A Conceptual Framework on Sociable Public Space in Shopping Malls

Abstract

Retail has been one of the most active sub-sectors in the Malaysian economy, contributing towards 44.8 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in year 2017 (Malaysian Department of Statistics, 2018). The rise of online retailing together with covid-19 pandemic have triggered retail bankruptcies thus abandon of physical retails and lead to a depletion of urbanity. Despite numerous existing literatures addressing the importance of sociability in the public space setting such as public plaza (Shrestha, S, K, 2015), libraries (Askarizad, 2019), shopping streets (Rahman, 2016), the study raises the issue that there is a lack of study regarding the qualities of public space influencing sociability of shopping malls. Therefore, this result aims to formulate a conceptual framework for enforcing sociability of shopping malls. This study uses questionnaires survey to identify the qualities of public space influencing sociability of shopping malls. This research is expected to lead towards background understanding of consumer behaviour, shopping malls, sociability, and variables for formalizing framework to enhance sociability of shopping malls. In conclusion, this study contributes to combine different body of knowledge and contribute design framework for the design of sociable public spaces in shopping malls. More variables can be included in the existing study to further examine the factors influencing the sociability of place and qualitative study can be conducted in future research to look in depth on sociability in relation to public space design of shopping malls. More variables can be included in the existing study to further examine the factors influencing the sociability of place.