Friday, December 13, 2013

Reflective essay

Faisel E RS Altawheed

Professor Klepper

English 113B

13rd December 2013

Becoming a Better Writer
      Before attending my second level of English class, I had a preconception: that I would spend the next sixteen week reading boring literature. However, the class assignments were exceptionally interesting. We had to read a comic book called V for Vendetta, and articles about copyright. During the class we had to write three major essays,  they were argumentative and analysis essays. Those essays helped me to change the way I look when I want to critique something. Now I can easily look at a scene and break it down to different parts. In addition, I became able to feel what the writer was trying to express by looking at the details. This course improved my skills more than I could have possibly imagined. Thanks to what I have learned, I am extremely confident that I’m ready to move on into my academic classes in the university.


The Two Eveys

Faisel E RS Altawheed

Professor Klepper

English 113B

13rd December 2013

The Two Eveys

We have often seen movies based on the stories taken from some famous books or an inspiration from an anthology. Sometimes such movies are really interesting and worth-to-watch as movie V. It has been observed that most films those are remakes of a book have certain forms of dissimilarities. The story of the movie V is also an adaptation of the book V for Vendetta. The book was written by Alan Moore and it was adapted as a movie by Larry and Andy Wachowiski. People who have read the book and watched the movie as well can easily nail the similarities and dissimilarities of the movie and the book. They can easily understand the central part of the novel as well as the focus of the movie. There are certain variations in addition to resemblances between the novel and the movie.  The scope of difference varies from characters, costumes, sets and even the theme of the story. In order to compare Evey's two different personalities, and explain in what sense the presence of similar character in two ways are significantly changed, the reader should focus on Evey's influence on the story line. Evey plays big and influential part in the story of V which is different from V for Vendetta in various aspects including her appearance, dressing, and approach.

Evey has been portrayed with more purity and had a more vivid impression in the book. As the main theme has been transformed from the book to its film adaptation. Hence, the characters have also been put forth in accordance with the main idea of the story, we can see the difference in the role play of the same character in the book and in movies. The spectators of the V for Vendetta are influenced by the bold part of Evey and they are not ready to appreciate her innocent appearance in the novel. On the other hand, the readers of the novel don’t feel likeness and attraction towards the Evey who is a prostitute in the movie.

The debut entry of Evey draws different impression on readers and audience. In the book she has been introduced as nicely dressed in a soft peach silken dress. The writer has tried to portray her with delicateness and serenity, that is why she is associated with soft pastel color and with a silken dress that exhibits the refinement of her personality. "We need to develop sophisticated ways of articulating well-crafted, meaningful messages (Gandio 28)." This quotation is perfectly explaining the Evey character in the book. In addition, book depicts her innocence as well as purity in her mind and soul. In the movie's Evey she is unveiled in the lynching scene dressed in black color. This is somewhat totally different from the depiction of her character in the book. She is bolder and lack the element of innocence. She portrays a dissimilar appearance on the big screen. In screenplay she has been shown as daring and strong. She is not the book’s Evey, she is different. Later in the movie this drastic personality clash of the same character can easily be notified (Jordison, 2011).

For example, in the novel when she tried to entertain one of her customers who turned to be a fingerman and was difficult for her, Evey got scared. Then an unknown man with a mask "V" has saved her from that situation. Evey felt immediately comfortable and secure in the presence of V that is why she spent lots of time with him. In contrast, in the movie when Evey was harassed by a fingerman she did not react at once, rather she tolerates them unless they turn to be unbearable. Although mask man also rescued her in the movie but she did not stick with him for a long time. The personality contrast again confirms the counterpoint of the Evey’s character. It is very attractive and striking for most of the viewers.

One thing that I like in the movie, is that the screenplay writer has treated the character with more respect that the books' Evey. In the book she planned to earn her livelihood through and illicit profession, while in the movie he took a part time job as an entertainer. An entertainer’s job is far much more respectable than the job of the prostitute. (Jordison, 2011). I feel the lack of dignity and esteem for the character of Evey here. I believe the reason behind the taking up the profession is poverty. However there could be many other options available for Evey to make both ends meet.

