City Market

Located within the Cooper-Young neighborhood of Memphis, TN, City Market is a renovation project involving the complete redesign of a small, pre-engineered metal building. The renovated façade includes a new canopy element, designed to screen both the ice freezer and unsightly braces at the roof. A new soffit cantilevers slightly beyond the existing fascia to create a lip of separation. This soffit turns upward at the southern end to conceal the angled braces of the existing fascia and integrate the proper roof drainage system. At the northern end, the soffit turns downward to screen the ever-present ice freezer from view as one enters. The existing metal fascia is clad in 1x6 fiber-cement boards, individually painted in a random pattern of City Market colors.

Additionally, improvements to the parking lot were made to bring order to the site. A simple shift in parking space orientation allows for unobstructed views to the building, offering a more welcoming presence from the street. Parking lot improvements included new pavement, rearranging striping, and bollard removal. The renovation of the interior space was designed to achieve two goals. The first, to increase volume; and the second, to create a more tasteful interior through the organization of product and use of a concise color palette. Volume was increased by removing the existing suspended ceiling and exposing the higher structure. To screen the building insulation, metal stud tracks are attached to the purlins offering a low-cost ceiling that reflects light. A more tasteful interior was achieved through consistent use of City Market paint colors while also staining the concrete slab which serves as a more appealing backdrop for store merchandise. The checkout and deli counter are positioned to greet customers upon entry. Additionally, stock is positioned right of the entry with shelving units no taller than the average person, so as not to diminish the volume of the space.