You literally could shop till you drop at Tsawwassen Mills on Canoe Pass Way in Delta, BC. It's a shopper's paradise where the familiar and not so familiar stores, are filled with fashion, food and so much more. This was my first visit there.
The mall sprawls comfortably over 1.2 million square feet, all on one floor, atop what used to be some 1,000 acres of farmland owned by First Nation's Tsawwassen band.
The stores are varied with lots of window gazing opportunities. I found a pair of rain boots I'd been looking for. More than shopping, though, it was the atmosphere that attracted me and the Native/nature inspired art throughout.
There were several entrances ... not as overwhelming as you might think. Artwork at one entryway captured light so beautifully that shimmering shapes changed with every move and angle. My camera failed to convey the magic.
Artists Ken Zawislak and Jeremy Gascho designed the sculpture of two leaping salmon (above), symbolizing local Coast Salish traditions. The bronze assembly symbolizes woven baskets. The over 240
dichroic (meaning two-coloured) glass panels of fantastical reflections represent fish scales.
Inside, elements of wood and whimsy were around every corner and high above.
I saw only a small portion. I might not have appreciated all the shops had I wandered a bit more. There were environmental concerns about building the mall. Local wildlife, no doubt, would have preferred foraging for food at the original farmland/wetlands.
But the beauty of some features such as the seating (above) cannot be denied.
The flooring was magnificent in some places.
To top it off, rows of umbrellas were bouquets on the ceiling in honour of the West Coast climate. If the outside gets dreary this mall offers a great escape indoors.
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I'm not big on shopping but I like what they have done with the place!
ReplyDeleteIf one has to have a mall, that looks like one to have.
ReplyDeleteShopping is not one of my favourite activities but at least here they have tried to incorporate some culture within the Mall.
ReplyDeleteMy gosh!! Neat stuff you've shared! I can't easily get past the fact the mall is 1 million plus square feet...incredible
ReplyDeletePenelope - I am glad they have incorporated cultural elements into the Mall. But in these days of on-line shopping, I have serious concerns about any new brick and mortar shopping establishments that eat up more of our precious lands.
ReplyDeleteI’ve never seen any structures like this. So beautiful, impressive, and dynamically artistic and unique both inside and outside. I’m imagining the glass panels of the leaping salmon shine and reflect various many different colors with shades and intonations, with each passing moment. If I were there, I’d wander around the place with a camera till I drop.
ReplyDeleteWonderfully creativity surrounding the 'shopper's paradise' ~ Used to love Malls ~ not anymore ~ got enough stuff ~ Glad you enjoyed the place got wonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteHappy Day to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
A creative way to make shopping a whole lot more appealing. Shopping is certainly not a favourite activity if mine, but this might assuage the pain a little!
ReplyDeleteCan't believe that this is a shopping center ! The architect who created this must have been in a Delirium dream ! He or she certainly doesn't suffer from a lack of imagination ! Nevertheless it looks great !
ReplyDeleteWhile sharing your environmental concerns, As a native PNWesterner, I can really appreciate the need for cheerful indoor places during the wet cold winters ... and this place obviously qualifies. Even if one isn’t big on shopping, it looks as if this mall would be like visiting an art museum or at least the equivalent of an outdoor art installation park in sunnier climates. And I’d rather the Tsawwassen people built this than a Casino, which is what probably would have happened had they been south of your border.
ReplyDeletewould love to visit that place :)
ReplyDelete