I don't think the Mall is quite that bad, but it certainly could be better. There's this general sense in the US that parks, even urban parks, should be little pockets of nature unsullied by commerce or anything that smacks of too much human activity. So we have these public spaces which are spaces but don't really seem to be designed with the actual desires of the public in mind.
Contrast to, say, the various town squares and plazas in European cities.
At least us Philly folk have Rittenhouse Square, which while not perfect is closer in spirit to the idea that public spaces should keep the public in mind.
...for those not clicking through I'm talking about the National Mall in DC. Not the King of Prussia mall.
