Sydney’s famous old Chinese district, Eastwood, filled with blossoming fireworks and a vibrant atmosphere is affectionately coined “the central destination for grocery shopping” by netizens. For the lovers of food, Eastwood is paradise and as such, how could there be a lack of street food. Thus, the update and refurbishment of the existing night market brings forth a promise of new vitality and life into the old area, exploring the unknown possibilities of the existing space.
The biggest change in the appearance of the existing night market is the entrance. To open up the narrow entrance, food cart popups are set to operate on the streetside, where the operability of the food carts and the flexibility of the licences make the night market a fresh and attractive setting to the outside world. Not only is it fungible and functional, but at the same time, greatly increasing the presence of the night market, bringing forth a direct visual effect to better welcome customers.
The entrance is followed by the front court. The court centre sits the decorative light sculptures with the four sides surrounded by the restaurants, where the tents and lighting create a lively and unique festivity filled with the night market atmosphere. The unused space at the rear end is turned into a multipurpose area that can be used as a stage for performances, enhance community interaction and serve as a space to enjoy the delicious food. Taking into the account what is quintessential to a night market – exploring the food, the convenience of shopping and sightseeing – the front and back of the market is connected through a dining hall and laneways on either side, so that the people can easily and comfortably stroll while enjoying the enhanced night market experience.
The overall design styles adopt what can be described as ‘Aussie comfort’ which reflect the aesthetic and characteristics of Australia while considering the display of the tenants so as to not overshadow them. Ingenuity in material selection distinguishes the night market from others. With both surrounding left and right buildings being brick, the entrances of the main storefront also use brick to seamlessly incorporate the night market into the surrounding environment while maintaining a sense of nostalgia.
In night markets, lighting is often an overlooked element. The neon signage on the upper side of the laneway and creates a rich retro feeling and combination of east and west. With such the Broadway styled main entrance maintains the nostalgic wave while also functioning as a store orientation and walking direction guide. A large number of string lights are used to further enhance the lighting of the space. The soft lighting warms the space and illuminates the vision for a warm and urban atmosphere.
