This essay is part of our Member Essay Series, in which we invite London Arts and Health members to share new perspectives on Creative Health.
Margarita Monaco is currently studying Creative Health at University College London and wrote this piece in response to our 2026 callout theme, Climate Change, Mental Health, and Creative Health.
With many thanks to Margarita for this essay.
I have a new obsession: underused shopping centres. It all started with the galerías comerciales of Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I am from. These covered passageways, lined with small shops, emerged in Buenos Aires in the 1940s and were once lively urban spaces. From the 1980s onwards, they began to lose popularity due to the appearance of larger shopping malls and, more recently, to online shopping. Many of these galerías still exist, but most of their units are empty. Because the units are often owned by multiple stakeholders, they are difficult to redevelop or significantly alter. Yet these spaces are usually located in central, well-connected parts of the city.
A similar story can be seen throughout the UK , and in London in particular, which is where I live now. High street shopping centres, which were popular from the 1970s to the 1990s, have also lost popularity due to the appearance of larger malls, usually located out of town, and online retail. Places like Dalston Kingsland Shopping Centre or the Whitgift Centre in Croydon reflect this shift. These spaces now sit in an in-between state. They have, in some ways, become spaces people pass through rather than places to spend time in. At the same time, many people today feel increasingly disconnected from their local communities, partly due to the loss of shared spaces and community assets, something often linked to worsening mental health. This raises an important question: could these underused spaces be part of the solution?
There is strong evidence that taking part in creative and arts activities can improve mental health and wellbeing. However, access to these activities has been declining, particularly in deprived areas. Arts venues are struggling to survive, funding has been cut, and many local cultural spaces have disappeared. As a result, people are often left to engage with culture at home, usually through screens, rather than in social environments. This matters because not everyone is able or willing to travel for cultural activities. Many people prefer to engage with arts and culture close to where they live.
This is where the idea of place becomes important. Instead of building new venues from scratch, we could focus on making better use of spaces that already exist. Shopping centres, with their central locations and flexible layouts, offer a unique opportunity. They already have multiple units that could be adapted for studios, performance spaces, workshops and community events.
There is another reason why these spaces deserve attention: climate change. Cities are getting warmer, and extreme heat is becoming a serious health risk. In response, local authorities are looking for ways to help people stay cool during heatwaves. In London, a ‘Cool Spaces’ map highlights places where people can find shelter from the heat, and some shopping centres are already included, such as The Mall Wood Green. These buildings are large, accessible and often climate-controlled, which makes them valuable as public refuges during extreme weather.
An opportunity emerges from bringing these ideas together. On one side, we have underused, centrally located spaces. On the other, we have communities that would benefit from more accessible cultural activities and safe places during extreme weather. In between, there is the chance to rethink what these spaces are for.
There are already examples that hint at what this could look like: Dalston Kingsland Shopping Centre has introduced a Music Booth that anyone can book. The Mall in Wood Green has started hosting cultural events and community activities, such as their first Cultural Heritage Live: Mall Wood Green in May 2026 as part of Cultural Heritage Month 2026. In Croydon, the Whitgift Centre has gone further. They house creative organisations such as Conditions, a 24/7 low-cost studio programme for local artists, Croydon Arts Store, a temporary takeover of a four-story unit transformed into an arts and cultural venue, and Turf Projects, an artist-run contemporary art space. Beyond the
UK, cities have also found ways to rethink underused urban spaces like shopping centres. In Buenos Aires, a partnership of multiple art galleries took over a galería in the city centre: Central AFFAIR. In Córdoba, Argentina, local authorities have mapped out their galerías and the pedestrian routes within them. In Chicago, USA, underground tunnels and overhead walkways link dozens of buildings, offering protected routes during harsh weather. These examples show how existing structures can be reimagined to meet changing needs.
I believe these spaces should be thought of as public assets. They could become subsidised cultural (and retail) hubs that generate work opportunities, while also ensuring that cultural activities remain accessible, representative, affordable, and, where possible, free. Strong partnerships between local councils and private owners would be needed. One example of this approach can be seen in Hackney Council. In 2017, the council purchased a large Tesco site to have greater control over its future, and ensures it serves the community. Since then, Hackney residents, businesses and organisations have been invited to take part in shaping plans for the site, with discussions focusing on housing, public space, and community needs. Alongside this, Hackney Council has also provided small grants to local businesses to run events and activities that bring people back to high streets. These kinds of initiatives show how public investment can help reactivate town centres and support community life.
Underused shopping centres are not just a relic of a past retail era, they could actually play an important role in the future of neighbourhoods. By rethinking their functionality, and supported by public and private collaboration, they can be turned into places that support creativity, social connectedness, and climate-change protection.