Holiday Pop Up Shop

Akar ARchiTecture

Recognitions: Iowa Architect Summer 2019

Project Description

The essence of architectural praxis is to create spaces that resonate with their environment and inhabitants. Tasked with designing, fabricating, and installing three pop-up shops for the holiday season, the challenge was to rejuvenate the heart of Iowa City’s Pedestrian Mall through a confluence of innovation and contextual sensitivity. The Iowa City Downtown District sought proposals to create Holiday Pop-Up retail shops that would foster a festive market atmosphere, be ADA accessible, heated, mobile, and durable. Inspired by this challenge, we collaborated with a local shed fabricator to create 8'x8'x16' modules, optimizing economy and transportability. Drawing from the agrarian vernacular of the Midwest, the pop-up shops were envisioned as contemporary reinterpretations of the traditional corn crib. This approach forged a connection with the local cultural landscape. The structures, with rough-sawn white oak frames, galvanized steel rods, and yellow pine slats over colored polycarbonate panels, blended rusticity and modernity. Exposed structural elements offered an honest decorative expression, while glazed ends and entrances created "storefront" displays, turning the pop-up shops into luminous beacons that enlivened the winter streetscape. Functionality and adaptability were paramount. Each portable module ensured minimal material waste and streamlined assembly. Arranged axially with existing building entrances and centered around a shared accessible boardwalk, the layout fostered community interaction. Vertical trellis elements gave the structures urban presence. This spatial choreography enhanced both the functional and social dimensions, transforming the pedestrian mall into a vibrant communal hub. These pop-up shops transcended their initial purpose, becoming integral elements of the urban fabric. Their success, evident in public reception and continued use beyond the holiday season, demonstrated the potential of temporary architecture for lasting urban renewal. Modules are regularly altered to adapt with various public events to foster community spirit and enliven spaces through a thoughtful blend of vernacular homage and contemporary design.