Elvis relative position in society has also been presently different. The writer has represented her as a poor and helpless as she was an orphan. She is the self reliant and strive for her lively hood. In contrast in the movie, she has been shown as a family girl and siblings. She belongs to a political family and her parents have been killed over political issues. A brother has also been shown in the movie who did die of the virus St. Marry. (Ebert, 2006)

 Maturity level Evey’s character is different in the book and in movies. By book’s Evey is all alone and she has not seen any sympathy and love from anywhere that is why she was ready to help the mask. She is sincere and kind hearted. She is the person who is innocent and noble. But the movie’s Evey is not such acquitted as depicted in the book but she is overconfident. She doesn’t want to trust the masked man, that's why she deceived him and told the truth to the bishop.
 “The inability to explain ourselves exposes us to common critique (Gandio 29). This quotation depicts the situation of Evey which is portrayed in the book. The book’s Evey is timid and fearful and she has to bear criticism but yet at the end of the story she is able to overcome her fears and take correct actions.
             Corrective actions may bring up a revolution. “We have come to believe that our actions, and our actions alone, will change the world (Gandio 7)." Evey realized that thing and it shows the positive approach of the character. That realization is what made her more confident in helping V to accomplish his goal.
            I liked the character of the book's Evey more than the movie. She was simple, innocent, sincere, noble, and kind as compared to the movie. Although the movie gives her some respect by not showing her as a prostitute, but overall, the approach and style that is used by Alan Moore in the book is more constructive, positive, and optimistic.










Works Cited

Ebert, Robert. "V for Vendetta Movie Review& Film Summary (2006) | Roger Ebert." Movie Reviews and Ratings by Film Critic Roger Ebert | Roger Ebert. N.p., 16 Mar. 2006. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.
Gandio, J. D. (2013). Rhetoric for Radicals. USA: New Society Publishers.

Jordison, Sam. "V for Vendetta: Political resonance | Books | theguardian.com." the Guardian. N.p., 14 Nov. 20. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.


The Avenues Mall

Faisel E RS Altawheed

Professor Klepper

English 113B

13rd December 2013

The Avenues Mall

            One of the things that Kuwait should be famous for is its malls. Five malls have been constructed in Kuwait over the previous ten years and the Avenues Mall is the oldest among them.  Despite its age and competing malls, The Avenues Mall keeps drawing people back. This begs the question, what makes this shopping mall so special? Even if Kuwait's malls appear to be similar, having the same entertainment facilities, restaurants, and clothing stores, The Avenues is popular because it is well located and the road that leads to The Avenues doesn't have much traffic. The impressive structure is the dominant reason to go to the mall; it has over eight hundred stores spread over seven districts, each district has its own theme and attracts all kinds of people. In contrast, Al Hamra Mall is the newest mall in Kuwait. Even though it is extremely luxurious, it is always empty. The reason for the emptiness is that it is located at the center of downtown Kuwait, where it is usually too crowded with traffic, and it only attracts a certain segment of people. What makes a Mall occupied with people is the organization of the mall, the location, and the design.

            The Avenues Mall is considered to be the second largest mall in the Middle East. The founders of the mall had a well-studied vision for the project. They decided to build a large mall in an empty area away from the center of Kuwait. That basic plan made a tangible contribution to the success of the mall. It made it easy to drive to the mall, and park, without worrying about too much traffic.

            Some people argue that locating the mall away from the center of Kuwait forces people to drive longer, which leads to an increase in gas consumption, and, therefore, will negatively affect the economy and the environment. But from a another perspective, locating the mall in the center of Kuwait actually leads to more traffic, and causes people to get stuck in their cars for more than an hour just to reach the mall. Traffic jams lead to more gas consumption and waste valuable time (Barth 6).

            The founders have succeeded in transforming what used to be an empty area, which no one usually visits, into a business center that is rarely empty during any time of the week. They managed to accomplish this by continuously developing and enhancing the shopping experience in the mall. The Avenues Mall was first opened in 2007. It started with three districts: 1st Avenue, 2nd Avenue, and The Mall. Six years later, they managed to add five more districts, The Souk, SoKu, Grand Avenue, and Prestige. Each of those districts provides different experiences to the shoppers and they all have a unique theme.

1st Avenue:






            This district is one of the original three districts in the mall. The design of this avenue was inspired by natural rock formations and the sky. This district holds the biggest cinema in Kuwait. The cinema has a large entrance lobby and huge black columns that are strikingly decorated by using color-changing LEDs. It also has more than 200 stores, restaurants, and cafes.

