Critique of Paramus Park Mall

"Visual organization is the deliberate prioritization of meaning within a visual design. It's the process of applying the principles behind perception to illuminate relationships between content and actions."

-Luke Wroblewski

The abandonment of Paramus Park Mall made it a particularly interesting public space to analyze. One of the largest malls in the state was built 5 miles away from this shopping center, and the demise of this location is almost guaranteed.

Image credit:  http://www.labelscar.com/new-jersey/paramus-park-mall

The area pictured above is the most visually appealing space in the mall, and as you can see, it is not particularly impressive. The day I visited the fountain was not functioning, it was just a cloudy water pit. Skylights give the impression of openness and liveliness and have a positive impact on your mood. Unfortunately, the skylights are the only energetic feature in the entire mall. There are a number of vacant stores and the volume of shoppers is sparse. There is not a wide variety of stores, and an equally unimpressive selection of inventory within the stores. The stillness is almost uncomfortable, as there is no music to compensate for the lack of human noise. Space allocated for advertisements are mostly empty and the decor is unkempt. Overall, the lackluster environment does not encourage shoppers to spend their time there. 

The story communicated to the audience is one of despair- a mall that has been largely abandoned by shoppers, vendors, as well as the property manager.  It's clear that the structure has been largely neglected for a number of years, and it's largely apparent that the owners are not interested in reviving the atmosphere. The only thing that would seem to encourage customers to shop here is the convenience that stems from the lack of activity (abundant parking, no waiting in line, better service from store employees, etc..). I would be very surprised if the mall is still open a few years from now. 

Wayfinding 

The only sign for the mall is large metal figure that says "Paramus Park," which is located approximately 10 feet from the exit. Unless you are familiar with the mall, deciding where to park is a guessing game because the signage only directs you to the 2 largest stores in the mall, Macy's and Sears. The parking areas are appropriately labeled with numbers, which helps you find the general area your car is located (given you remember to look at the sign when you park). If you use one of the department store entrances, it is difficult to find your way out of the store because there is no signage to provide direction. If you enter the mall through the main entrances, the directory map is easy to locate.  I did not bring my camera, but the directory is on their website:

 

Elevators, stairs, customer service, and first aid are not represented on the directory. Macy's and Sears both have an upper level, which is not represented on the map. The list of stores on the directory is difficult to read because the font is so small,  and the list contains stores that are no longer in the mall.

Recommendations
Regardless of the scope of changes implemented, the mall will never be able to regain the volume of customers it once had. Paramus Park Mall cannot compete with the size, variety, attractions, and entertainment that the nearby mall provides. Therefore, the shopping mall should refine their target audience to appeal to a particular niche.  Considering about 95% of the stores are located on the lower level, and the mall is relatively small, it makes sense to focus on older shoppers. Generally, older customers prefer to shop in an environment that is calm, uncrowded, and highly functional. Creating an inviting and appealing atmosphere for this audience will require less investment than designing to appeal to the mass market. If the mall can gain a substantial volume of customers in this niche, stores that serve this segment will have no reason to leave. Marketers that promote products and services for this audience will fill empty advertising space. 


In relation to wayfinding, drastic signage improvements must be made. Roadsigns for the mall should be placed at least 1 mile before the exit. Entrances that are located within the department stores should contain directories, and signs should clearly guide customers to the other stores in the mall. The directory must be updated regularly to reflect the stores that are currently located in the mall. First aid, stairs, elevator, and customer service icons should be added to the legend and placed on the map accordingly.