The brief was to create the “world’s best food store” in a downtown location that was once the iconic home of the Toronto Maple Leafs. An urban location surrounded by multiple inner city units but very few public places where this community could engage with each other. As such Landini Associates decided that it was important to not just create a supermarket but rather a “SUPER” “MARKET”, a place where people could meet, talk, eat and fall in love. A social place not unlike a “Market Town” of old which was a community’s hub.

Many factors contribute to this; the planning that revealed the spaces slowly with areas of excellence at every turn, multiple places to watch the food being prepared or to eat on premise, but as important, the lighting.

Most supermarkets use limited lighting sources, mainly high frequency fluorescent, resulting in high lux levels and an overall bland effect. They chose to light just the products and the signage and did not shy away from the creation of shadows, high spots and low spots to create a mood for slow movement and discovery. And it’s worked. Open for just two months the client has already extended the free parking to two hours from one, after customers have repeatedly requested this. They want to spend more time there, it’s their social place and part of their daily life.

Designed by Landini Associates