Selasa, 28 Agustus 2012

Foodcourt: Urban eating place

Recently, I got job to design two food court in a row. First, a food court in a mall in Balikpapan. Second is a food court facility on an apartment in Bandung. The theme for the first food court is "The Sea", since Balikpapan is a coastal city that grew form its sea. For example, oil offshore and Balikpapan famous for its seafood. Personally, I have visited this city in 2000.

Derived from the main idea, I search for a sea themed food court. It took me to a Hawaii food court. from this, I get inspiration for the ceiling. And as the search continue, I know that the trend of food court is no longer rowed small stall that packed with neon signboard, artificial coconut tree and plastic chairs and stabilo colored surrounding that usually get in mind if someone mentioned food court.

From my examination, it appears that the trend among food court developed differently among the east and west country. In east country, especially Singapore and eventually Indonesia, the trend is about nostalgic and full ornamented food court.

For example, take a look at Food Republic in Singapore. The power of the design is small details and properties that create the ambiance.
Food Republic, Singapore


In my opinion, they don’t use the expensive material, but it’s ok because design is not always about the luxury things but it’s how to create good design with the material that available. The parameter to ‘good design’ is the place itself become economicly success and people buzz about the place’s design. This really happen to Food Republic in Singapore, because so many Indonesian design people who come to Singapore to do field study, they always visit it as a reference. And more over, it create trend that Indonesian people addopt.

In Indonesia, Food Republic is translated into Eat and Eat. A food court that has the similarly same idea to its design. But if in Food Republic, it use old Singapore ambiance, in Eat and Eat, they use the theme of old Jakarta Peranakan ambiance in its branch in Kelapa Gading. As you can see, good design trigger other people to follow.

Appart from the ‘nostalgic’ theme in east country, the west country do big leap in food court concept. They run far and fast, by bringing futuristic concept to foodcourt. The one that very inspirational is the  in New York city. This foodcourt is designed by . the main concept is that people don’t have to face the waitress to order food. They simply give order to the computer and they will pick up the food on the stalls that serve all the visitor. This progressive concept, also translated into its eating hall. They go with all white space. In my opinion, on one side, this colour give higienic message. But, on the other side, all white space is too dull and cold for eating place. Perhaps combining with wood material will help.­
Food Parc, NYC



And there is another foodcourt that becomes my favorite. It’s called URBAN EATERY. Located on Canada, Urban Eatery really give the urban feeling from its design. All stall different from one another. They have freedom to design they own stall. But they all have the red line: contemporer design and material. The united accent is the glass that divide each stall, using stainless border and become the signage with stainless plat. This concept yet artistic and functional. We can imagine that visitor that browse the stall will not have to step back and see the signboard above the head, but just glimpse to the stainless plat that on the eye level. Great idea!
Urban Eatery, Toronto, Canada



Second point of interest is the design of all element in this foodcourt use clean cut finish. It gives efficient and straight forward environment. This also become plus point for maintainance. In this case, I can not deny that expensive material do make leverage to the overall ambiance. For example, they do use rectified floor finish with good quality, check point. Exquisite marble at some stall, check point. High capacity halogen light, check point. Wood finish in some ceiling area which give warm feeling, check point. Solid surface on most of the serving table, check point.

My favorite stall is the Jugo juice and Gelato stall. Jugo juice use shocking pink and a little silver highlight. With minimalis element, it really rock me. Notice that they use wood plank on the front side of the serving table, give balance to its design. Gelato stall, they pick up the right colour for its signboard above, the mauve purple really represent the creamy dreamy gelato ice cream that will cool up your hectic hot day. Overall, i love Urban eatery and hope some day I shall have opportunity to dine in there.

Jugo Juice, Urban Eatery

Last word, designing a food court need theme. Decide first what theme do you want to bring to your foodcourt. Then, create the ambiance with detailing element. In this point, we have to know, which class to this foodcourt will fit in. Third and most important, cleanliness is the major issue. We want to give people good food and HEALTHY. So don’t be lazy to check the work flow and garbage flow to design stage, so that we as an architect will do strong point on clean and healthy eating place. And after you do that all, imagine you eating on that place.. Bon apetite..

Reference:
Flickr: studio maris

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