            This part of the mall mostly attracts younger people, and it is the busiest section. The reason it attracts younger people is that the restaurants are middle class and are not too expensive, including places like Chili's, Shake Shack, and some Arabic restaurants. In addition, the stores provide the ultimate shopping experience for that category of people. The clothing stores are mostly international brands that are not too expensive, such as H&M, American Eagle, and Banana Republic.

2nd Avenue:

        This district is considered the largest district in the mall. It is designed for the enjoyment of families and kids. It contains Carrefour, a huge supermarket, and it also has restaurants, cafes, and clothing stores. The restaurants here are different from those found in 1st Avenue, they are mostly fast food restaurants that serve kids meals, such as McDonalds and Burger King.

            Since this district is meant to attract kids and families, there is an attraction called KidZania, which is an entertainment center that provides an educational environment for the kids. The kids can play over 100 types of activities in a replica of a real city. To provide the feeling of being outdoors, the roof is made of glass that allows the sunlight in. In addition, sunlight encourages the children to engage in physical activities by making them feel more energetic (Omartian 17).

Grand Avenue:

        In order to keep up with restaurant trends in Kuwait, the mall founders had to extend the mall and build this new district. They managed to add more international restaurants; some that are making their first debut in Kuwait, and others that have their only location in Kuwait. In addition to the new restaurants, the founders of The Avenue decided to create a walking path to attract people who would like to exercise. The path is over 400 meters in length and around 22 meters wide. The path is designed using elements of nature to give it the feeling of being outdoors. The street is paved with different kinds of stones, and a long line of Palm Trees divides it in two.

Prestige:



            If luxurious shopping were a religion, one of its temples would definitely be the Prestige district. To give the luxury brands a unique character, the stores are double in height. Upon entering this district, an astonishing purple dome with its own lighting system catches your eye. There are massive architectural arches that are made from copper colored materials complemented by Portoro stone. Combining the arches color with the purple light reflects a color that is usually associated with luxury (Renk). The ground is made of a shiny marble that reflects the light from the ceiling lamps. This district attracts a luxurious segment of people that likes to shop for expensive brands, such as PRADA, Chanel, Burberry, and Christian Dior.

The Souk:

        This district is designed mirror a traditional Kuwaiti market. They have accomplished this by replicating the characteristics of an old market environment. The district is made of narrow streets, the color of the walls and ground matches the color of sand, and the presence of light and shadows on the wall gives it an old feeling. There are shops that sell the works of our Kuwaiti' ancestor craftsmen, such as Misbaha and traditional clothes.

            The restaurants in The Souk are mostly old-fashioned restaurant that serve traditional Kuwaiti and Arabic food. The cafes are mostly filled with old people who like to hang out and feel the nostalgia. This district usually attract older people and tourists who would like to experience the traditional life of Kuwait.

            To make a successful mall, great management is required to design and control the large space in order to provide convenience to all customer segments. The mall needs to continuously go through enhancements and improvements to keep up with customer trends. A mall is no longer just about shopping, it has also become a hub where people go to spend leisure time, find entertainment, and enjoy dining experiences. It is also a good place for people to spend quality time with friends and family.  By attracting kids, youths, families, and old people all in one area, The Avenues Mall has obviously achieved its goal of offering convenience and fun to all segments of people.



Works Cited



Barth, Mathew, and Kanok Boriboonsomsin "Traffic Congestion and Greenhouse Gases" Access. The University of California Transportation Center, 13 July 2009. Web. 8 November 2013.
Omartain, Stormie. "The Power of Sunlight." The Power of Sunlight. The Christian Bradcasting Network, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2013.
Renk, Stefen. "Color Theory." Renk Student Support Web. N.p., 14 May 1999. Web. 8 Nov. 2013.
Valdes, J. M. (2002). Culture Bound: Bridging the culture gap in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.



First essay about Copy right



Faisel E R S Altawheed

Professor Klepper

English 113B

13rd December 2013

The Enemy of Societal Advancement

            In prehistoric times, lack of communication and sharing ideas was one of the most obvious physical limitations to the evolution of societies. The world was in a slow developing phase because everybody had to start from scratch without resources. Over time, communication and sharing ideas improved as technology advanced, and with the creation of the internet the world has experienced a dramatic change in the way communication takes place.

