Hidden Home Built Into a Mall
Bianca — October 8, 2007 — Art & Design
References: trummerkind & cnn
Michael Townsend takes the term "mall rat" to a whole new meaning -- the Leesburg, Florida man literally lived in a mall for four years. He built a secret home in an abandoned section of his mall parking garage space which he deemed "the apartment."
"We saw this forgotten land in the mall," he said of his discovery in Providence Place Mall four years ago.
The most astounding part is that it took four years for him to get caught, but now that he has, he is speaking openly about his thoroughly bizarre experience. A self-described public artist, Townsend says that after finding the abandoned space, he committed to building a sanctuary there where he entertained friends and family, including his wife.
He was always stealth about it though, saying he didn't want to get caught for the sake of the security -- he wouldn't have wanted them to feel embarrassed or ashamed for not having caught on. After his arrest for trespassing, he's been a central focus of the media who are just as intrigued as I about life in a mall.
Oddly enough, I "Stumbled Upon" this site yesterday, but quickly left the site, thinking it was a joke. I thought, "How cool! Too bad it isn't real." I envisioned creeping around at night, trying on all the clothes I would love to buy if I could, playing with the ice cream machines in the food court and testing all the cool gadgets and technologies in the electronics store. If I knew there was no one watching, you bet I'd sneak over to Victoria's Secret, slip into something fun, and shimmy over to the Sony store to pump up some tunes where I would shake it til dawn.
"It was a genuine escape and it was a great place to be," he told CNN in a live video (follow the source link for the whole thing.)
At the end of his site, TrummerKind, he has a brief list of frequently asked questions, and fortunately, the answer to one of my most pressing ones was included: Does he have any other secret installments?
YES!
It's called "
"We saw this forgotten land in the mall," he said of his discovery in Providence Place Mall four years ago.
The most astounding part is that it took four years for him to get caught, but now that he has, he is speaking openly about his thoroughly bizarre experience. A self-described public artist, Townsend says that after finding the abandoned space, he committed to building a sanctuary there where he entertained friends and family, including his wife.
He was always stealth about it though, saying he didn't want to get caught for the sake of the security -- he wouldn't have wanted them to feel embarrassed or ashamed for not having caught on. After his arrest for trespassing, he's been a central focus of the media who are just as intrigued as I about life in a mall.
Oddly enough, I "Stumbled Upon" this site yesterday, but quickly left the site, thinking it was a joke. I thought, "How cool! Too bad it isn't real." I envisioned creeping around at night, trying on all the clothes I would love to buy if I could, playing with the ice cream machines in the food court and testing all the cool gadgets and technologies in the electronics store. If I knew there was no one watching, you bet I'd sneak over to Victoria's Secret, slip into something fun, and shimmy over to the Sony store to pump up some tunes where I would shake it til dawn.
"It was a genuine escape and it was a great place to be," he told CNN in a live video (follow the source link for the whole thing.)
At the end of his site, TrummerKind, he has a brief list of frequently asked questions, and fortunately, the answer to one of my most pressing ones was included: Does he have any other secret installments?
YES!
It's called "
Trend Themes
1. Hidden Living - Opportunity for innovative living solutions in unexpected places, such as abandoned mall spaces.
2. Stealth Architecture - Potential for architects and designers to create hidden and unconventional living spaces.
3. Subterranean Dwellings - Emerging trend of utilizing underground spaces for residential purposes, providing unique and secluded living experiences.
Industry Implications
1. Real Estate - Real estate developers could explore repurposing abandoned or forgotten spaces for residential purposes.
2. Architecture and Design - Architects and designers can tap into the demand for unconventional living spaces, creating hidden architecture concepts.
3. Construction - Builders and contractors have the opportunity to develop and construct underground dwellings with advanced features and technologies.
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