Supermarket / Re-defining

This project will overlook and study the different types of supermarket, analyzing the act of sharing between customers-customers, customers-vendors etc. The purpose is to re-define the concept of current supermarket through the notion of existing interactions and encounters.

FINAL PORTFOLIO_3839

Types of Supermarkets / Spectrum of Sharing

Fresh Goods Area

The fresh goods area is the most crowded and vibrant space. It is placed at the entrance due to the many colors that the fruits and vegetables holds. This entices the customers first hand and most of them stay in this space the most. The shelving are at a lower height as it is easier for customers to view the goods, the void above then becomes spaces for the supermarket to hang decorations for any on-going events. This allows the supermarket to always be in touch with any possible events, staying relevant to the customers.

Non-perishable Food Area

The shelvings used here are much higher as they are used to display products that are mass-produced. The placement of the goods are usually by revenue and popularity. The most top of the shelves are usually used to advertise certain brands and are often eye-catching.

Existing Floorplan

The current shelving are linear and equally spaced out to maximize the functionable usage of a supermarket, this encourages customers to browse through the place in a quick and efficient way. Thus, because of the current layout, customers tend to touch-and-go at this place. This brings the question: whether supermarket can just only be a mere functionable space?

Curved Paths

Curved shelving were introduced to soften the path and slow any incoming customers down, a form that tries to challenge the fast and functionable concept of a supermarket. The shelving also engulf the customers in a way where they have a “safe and comfort” space to shop, making the experience less stressful and fast-paced.

Concept

The curved shelving is applied throughout the layout, speculating a playful way of looking at supermarket

Circle Booth

The new iterations introduced a rounded activity booth that is accessible to customers at all corners. With minimum barrier between the customer and vendors, interaction are encouraged.

Zoning

The typical wayfinding of a supermarket is simplified into 3 main zones - Fresh Food, Non-Perishable Food and Non-Food. These new zones are reflected in the floorplan on the right. Each area is divided by the original area and space of the current supermarket.

Radiating Concept

Following the concept of curved shelving, a much more radiated layout is adopted for the outcome. The zoning corresponds the Item Chart, and radiates from a solo standing space, a enlarged circle booth. This layout highlights the importance of this booth, as the booth forms a starting point.

Shelvings

The shelvings all radiates out from the cooking studio, varying in height to bring in different experiences at different zones.

Fresh Food Zone

In the fresh food zone, the shelves are kept at a low height, for customers to feel comfortable while selecting their vegetables and being able to visually take in every fresh goodness. The low height also allows customers to visually spot the cooking studio at any position.

Non-Perishable Food Zone

The curves play a part in slowing the journey of the customers. The shopping experience becomes like a labrinyth where openings are only found at certain spaces. The slight curvature gives a illusion of walking in the small space again and again in a circle.

Render

Circle Booth (Cooking Studio)

The cooking studio is the key space of the supermarket. With all the shelving curving from this studio, it highlights the space. As it is the first space seen from the entrance, it encourages customers to interact with the space. With the base being circular, it allows everyone to gather around it in a comfortable way. The absence of middle barrier gives the vendor a chance to interact with the customers. The cooking studio is just one of the many ways the supermarket can use this space. It can also possibly be adopted as a display stand that encourages the neighborhood to coordinate and sell their home-grown vegetables, to even being a bar table for students to use.

Render

Reflection

This project helped me question a space beyond its initial function and through that, to develop a new perspective and concept that helps elevate the space even more. Supermarkets can be much more than just a functionable space for people to pass through. It is a space that a community often visit, thus it should be able to forge a new experience that can encourage better interactions within the community and much more. With this project, I tried to push my boundaries and speculate a space that might not even be practical, but rather to focus on the experience I wish for the customers to have.