“The appropriate design and layout of a new neighborhood shopping center was outlined in Architectural Record in 1932. It called for exclusively commercial one-story buildings, and ample parking for those arriving by car. Parking was to be in front of the stores for the sake of convenience, but most important was that parking be “free of through traffic.”[25] Separate access for delivery vehicles was another important aspect.

===> Finally, the article addressed the appearance of the shopping center, suggesting that, “A single feature, such as a clock tower, flagpole, or well-designed electric sign tower, identifying the entire group of shops, [was] more effective than the usual attempts at giving individual shops separate ‘architectural’ treatment.”[26] <===

[26]
"Drafting and Design Problems: Neighborhood Shopping Centers," 329.