 "The way we change the world influences the type of world we create (Glindo 5)." A change in the world is brought up by introducing unique and effective ways of communication and it becomes easy for inventors to benefit from the trial and error of others in order to innovate with new technology. Sharing leads to success; it's the reason for the current world state of the world. However, a problem rose in 1710 that prohibited the ways the internet allows for rapid, widespread communication and using others’ ideas without permission; this is called copyright. Copyright is an exclusive right given by the law for a certain term of years to an author or designer to print, publish, and sell copies of his original work (Simpson). In order to form a new understanding of sharing that is beneficial for the world, governments should remove the shackles from the communication that technology makes possible by waving away copyright laws or fundamentally change the way they function.

            If I asked, "What do you know about copyrights?" most people will immediately associate the word in positive ways that protects people’s ideas by not allowing other people to copy their work. They are only secondary, and from a mature perspective, we should consider the alternative, the negative side of copyright. Copyright is immobilizing the communication that has the power to further develop technology by not allowing others beside the innovator to use or to share it. In addition, it is deterring the use of benefits that come with the creative work itself.

            It is true that copyrights will create profits for the individual or the company by making their ideas exclusive, but it is also true that copyright may affect the development of the world. In the year 1450, Gutenberg had invented the printing press; it is a mechanical device or a machine for printing (Simpson). That innovation had a great impact on the European society. Its immediate affect was the quick spread of accurate information, which helped scientists share their ideas throughout Europe to achieve new inventions. Imagine if in the year 1450 Europe had strict copyright laws, where nobody was allowed to print or share someone else’s idea without permission, or let’s assume that Gutenberg had exclusive rights to the printing press and used it to his individual advantage to make money. The world would not be what it is right now.

            While some people believe that the printing press is the greatest invention that occurred between the creation of writing itself and the Internet, Internet technology has exceeded the printing press as a communication method for sharing information. It has granted the user the ability to send and receive digital files as pictures, music, and movies across continents effortlessly. However, this action is considered illegal by copyright laws, and it is called Piracy. During the printing press age, it would not make sense if copying a paper was illegal because it belonged to someone else. People were benefiting from what others had. Books were published everywhere that helped in creating a wider, literate, reading public because the main priority was to benefit the society.

            The companies who are misusing the copyrights are selfish. They could help the world by letting others build upon what they have already achieved. As an example of the abuse of copyright, they could turn off a website with a takedown regime without filing a federal copyright infringement complaint (Pallas 749). Instead of being afraid of competitors and giving them too much credit, businesses must believe that there is enough out there for them and for their competition. The more you share and help others, the more you learn. In addition, even though the competition tried to copy their work, they would not execute it the way that the original company does. Ray Kroc (McDonald’s owner) once said, “Competition can try to steal my plans and copy my style. But they cannot read my mind; so I will leave them a mile and half behind."

Copyright was made to benefit society and protect the innovator’s motivation to create. However, with the advent of the Internet, it does not fit in its current form, and it is being misused to protect personal businesses. It is repressing and hardening the process of new innovators applying their new creative ideas by forcing them to take permission from the previous inventor, who usually refuses for personal reasons.

            When the printing press in Western Europe was invented, it faced resistance from some organized groups. While they initially succeeded in delaying its adoption, 30 years later there were over 110 printing presses operating throughout Europe (Cosgel 365). The same idea is being repeated with copyrights and the Internet. Governments are trying to prevent creative works on the Internet from being freely shared by applying copyright laws. However, the numbers of files that are being shared illegally throughout the Internet are uncountable, and it is likely to become legal to share those documents in the future.

            Several companies and associations are hopelessly trying to prevent the inevitable destiny of the Internet and file sharing by making misguided moves. As an example, “In September 2003, the RIAA [Recording Industry Association of America] sued 261 individuals—including a twelve-year-old girl living in public housing and a seventy-year-old man who had no idea what file sharing was." In addition, the RIAA has charged an individual with $15,000,000 in damages (Lessig 200). The people being sued are innocent, and the charges being demanded are ridiculous. Those actions prove that the RIAA does not know exactly how to stop the file sharing activity.

A new upcoming technology that may change the world, and would face resistance from different groups is called the 3D printer. A 3D printer allows the user to create a three dimensional object by laying down successive layers of materials. This technology is more affordable and easier to use than other manufacturing technologies. This invention combined with the Internet will allow any user around the world to create numerous tools and products just by downloading the digital design file. It will also allow the people who cannot have access to medicine in Africa to print their own tiny drug factory (Jones 23).

