The Collective

at Fair Oaks

My graduate thesis explores the intersection of food and retail through the design of an experience driven food hall in a former anchor store of a suburban shopping mall.

Malls face an interesting dilemma in the 21st century. The retail environment has evolved as technology and consumer habits have changed, and shopping malls have struggled to adapt. One such mall is the Fair Oaks Mall. This design project presents an opportunity to convert the current Lord & Taylor department store into an experience driven food hall and give the Fair Oaks community a much needed civic space. The foundation of The Collective are the various local food vendors, as all community starts around the table. Dotted throughout the space are customer touchpoints - spaces that establish the framework for creating experiences - surrounding a double height park in the center of the space that provides a much needed gathering space for the community. By creating the framework for visitors to engage, these experiences will bring people back to the mall to revitalize the mall and the surrounding community.

The Problem:

25% of remaining malls are expected to close by 2022

197,000 jobs were lost in the retail sector between 2017 and 2019

The Opportunity:

Photo by Scott Suchman via Washingtonian

41.1% of the $8 billion budget spent on renovating malls in the last 3 years went towards upgrading food & beverage options

There has been a 4x growth in food halls since 2016

Research & Findings:

Experience Design

Experience design focuses on the quality of the user experience during engagement with the design. The design allows consumers to identify with the brand, the product, and other consumers. Successful experience design is about engaging the senses, creating engaging interactions, and tapping into the user’s emotions.

3rd place.png — Third Place Theory

Ray Oldenburg’s Third Place Theory highlights the importance of community spaces that foster social interaction. Third spaces strengthen the community through the exchange of ideas and building of relationships.

The Inspiration:

Organize the space using elements of suburban planning as seen in the images to the left and below. Create a palette inspired by the colors and textures from these aerial images.