Chooyon Han

It’s only recent that people started to recognize the importance of the quality of food. Organic agriculture, not only raises healthy crops and livestock, but also helps to save the environment and the sustainable living. However, the perception of organic food still remains negative since most of the people assume it is unaffordable and hard to find.

Many of the existing markets and organic food stores have succeeded in serving healthy food to the public but have failed to offer an opportunity to experience the food. The usual shopping pattern is to go, shop, buy, and leave. This activity has become an individual operation creating its own protocol that can not be interrupted. The experience of organic lifestyle starts from blurring the zone of an individual bubble to interact with the others, the community. With the insertion of new experiences along the shopping pattern, people can now visit a market hall, shop, learn, communicate, share, participate, and enjoy.

To achieve this new pattern, a market hall with an active interaction is proposed. The program includes green roof for children’s agricultural education, cooking classes with community kitchen, playground, public garden where people can participate to water the plants, indoor and outdoor picnic area, river activities emphasizing the sustainability of the environment, and a flexible court that serves community events. In order to accommodate the flow of food, people, and vehicles, XL site is chosen as it is conveniently located next to the bus station. The new market hall will serve as the transportation hub with a trolley station along with its primary purpose of providing a space where the community comes together as they experience food.