Sherry Yan

Designed and Researched for ways that a food street space could provide guests more inventive to interact with each other.

Stanford d.school

Instructor: Louie Montoya

Eric Liu,  Venessa Lahrkamp, Sophie Schmitter

Fall 2023 (3 weeks)

Procreate, Sticky Notes

Context: A Third Space refers to the social surroundings that are separate from the two usual social environments of home and the workplace. They are spaces specifically for fostering community. These spaces include restaurants, cafes, libraries, shopping centers, etc.

Create a third space that could allow people to have better interactions with each other, or have more opportunities to engage in each other's lives. This is an open-ended project which allows for multiple different solutions to be harmoniously merged into one concise and final product.

Malliron (she/her/hers) identifies as a Black woman from Bunn, NC, and currently resides in St Louis, MO. Malliron has experience in community engagement, nonprofit management, job placement, higher education, human-centered design, and education entrepreneur coaching. She currently spends her days working at The Reinvention Lab, her consulting company, Malliron L Hodge Education Innovation Consulting LLC, and sharing stories of Black women entrepreneurs on her podcast Baddies with Business.

Roth is one of the founders of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (the d.school) and is active in its development: currently, he serves as Academic Director. His design interests include organizing and presenting workshops on creativity, group interactions, and the problem solving process.

01. How might we signal inclusion of different identities and help to facilitate a sense of safety?

02. How might we design instillations sight that they incentivize people to interact with each other?

We agreed that food spaces were the most effective with fostering interactions in a community.  These spaces provide a neutral ground where individuals from various backgrounds can gather, socialize, and relax outside of their usual routines. They offer a sense of community, foster social interactions, and promote a feeling of belonging, making them vital components of urban life and social infrastructure. Additionally, food spaces often incorporate elements of comfort, ambiance, and cultural diversity.

I modeled this food park after the Apple Park in Cupertino, CA. Circles in design have been recognized for their ability to foster a sense of belonging in communities. The rounded shape of circles symbolizes inclusivity, equality, and unity, as it encourages face-to-face interactions, eliminates hierarchies and promotes a sense of equality. This inclusive design approach helps to break down barriers, encourage collaboration, and strengthen social bonds within the community. When incorporated into architectural or urban design, such as in the layout of public spaces, seating arrangements, or building structures, circles create an inviting environment where individuals feel welcomed and connected to others.

On the outer ring are lines of local food vendors, stands and trucks, serving diverse foods from a multitude of cuisines. The inner ring outlines a giant park with tables, and provides a large space to host several separate little projects that also bring a community together. The more central you go, the quieter and more peaceful it gets. The types of activities are tailored the energy of its section. For example, the park hosts a mini project called the Board Game Library, which is machine that lends out board games to player who seek a more peaceful activity in the center.