Thursday 17 March 2016

What Goes Around Bites You In The Butt!



The premise of this post being that the City's Railtown/Market input-extension specifically is about the top-to-bottom unworkable market-design: this not previously noticed(!?!) by its architects(!?!) and initiators(!?!). Over months! Neither rooves above nor ground below work and little in between.

See also post
Input: The Farmers' Market
1 March 2016
below.



Simply - the design should have been based on an acknowledged specific purpose, grounded in common sense: not the designers'/initiators' egos taking flight. On the Flying Nun's wimple!

Many vendors have been increasingly feeling insufficiently or not at all consulted in the decision-making process - starting with the overly hasty demolition of the previous market. While quite rightly they are the only experts in this!

So now the City goes back to start - not collecting 200. In fact, taxpayers (including local vendors!) are short 12.600. Because actually a new market won't be ready until sometime in maybe 2017 possibly, and the coming season will be spent in tents. Sound familiar? Mind you: now it's the vendors' tents.


  


To Be Considered For The Market Proper
1. Functionality - Stalls
a)
Stalls should be under a single continuous roof - there may be several (possibly 3) stall-units: a square/rectangle with one side open - the empty core possibly used for smaller performances, exhibits, demonstrations. Individual stalls to be separated from each other with (re)movable partitions - about 4' high. Allowing for stalls to be reconfigured according to need.
The market must provide an environment in which vendors/customers are/feel relatively safe from rain, wind, sun. Planning must be conservative-functional, based on a worst-case scenario: for instance - rain by the bucket lately!
b)
Therefore stall-units need to be raised above ground-level, what with providing sufficient overall drainage being unfeasible.
c)
Therefore stall-units need to have a back - about 4' high - against which vendors can safely stack and keep dry: back-ups.
d)
Therefore the rooves of stall-units need sufficiently extending eaves - with gutters - in the back to provide overall dry/cool shelter there - and in the front to keep displayed wares dry/cool - with customers in comfortable dry/cool shopping-mode.
e)
Therefore rooves must not be too high: the higher they are - the easier entry of rain, wind, sun will be made. Incidentally - then hooks in reachable cross-beams would supply additional (hanging-)space for displays of merchandise.




   



































2. Functionality - Ground(s)
The overall ground needs to be level, solid and safe to walk on in any weather - regardless of footwear worn. Wheelchairs? Walkers?
The total space is to be well-lit - in/outsides - on a programmable timer; cleaned and patrolled constantly/consistently by the City: its owner with sole responsibility.







3. Aesthetics
It is impossible to recreate the former Cottonwood Market's historical funkiness, traditional connectedness of vendors/customers: the major draw for locals/tourists. But! An attempt must be made to provide continuity, a similar ambience.
Going wide-open pseudo-edgy can't do that, will put-off vendors/customers - and  who needs the "soulless" aberration of a farmers' market on Saturday - when we already have a satisfactory one on Wednesday: familiar, convenient, comfortable and closer.

Reality Check
There may be "official" voices against this kind of design in relation to City Hall's distaste for undesirables and immature yearnings to be cool - but not staying on fixed purpose with the design would create resistance in vendors, customers, thus problems for the City: the market may become an expensive why-bother-going waste of space in Railtown.

Considering the design-context: empty seclusion of an open market most of the week, the month, the year just can't be made other-use proof.
Again: its overall design - including a parkish environment - can only be based on a worst-case scenario - not wishful thinking. It will only take 1 child to play with 1 turd or 1 used needle to shut the whole thing down with a bang! For good!




When all is said and said: in that location the market needs to operate from a building - period - spilling outward during market-hours only; the building itself in constant multi-use year-around and securely locked during off-times.

  















On a positive note: the delay may give them time to get it right!









Giuseppe Arcimboldo:
ammit.exblog.jp
commons.wikimedia.org
flickr.com
mtb-mag.com
wikiart.org
sbs.wsu.edu    

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