The Surreal Strip Mall

This thesis examines the surreal quality of sub-urban strip malls. Using the theories set forth in Robert Venturi’s Learning from Las Vegas and Rem Koolhaas’ Delirious New York, I present a proposal for the redevelopment of an underused strip mall in South Knoxville. The goal of this proposal is to use surreality as a tool to illuminate the absurdities inherent in many sub-urban development, and to create a civic/commercial center to serve the community.