It has become routine for Internet users to copy an image or graphic and then adjust and print it for personal use. In the near future, people could easily load a design file of an IKEA table from the Internet to print out a replacement for a broken chair. In addition, people may be able to adjust the design to suit their needs. Try to imagine how much easier life would be for the whole world with this technology. Unfortunately, these actions are considered illegal by copyright laws, and the users may get sued. The government’s current concerns about copying and sharing music or videos through the Internet would be meaningless when compared to the copyright violations that will be associated with the spread of 3D printers.

            Decades ago, technology had reached a point where what we considered science fiction became commonplace. Unfortunately, we cannot experience the full benefit of the new technology and creative works because of copyright laws and personal interests.  Technology is developing so fast, and applying the old copyright laws on this modern technology and the creative works it makes the possible impossible. Trying to force that will just produce a poor result that will not accomplish anything for law or for technology. Governments and companies should reconsider the copyright laws and think about the future. Copyrights are not fitting our present landscape of sharing and definitely will not fit the future.



Works Cited

Cosgel, Metin M., et al. "The political economy of mass printing: Legitimacy and technological change in the Ottoman Empire." Journal of Comparative Economics 40.3 (2012): 357-371. EBSCO. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.

Gandio, J. D. (2013). Rhetoric for Radicals. USA: New Society Publishers.

Jones, Nicola. "The print revolution: three-dimensional printers are opening up new worlds to research." Nature 487.7405 (2012): 22+. General OneFile. Web. 26 Sept. 2013.

Lessig, Lawrence. Free Culture. New York: Penguin Group, 2004. Print.

Pallas, Lydia. "Deterring Abuse of the Copyright Takedown Regime by Taking Misrepresentation Claims Seriously." EBSCO 46.4 (2011): 745. EBSCO. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.

Simpson, John. "copyright, n." Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 2013. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.

Simpson, John. "printing press, n." Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, 2013. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Evey yaaa evey


Faisel E R S Altawheed

Professor Klepper

English 113B

26th November 2013

V for Vendetta

We have often seen movies based on the stories taken from some famous books or an inspiration from an anthology. Sometimes such movies are really interesting and worth-to-watch as movie V. It has been observed that most films those are remakes of a book have certain forms of dissimilarities. The story of the movie V is also an adaptation of the book V for Vendetta. The book was written by Alan Moore and it was adapted as a movie by Larry and Andy Wachowiski.

           

The Two Eveys:

 People who have read the book and watched the movie as well can easily nail the similarities and dissimilarities of the movie and the book. They can easily understand the central part of the novel as well as the focus of the movie. There are certain variations in addition to resemblances between the novel and the movie.  The scope of difference varies from characters, costumes, sets and even the theme of the story. In order to compare Evey's two different personalities, and explain in what sense the presence of similar character in two ways are significantly changed, the reader should focus on Evey's influence on the story line. Evey plays big and influential part in the story of V which is different from V for Vendetta in various aspects including her appearance, dressing, and approach.

Evey has been portrayed with more purity and had a more vivid impression in the book. As the main theme has been transformed from the book to its film adaptation. Hence, the characters have also been put forth in accordance with the main idea of the story, we can see the difference in the role play of the same character in the book and in movies. The spectators of the V for Vendetta are influenced by the bold part of Evey and they are not ready to appreciate her innocent appearance in the novel. On the other hand, the readers of the novel don’t feel likeness and attraction  towards the Evey who is a prostitute in the movie.

The debut entry of Evey draws different impression on readers and audience. In the book she has been introduced as nicely dressed in a soft peach silken dress. The writer has tried to portray her with delicateness and serenity, that is why she is associated with soft pastel color  and with a silken dress, that exhibits the refinement of her personality. In addition, it depicts her innocence as well as purity in her mind and soul. In the movie's Evey she is unveiled in the lynching scene dressed in black color. This is somewhat totally different from the depiction of her character in the book. She is more bold and lack the element of innocence. She portrays a dissimilar appearance on the big screen. In screenplay she has been shown as daring and strong. She is not the book’s Evey, she is different. Later in the movie this drastic personality clash of the same character can easily be notified (Jordison, 2011).


