The University of Arizona mall is a large area in the center of campus composed of grass, concrete, brick planters, and some foliage. It stretches from Campbell to Old Main, which is the oldest building on campus. The mall bridges the gap between the campus community and the city of Tucson. It is a peaceful area that provides a platform for members of either community to express their views and to connect through marketing. The University of Arizona mall bridges the gap between Tucson residents and the college population through demonstrations, recreation, and commerce.
The University of Arizona mall is typically a peaceful place for people to go. The red brick wall that lines the walkway is indicative to the University of Arizona and its traditions; it is carried through the campus in buildings like Old Main. The plants inside the planter and the palm trees help to promote a sense of serenity and make the mall a calming place. The quietness and calmness of the mall promotes students to sit and do their homework or eat lunch and teachers to relax and unwind. On the weekends when the mall is unoccupied by the university crowd, the Tucson community is able to come and enjoy the serenity of the area also. The vast grassy area is a perfect spot for children to play, to walk dogs, or enjoy lunch. The quietness and pensiveness of the U of A mall fosters continuity between the city and the university. This continuity is the driving force within the mall that brings everyone together. As the mall represents the center of the university, the University of Arizona signifies the center of Tucson, metaphorically and actually. The mall denotes an essence of the U of A that resonates through the campus thus emanating throughout the entire city. This space connects all citizens of Tucson because of the relaxing qualities and resonating spirit of the University of Arizona. Although the mall is generally a relaxing location, at times exhibitions are established to provoke and promote.
During the middle of the week throughout the school day, the Student’s For Life Club held an anti-abortion demonstration in the middle of the mall. They attracted a sizable crowd by using twenty to thirty foot signs of vivid abortion images. The mall is a great location for demonstrations because it is a public place where numerous people of all walks of life will see the message. Not only do a variety of people see the rally, the mall has a large amount of foot traffic. Females around the age of college students have the highest abortion rates so this demonstration is predominantly targeting that demographic. The demonstration also transformed the mall into a place for people to voice their opinions, debate, and see the sides of a highly disputed issue. Interestingly, the majority of the people gathered around the exhibition were college-aged males. These men were not engaged in debates over the topic, they were merely standing around and intently watching and listening to others’ opinions. This establishes that although the demonstration’s demographic was primarily females, the mall allows all people to gain a perspective that they did not have before. When demonstrations or exhibits are held on the mall they become open to the whole community, which allows people to educate themselves and gain a better or different understanding of what is being presented. The U of A mall is not only a place for exhibitions but also a recreational area for students and Tucsonans to utilize at any time.
On a Friday evening the mall is being used by its primary patrons, college students, but its function has turned into a location for fun and social gatherings. The mall represents a great recreational place for all members of the Tucson community. This is due to the fact that the mall is lit during the night and the campus is a safe place; so people outside the college campus come and run or ride their bikes. These non-collegiate people are taking advantage of the campus typically in the early evening to night and on the weekends because the majority of college students have departed. The large grassy area that extends from Campbell to Old Main provides lots of space for group activities like soccer, ultimate Frisbee, and football. College students use the U of A mall to their advantage because it is a great space to congregate and within their reach. Since the mall is such an extensive area for people to congregate to, it helps to foster a sense of community within the city. The sense of community is prevalent through the recreational abilities the mall offers. The mall is used recreationally at all times of the day and throughout the entirety of the week be every member of the Tucson and U of A community. The university does not forbid members of the community from using the mall, but rather they embrace how diversely used and respected the mall is.
On a Saturday afternoon local Girl Scouts are utilizing the University of Arizona’s mall as a place to sell cookies and raise money for their troop. The Tucson community uses the mall for commerce because of the large volume of foot traffic that flows through campus. This is a great way for businesses to bring attention to themselves and amplify their business. Although the mall is a great means of promotion and retailing, there are certain times for particular organizations. If the Girl Scouts had chosen to come to campus on a weekday rather than a Saturday morning, there would not have been as many people willing to buy cookies. This is due to the fact that the mall is mainly occupied by college students who generally do not have an extra four dollars to spend on a box of cookies. In adition to members of the Tucson community utilizing the mall for commerce, many integral parts of the university also use the mall for commerce. There are hundreds of clubs and dozens of fraternaties and sororities that work to market themselves throughout the community and university. Marketing has become an essential part in today’s economy and because the mall is the center of campus, which is the center of Tucson, it has briged the gap between the university and the rest of the community. The public has more access to and knowledge of the university which helps to bond the community together.
The University of Arizona’s mall is a community space that numerous people utilize. Throughout the course of the day the tone and function of the space change as college students come and go. As the weekend approaches, the public, like local Girl Scouts, use the mall in innovative ways to expand their commerce. This area has transitioned from merely an area at the University of Arizona into a transforming public space. The University of Arizona’s mall can evoke various types of emotion, bring fun and laughter to a group of friends, and support a local organization.
