Tag: Maude

The return of Victor Gruen’s Ringstrasse concept. Acclaimed architect Victor Gruen once envisioned an American city center that resembled Vienna’s Ring Road, a vibrant area of multi-use commerce, art, and experience. There, retail, dining, art, and entertainment flowed effortlessly. That original concept gave way to more American ideas in the 1950’s: size, volume, and inevitability.Gruen, an ambitious and driven creative, was devastated for decades. His original concept was coopted and poorly executed. But today’s best retail developments resemble Gruen’s initial concept for the American mall. And digitally native brands stand to benefit from the concept’s resurgence.