of associated memories. A lovely successfully lit storefront that totally made me want to buy all of the soap and lotion. They got me. Stupid holidays.

This store on the other hand, I think it was called Maybe Crazy, did not do what I think it should have done. For a clothing store, they sure didn't light their mannequins in the window displays at all. You can't even see them in the photo, only a vague silhouette of some of them but that is not what I think the designers intended. I understand that having bare compact fluorescent lights is so trendy and they had these weird spinning lights that formed images of a stiletto heel, but even with these lighting ideas, the store seemed cold, bare, and gross. If I walked into that store, I would have aged twenty years because those lights are not flattering. Too dark and also too bright where there are lights. It feels like a lack of attention to how spatial lighting can occur and can work for you. How are you supposed to sell clothing if the store design doesn't make people draw people in?