21.04.2014 - 19:35
Ever since freezers and preservatives freed us from the need to shop at food markets on a daily basis, the focus has shifted almost entirely to convenience, resulting in the proliferation of supermarkets and box stores. In the process, food has been disconnected from the natural cycle of daily life. “There’s a lot of talk about food deserts today, but what many neighborhoods really have are place deserts,” says PPS’s Steve Davies. “As a result, we’re seeing a movement back to the idea of the Market City, with markets acting as catalysts for creating centers in neighborhoods that have lost their sense of place.”
Market Cities are places with strong networks for the distribution of healthy, locally-produced food and other goods. They have large central markets that act as hubs for the region and function as great multi-use destinations, with many activities clustering nearby; moving out into the neighborhoods, these cities contain many smaller, but still substantial neighborhood markets that sell all the necessities for daily needs; in between, you’ll find small corner grocers, weekly farmers markets, flea and artisan markets, produce carts, and other small-scale distribution points.
To build these strong networks, Market Cities have invested in their existing market activity, no matter how small, because it provides multiple economic, social, health and environmental benefits that are essential for creating vibrant, extraordinary places for people to live, work and play. These investments take the form of greater organizational capacity as well as improved physical infrastructure, which leads to a strong, positive impact on the entire community, including those that are often underserved and overlooked.
Barcelona is perhaps the best example of a modern Market City. “They have an incredibly thriving network of around 45 permanent public markets,” notes PPS’s Kelly Verel, “because when they planned out the city in the late 19th century, they considered markets the same way that you consider all utilities–like, where does the water go, the power, the garbage, etc.”