For example, in the novel when she tried to entertain one of her customers who turned to be a fingerman and was difficult for her, Evey got scared. Then an unknown man with a mask "V" has saved her from that situation. Evey felt immediately comfortable and secure in the presence of V, that is why she spent lots of time with him. In contrast, in the movie when Evey was harassed by a fingerman she did not react at once, rather she tolerates them unless they turn to be unbearable. Although mask man also rescued her in the movie but she did not stick with him for a long time. The personality contrast again confirms the counterpoint of the Evey’s character. It is very attractive and striking for most of the viewers.

One thing that I like in the movie, is that the screenplay writer has treated the character with more respect that the books' Evey. In the book she planned to earn her livelihood through and illicit profession, while in the movie he took a part time job as an entertainer. An entertainers job is far much more respectable than the job of the prostitute. (Jordison, 2011). I feel the lack of dignity and esteem for the character of Evey here. I believe the reason behind the taking up the profession is poverty. However there could be many other options available for Evey to make both ends meet.

Elvis relative position in society has also been presently different. The writer has represented her as a poor and helpless as she was an orphan. She is the self reliant and strive for her lively hood. In contrast in the movie, she has been shown as a family girl and siblings. She belongs to a political family and her parents have been killed over political issues. A brother has also been shown in the movie who did die of the virus St. Marry. (Ebert, 2006)

 Maturity level Evey’s character is different in the book and in movies. By book’s Evey is all alone and she has not seen any sympathy and love from anywhere that is why she was ready to help the mask. She is sincere and kind hearted. She is the person who is innocent and noble. But the movie’s Evey is not such acquitted as depicted in the book but she is overconfident. She doesn’t want to trust the masked man that is why she deceived him and told the truth to the bishop. Although the book’s Evey is timid and fearful but yet at the end of the story she is able to overcome her fears and take correct decision. It shows the positive approach of the character.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Ebert, Robert. "V for Vendetta Movie Review & Film Summary (2006) | Roger Ebert." Movie Reviews and Ratings by Film Critic Roger Ebert | Roger Ebert. N.p., 16 Mar. 2006. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.

Jordison, Sam. "V for Vendetta: Political resonance | Books | theguardian.com." the Guardian. N.p., 14 Nov. 20. Web. 26 Nov. 2013.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

The two eveys

 
Evey is a girl that has two different personalities from the movie and the comic book. In the comic book she is a 16 years old girl, that has a weak personality and she lack the wisdom of taking decision . She decided to become a prostitute in order to get enough money to live. More over, she was the one who asked V to stay at his gallery, because she doesn't have a place to go.
 
While in the movie, she is more confident and independent. She was forced to stay at V's gallery. And she needed more time that the comic Evey to trust V. In the movie she developed some feelings for V.

Friday, November 8, 2013

The Avenues Mall


Faisel E R S Altawheed

Profesor Klepper

English 113B

8th November 2013

The Avenues Mall

            One of the things that Kuwait should be famous for is its malls. Five malls have been constructed in Kuwait over the previous ten years. The Avenues Mall is the oldest among them. Despite its age and competing malls,  The Avenues Mall keeps drawing people back. This begs the question, what makes this shopping mall so special? Even if Kuwait's malls appear to be similar, having the same entertainment facilities, restaurants, and clothing stores, The Avenues is popular because it is well located and the road that leads to The Avenues doesn't have much traffic. The impressive structure is the dominant reason to go to the mall; it has over eight hundred stores spread over seven districts, each district has its own theme and attracts all kinds of people. In contrast, Al Hamra Mall is the newest mall in Kuwait. Even though it is extremely luxurious, it is always empty. The reason for the emptiness is that it is located at the center of downtown Kuwait, where it is usually too crowded with traffic, and it only attracts a certain segment of people. What makes a Mall occupied with people is the organization of the mall, the location, and the design.

            The Avenues Mall is considered to be the second largest mall in the Middle East. The founders of the mall had a well-studied vision for the project. They decided to build a large mall in an empty area away from the center of Kuwait. That basic plan made a tangible contribution to the success of the mall. It made it easy to drive to the mall, and park, without worrying about too much traffic.

            Some people argue that locating the mall away from the center of Kuwait forces people to drive longer, which leads to an increase in gas consumption, and, therefore, will negatively affect the economy and the environment. But from a another perspective, locating the mall in the center of Kuwait actually leads to more traffic, and causes people to get stuck in their cars for more than an hour just to reach the mall. Traffic jams lead to more gas consumption and waste valuable time (Barth 6).

