Social Engagement

The Cosmopolitan Canopy by Elijah Anderson

Sociologist Elijah Anderson’s book introduced the concept of “cosmopolitan canopies,” which he describes as public spaces where people of diverse ethnicities and economic background gather together and practice civility. Through an ethnographic study, Anderson observed and identified places in Philadelphia which he described as “canopies” which encouraged light social interaction, civility, and inclusion. He theorized that with constant exposure to people who are different from themselves, “cosmopolitan” people are more open to interaction and are also comfortable even when faced with diversity. One of the “cosmopolitan canopies” which he described in great detail was the Reading Terminal Market, which is a historic food and market hall in the center of Philadelphia.

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Urban Bonds: Social Relationships in an Inner-City Neighborhood by Blokland-Potters, Talja

Blokland-Potters introduced the concept of “public familiarity” and described it as an in-between kind of relationship, between “anonymity” and “intimacy.” She introduced the importance of “public familiarity” and hypothesized that with frequent exposure to strangers, one secures both a sense of “social identity” and a “feeling of safety”, despite the increased diversity in one’s social environment.

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The Great Good Place by Ray Oldenburg

Ray Oldenburg introduced the concept of “third places” and described them as comfortable places where people gather, in between home and work. Highlighting the concept of socialization in a public space, he identified “third places” as spaces where one can meet other people and destress from work, without having to host a social gathering in one’s home. Oldenburg emphasized that “third places” give people a “home away from home” feeling, of being welcomed, comfortable, and rested while at the same time enjoying the socialization which comes with meeting other people.

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The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces 2 by William Whyte

William Whyte started work in 1969 on the Street Life Project, studying the various public spaces around New York City. He produced a documentary which summarized his findings and analysis. He pointed out the factors which impacted on the success or failure of these plazas as public spaces. This documentary is a seminal work on environmental behavior, detailing the impact of physical design of plazas on the social behavior of its users. In 1980, Whyte summarized his findings in the book The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Whyte’s findings continue to be followed and applied to public places. Fred Kent, one of Whyte’s research assistants for the Street Life Project, founded the nonprofit organization Project for Public Spaces (PPS).

More Info • View info on PPS.org →

Social Food Experience Places

Boqueria Market, Barcelona

Barcelona’s famous public market. Highly accessible via the pedestrianized Las Ramblas, Boqueria is a visual delight with the variety of its fresh seafood and meat stalls, charcuterie stalls offering of Spain’s famous jamon, colorful fruit and nut stalls in the front, and a few lunch counters like Pinotxo, offering lunch and tapas.

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Granville Public Market, Vancouver

Situated in the Granville Island, this public market is part of a larger island destination which includes theaters, arts & craft markets, art galleries, & restaurants. The public market continues to be a shopping venue for locals. It boasts of a food hall showcasing a variety of cuisine together with numerous fresh produce, seafood, and meat stalls.

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Market! Market!, Manila / Bonifacio Global City

This privately-owned food hall is part of a larger commercial mall, situated in the newly developed commercial business district of Bonifacio Global City, near Makati City. Visiting Market!Market! is an introduction to local Philippine cuisine. Enjoy grilled food items, Spanish cuisine inspired stews, and fresh seafood. Take time out to buy local food souvenir items too, from around the country.

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Markthalle, Basel

Markthalle in Basel is a privately-owned food hall, located near the main Basel train station. Food stalls offer a variety of cuisine, primarily by immigrants from different parts of the world who now call Basel home. Markthalle also serves as an events place for food and arts & crafts festival.

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Newton Circus Hawker Centre, Singapore

The Newton Circus is located near Orchard Road and is one of Singapore’s most famous hawker centre. Small food stalls offer a variety of Malaysian, Chinese, and Indian cuisine, which represent the multi-cultural identity of Singapore. Locals frequent Singapore’s hawker centres due to the affordability of the food items and their presence all over the country.

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Or Tor Kor Market, Bangkok

Or Tor Kor market is one of the best fresh and cooked food markets in Bangkok. A visit to this market is a good introduction to the food culture of Thailand, with its fresh curry pastes, different variety of rice, the most amazing spread of fresh tropical fruit, and cauldrons of ready to eat steaming Thai curry. Prepared food for sale is cooked on site, adding to the sensory experience of the visit.

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Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia

Reading Terminal Market is considered one of the best public markets in the United States. It has been in housed in this historically preserved terminal building since 1893. This market continues to offer fresh produce, meat, and seafood to Philadelphia’s residents. It also has a large food hall which offers a variety of cuisine, include versions of Philadelphia’s famous Philly cheesesteak and a lot of Amish products.

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Union Market, Washington D.C.

Union Market is a privately owned and developed food hall in a historical food warehouse building. It is part of a larger redevelopment plan being undertaken by the Edens Group for the Florida Avenue DC neighborhood. Plan includes a 2nd floor events space, commercial kitchen facilities & vendor support services, a business incubator space for creative and nonprofit organizations, an outdoor cinema, restaurants, and a second market, this time focused on Latin American cuisine and culture.

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Organizations and Institutions

Project for Public Spaces

Project for Public Spaces (PPS) is a nonprofit group dedicated to celebrating public spaces. Their work covers research, project development, and advocacy on the importance of public spaces and their positive impact on community engagement and development. The PPS has identified public markets as important public spaces which need to be protected, enhanced, and further developed for the benefit of communities. They have specifically highlighted the role of public markets in increasing social engagement, increasing community vitality, and providing healthy food access.

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Additional Information & Guidelines

Food Halls of North America 2018 by Cushman & Wakefield

A comprehensive study on the food hall trend. This report explains the reason why food halls are emerging as a new trend in North America. It provides some insights in what are the critical success factors in planning and developing a food hall. It also presents an inventory of current and future planned food halls in the country.

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Public Markets as a Vehicle for Social Integration and Upward Mobility • Project for Public Spaces for the Ford Foundation

This report focuses on markets in lower income neighborhoods. It aims to answer the question of how markets help increase integration within a community. It also includes a special focus on how vendors are able to access options for upward mobility, through the same markets.

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Markets as Sites for Social Interaction: Spaces of Diversity • Sophie Watson with David Studdert, for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Focused on social interaction in markets, this report summarized attributes which help increase social interaction in market settings. This report used eight markets in the United Kingdom as case studies.

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