Galleries

Problem Spots Galleries Food Courts Fountains Parking Lots Design Problems Public Transportation Pedestrian Flow Narrow Passageways Restrooms and Telephones Tips for Keeping Malls Safe

Many malls have multiple stories. In order to create a feeling of open space most of these malls have some sort of gallery or mezzanine level. Galleries increase natural surveillance, as people on higher floors can observe what is happening on lower floors. But many mall managers consider galleries to be dangerous because kids and adults tend to throw objects on people on lower levels, spill water, yell across the mall, and so on. Some designers have dealt with this problem by designing the railings around galleries so that they are uncomfortable or even painful to lean on.