Food halls are like design-build charettes. Charrettes were a popular tool in architecture school, defined as: an intense period of design or planning. Food halls, and the small vendor booths within, require an architect & contractor team to focus on the project’s specific goals. Therefore, communication among project participants is constantly stressed as a strategy to ensure that goals are understood on all ends. We have collaborated on the interior decor of the larger food halls that house them as well. For instance, at Urbanspace at 570 Lexington Ave we have been lucky to forge relationships with *many* amazing Bar & Restaurateurs. It’s with these connections that we’ve learned to approach these projects with the charrette technique. Parkbench has learned that design decisions are similar and yet always changing to include: visual impact, efficiency of flow within tight quarters, food production and sale, layouts of equipment and power, lighting design, etc. All situated with noisy competition just feet away.

Check out @parkbencharchitects for in-progress design charrettes of what we’re calling Le Petite Food Merchants.