Zeyuan Shi
China

My proposal reorganises the ground floor atrium of 22 Bishopsgate as an open village that can be enjoyed by the public. Even though the developer designates this tower (the tallest in the City of London) as a ‘vertical village’, the glass curtain wall along Bishopsgate does not communicate anything about the people who work inside, or differentiate between private and public space. These interior spaces are concealed behind the facade and the title ‘village’ is misleading as they are privately controlled.
My proposal removes the façade, and creates a loose modular framework that allows people to use the ground floors of the building freely as a public space. A semi-exterior system makes the interior public space of the building visible as a food market, while platforms allow other public activities such as meetings and social gatherings to take place. By creating restaurant stalls from the ground floor to second floor, my design expands the feeling of the street to the building. A vertical circulation system made up from steel creates connections between the platforms and gives people a feeling of walking around freely. While food stalls are made up from wood, and these moveable units could allow the activities within the construction to change with different weathers and seasons. Kitchens and changing food kiosks, give people multiple options to dine in, take out or meet up. There are spaces for events and activities such as talks, music and private events. While the market will be accessible not only to the 22 Bishopsgate community, but also to the public, it aims to become a destination that all Londoners can enjoy by opening its doors to the public seven days a week.

Keywords: food market, public space, frame

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