Landover Marketplace: Reimagining Abandoned Malls in a Post-Pandemic Era

Julia Drooff

Throughout this project I explore the evolution of the community marketplace as I propose a redesign of an abandoned community mall in Landover, Maryland. My design references post-pandemic design practices as defined by new research released by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Using an experimental approach, I challenge the idea of a traditional American mall by creating a model of an eco-friendly marketplace. My two- and three-dimensional visual representations are the culmination of my community studies through local media coverage and interviews with residents and stakeholders. This theoretical redesign promotes the development of imaginative visual representations which can inspire communities to build structures that support healthy recreation and socialization. In this way, visionary design can spur social change within a community.