Week #6 - Lu - Too Much Going On, but Make it Pretty.

 

I went to City Walk on Saturday night and I was pleasantly surprised to see there was not too many people there. I had mixed feelings because I personally dislike City Walk and the Hollywood vibe, but the place itself, I find it very interesting, pretty even. I do think there is a lot going on, lights everywhere, big buildings, music, people, stores, etc. Everything is so bright and saturated, which is what I think I like the most. There is always something happening, always something to look at.

I think that overall, both City Walk, and Universal Studios, try to sell the Hollywood fantasy and make it accessible to anyone who visits the place. It's like the designers want you to feel like you're in a movie while walking down the street to go to Universal. And I find it really interesting because City Walk itself, is just full of restaurants and stores, there is not much more to it than that. However, somehow, you end up feeling like you're in the middle of something important, a movie set, the streets of a fancy version of Hollywood. I think that all the shiny, vibrant lights and exuberant architecture are just made to sell a prettier version of what Hollywood actually feels and looks like. I do think that I am biased on how I view this place because I particularly don't enjoy, or like Hollywood, but City Walk is really pretty and being there is a pleasant experience. 

I really like this picture on the right because I feel like it encapsulates what I just explained. Seeing the hugging couple in the middle, with those pretty purple and pink lights on the floor and the vibrant colors around them, really does makes us feel like there is a story being told on the streets of City Walk. Something you would see in a movie. It's just real life but prettier while being there.  Overall, I think that the design of City Walk was made to make us feel like we are escaping from our boring day to day and diving into some exciting Hollywood version of our life.

The first picture that I want to talk about is this little store called Nectar, which I honestly find very dull. First of all, I feel like it doesn't belong to City Walk(?). When I saw it, I thought "Who comes to City Walk to buy soap?". At first sight, you just cannot figure out what they sell. You have to stop and really look to find out what it is about. This could be a great strategy if you want people to stop by and pay attention to the store. However, from a design stand point, I don't think it's successful in that either because overall, it's just not inviting, it's not attractive, it's not interesting. I thought they were sold candy because the design reminded me of the one of another candy store. I don't think there is anything on the outside that we as the public can relate to bath products. I find the colors to be pretty, but uninteresting. There is no contrast, it's all cold, the pallet is very limited, which shouldn't be a problem because of what products they sell. However, given its location, I think there were better ways to make this store stand out in a place where people want to see things being extravagant and exciting. Overall, I don't think the design is successful. The lights are pretty but that's it. The lights on the sign, I don't even find them pretty either. Too dull, too cold, nothing to see here. 

Although Popcornopolis was not my favorite store, I think it shows a great contrast between the two designs. I think that the designers of this store understood really well its location and the fact that City Walk sells a fantasy of Hollywood. My first thought when I saw it was that it looks, for lack of a better word, "vintage". It feels like looking at some old Hollywood type of store, which also works really well with the location. We really cannot appreciate it on this picture, but each of little popcorns on the top, light up in blue, while almost everything else is lit with warm yellow lights which also reminds us of show lights (again, to me this speaks that the designers were VERY aware of where the store is located at and the relationship between their product, the place, and their target). The store draws a lot of attention. There is no way you're walking down the street and you don't notice the huge sign with flashing yellow lights. The same thing happens with the colors of the building and how well they play with the lighting inside and outside the store. It is also a very limited pallet but this one makes sense to the product, it's interesting and exciting to look at. It sells part of the fantasy of Hollywood that City Walk is already selling. Overall I think this is a successful design. It's attractive, it's pretty on the eye, it's inviting.