The Perfectly Optimized Building for Late Capitalism

Video Description

Invest in yourself, try Brilliant for free, then get 20% off at https://brilliant.org/stewarthicks Watch this video ad-free on Nebula https://nebula.tv/videos/stewarthicks-how-this-building-formula-is-saving-cities __Special Thanks__ - Evan Montgomery — co-producer - SOM (www.som.com](http://www.som.com/) — filming location __Description__ Strip malls aren’t exactly beloved in architectural circles, but they’re far from dead—and they’re more beneficial than most of us realize. In this video, we explore why these unassuming roadside plazas are suddenly hot real estate investments and how their simple, adaptable designs have helped small businesses and immigrant communities thrive. We also dive into the hidden potential of strip malls, from vibrant local entrepreneurship to innovative redevelopment projects, and question whether we should really be so quick to write them off. __Key Points__ 1. A Surprising Real Estate Comeback: Big investors snapping up these properties, fueling a wave of strip mall revivals. 2. The World’s First Strip Mall: Market Square and the design ideas that led to our modern open-air centers. 3. Flexible Shells & Local Entrepreneurship: Why “basic” buildings and cheap space empower small businesses, especially in diverse urban areas. 4. Innovative Redesigns & Co-op Models: Examples of developers pairing affordable housing with retail—and communities buying strip malls to keep local wealth local. 5. Cautionary Tales: When “lifestyle centers” try to mimic old towns, but remain private enclaves with mismatched priorities. #StripMalls #UrbanDesign #Architecture #Retail #CommunityDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #UrbanPlanning #LocalBusiness __Membership__ Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYAm24PkejQR2xMgJgn7xwg/join __About the Channel__ Architecture with Stewart is a YouTube journey exploring architecture’s deep and enduring stories in all their bewildering glory. Weekly videos and occasional live events breakdown a wide range of topics related to the built environment in order to increase their general understanding and advocate their importance in shaping the world we inhabit. __About Me__ Stewart Hicks is an architectural design educator that leads studios and lecture courses as an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also serves as an Associate Dean in the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts and is the co-founder of the practice Design With Company. His work has earned awards such as the Architecture Record Design Vanguard Award or the Young Architect’s Forum Award and has been featured in exhibitions such as the Chicago Architecture Biennial and Design Miami, as well as at the V&A Museum and Tate Modern in London. His writings can be found in the co-authored book Misguided Tactics for Propriety Calibration, published with the Graham Foundation, as well as essays in MONU magazine, the AIA Journal Manifest, Log, bracket, and the guest-edited issue of MAS Context on the topic of character architecture. __Contact__ FOLLOW me on instagram: @stewart_hicks & @designwithco Design With Company: https://designwith.co University of Illinois at Chicago School of Architecture: https://arch.uic.edu/ __Attributions__ Stock video and imagery provided by Getty Images, Storyblocks, and Shutterstock. Music provided by Epidemic Sound and includes music from Chromatic by Tom Fox https://www.youtube.com/@tomfoxcatalog" #architecture #urbandesign