Introduction

Across cities, streets have always been places of exchange—of goods, stories, smells, and cultures. Neighborhood markets and food streets represent the most vibrant expressions of everyday urban life, where informal commerce, social interaction, and local identity intersect.

The Neighborhood Market & Food Street – Street Built for Sharing design competition invites participants to reimagine a street as a shared civic space that balances vending, dining, walking, resting, and gathering. The challenge is to transform a typical urban street into a people-first environment that supports livelihoods, celebrates food culture, and strengthens community life.

Objective

The objective of this competition is to explore how streets can move beyond traffic corridors to become inclusive, flexible, and socially rich public spaces. Participants are encouraged to propose design solutions that:

• Support local vendors and small food businesses

• Enhance pedestrian experience and safety

• Encourage social interaction and cultural exchange

• Adapt to different times of day, seasons, and events

• Respond to local climate, context, and community needs

The Building Program

Participants may propose a street-scale intervention that includes, but is not limited to:

• Vendor stalls and food kiosks (temporary or permanent)

• Shared seating and dining zones

• Shaded walkways and weather protection elements

• Utility integration (water, waste, power)

• Storage and service zones for vendors

• Lighting, signage, and wayfinding

• Micro-public spaces for performances or gatherings

Designs should emphasize flexibility, modularity, and human-scale design.

Site

The site is a generic neighborhood street context, allowing participants to choose an urban location of their preference—dense city core, residential neighborhood, or transitional urban edge.

Participants should clearly define:

• Street width and length

• Surrounding land uses

• Climate and cultural context

• Existing challenges and opportunities

Both real and hypothetical sites are acceptable.