            The founders have succeeded in transforming what used to be an empty area, which no one usually visits, into a business center that is rarely empty during any time of the week. They managed to accomplish this by continuously developing and enhancing the shopping experience in the mall. The Avenues Mall was first opened in 2007. It started with three districts: 1st Avenue, 2nd Avenue, and The Mall. Six years later, they managed to add five more districts, The Souk, SoKu, Grand Avenue, and Prestige. Each of those districts provides different experiences to the shoppers and they all have a unique theme.

1st Avenue:

            This district is one of the original three districts in the mall. The design of this avenue was inspired by natural rock formations and the sky. This district holds the biggest cinema in Kuwait. The cinema has a large entrance lobby and huge black columns that are strikingly decorated by using color-changing LEDs. It also has more than 200 stores, restaurants, and cafes.

            This part of the mall mostly attracts younger people, and it is the busiest section. The reason it attracts younger people is that the restaurants are middle class and are not too expensive, including places like Chili's, Shake Shack, and some Arabic restaurants. In addition, the stores provide the ultimate shopping experience for that category of people. The clothing stores are mostly international brands that are not too expensive,  such as H&M, American Eagle, and Banana Republic.

2nd Avenue:

            This district is considered the largest district in the mall. It is designed for the enjoyment of families and kids. It contains Carrefour, a huge supermarket, and it also has restaurants, cafes, and clothing stores. The restaurants here are different from those found in 1st Avenue, they are mostly fast food restaurants that serve kids meals, such as McDonalds and Burger King.

            Since this district is meant to attract kids and families, there is an attraction called KidZania, which is an entertainment center that provides an educational environment for the kids. The kids can play over 100 types of activities in a replica of a real city. To provide the feeling of being outdoors, the roof is made of glass that allows the sunlight in.

Grand Avenue:

            In order to keep up with restaurant trends in Kuwait, the mall founders had to extend the mall and build this new district. They managed to add more international restaurants; some that are making their first debut in Kuwait, and others that have their only location in Kuwait. In addition to the new restaurants, the founders of The Avenue decided to create a walking path to attract people who would like to exercise. The path is over 400 meters in length and around 22 meters wide. The path is designed using elements of nature to give it the feeling of being outdoors. The street is paved with different kinds of stones, and a long line of Palm Trees divides it in two.

Prestige:

 
            If luxurious shopping were a religion, one of its temples would definitely be the Prestige district. To give the luxury brands a unique character, the stores are double in height. Upon entering this district, an astonishing purple dome with its own lighting system catches your eye. There are massive architectural arches that are made from copper colored materials complemented by Portoro stone. Combining the arches color with the purple light reflects a color that is usually associated with luxury (Renk). The ground is made of a shiny marble that reflects the light from the ceiling lamps. This district attracts a luxurious segment of people that likes to shop for expensive brands, such as PRADA, Chanel, Burberry, and Christian Dior.

The Souk:

            This district is designed mirror a traditional Kuwaiti market. They have accomplished this by replicating the characteristics of an old market environment. The district is made of narrow streets, the color of the walls and ground matches the color of sand, and the presence of light and shadows on the wall gives it an old feeling. There are shops that sell the works of our Kuwaiti' ancestor craftsmen, such as Misbaha and traditional clothes.

            The restaurants in The Souk are mostly old-fashioned restaurant that serve traditional Kuwaiti and Arabic food. The cafes are mostly filled with old people who like to hang out and feel the nostalgia. This district usually attract older people and tourists who would like to experience the traditional life of Kuwait.

            To make a successful mall, great management is required to design and control the large space in order to provide convenience to all customer segments. The mall needs to continuously go through enhancements and improvements to keep up with customer trends. A mall is no longer just about shopping, it has also become a hub where people go to spend leisure time, find entertainment, and enjoy dining experiences. It is also a good place for people to spend quality time with friends and family.  By attracting kids, youths, families, and old people all in one area, The Avenues Mall has obviously achieved its goal of offering convenience and fun to all segments of people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

Barth, Mathew, and Kanok Boriboonsomsin "Traffic Congestion and Greenhouse Gases" Access. The University of California Transportation Center, 13 July 2009. Web. 8 November 2013.

Renk, Stefen. "Color Theory." Renk Student Support Web. N.p., 14 May 1999. Web. 8 Nov. 2013.