On Horton Plaza...

On Horton Plaza... 02/17/2004 07:50 PM

When I think back to ETCon and my time in America my mind can't help catching onto images of Hor ton Plaza in San Diego - the Escher-like mall-from-hell that kind of sat in my head and unfolded its sprawling, immoral, monstrous, mis-shapen, rhizomatic self into the nether regions of my cerebral cortex while I was busy looking for Tacos. I've tried to collage together a partially exploded view of the place but it's not particularly representative. Apparently the architect wanted to create an 'architecture of confusion' where you would get completely immersed in the experience of the place, not want to leave and stumble upon new shops serendipitously. Personally I found the place mind-destroying, confusing, uncomfortable and not-a-little creepy. I kept seeing shops that I wanted to get to but could see no obvious way to do so and wandering down apparent walkways or paths that would suddenly turn into cul-de-sac balconies. It took me fifteen minutes to find the top floor food-court and a further ten to escape. The maps were of no help whatsoever. I kept expecting to see David Bowie glued to a ceiling twirling a glass orb on his fingertips. Very strange. Unsurprisingly, Matt loved it.

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