Consuming the Underground Space: A Case Study of Underground Shopping Malls in Taipei Main Station Special District

Urbanization has been forcing cities to expand outward, upward and downward. Given that the downward developments of cities receive less attention in urban studies compared to the first two, this thesis focuses on the downward expansions of cities in the case of underground shopping malls in Taipei Main Station Special District.irst, I will explain why and how making public transportation systems under the ground such as the railway and metro systems since 1980s in Taipei City is vital for the capitalist city to incorporate underground space. Second, how to transform underground space into underground shopping malls as underpasses and consumption space will be analyzed. It indicates that the governance of the underground shopping malls in the District is highly controlled by Taipei City Government. However, the uses of the underground shopping malls have been partly changed because teenagers have appropriated them for extracurricular activities such as practicing street dances. Consequently, the last part will address the appropriation of space by the teenagers.