The shopping mall was the vision of Austrian architect Victor Gruen. His architectural design would later become known as the Gruen transfer or the Gruen effect, which is best described as the moment when consumers enter a shopping mall and—surrounded by an intentionally confusing maze-like environment—lose track of their original intentions, making them more susceptible to making impulse purchases. Victor Gruen would eventually grow to despise American shopping malls, mainly because of the sea of wasted parking space around them. Gruen loathed automobiles, and shortly before his death, he gave a speech in which he wished that all American shopping malls would end up abandoned and forgotten.
This book is dedicated to you, Victor Gruen.
IN MEMORY
Years ago, when Jason Schneider reached out to me wanting to publish a book of my work, he had a vision. He led me down that journey teaching me a lot things along the way. He may be gone from my sight, but never from my heart.
—Seph Lawless