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INSIGHTS: A DISCUSSION ABOUT “PUBLIC SPACE” DESIGN
Gaddis Architect specializes in all phases of commercial and commercial retail design, design management and construction. If maximizing the success of your business by optimizing the performance of your store, or commercial space design is a goal, then attending the following “Insights” could provide some very real benefits. Many common, and some not so common, design challenges are analyzed. Solutions aimed at increasing retail traffic, creating visual presence in various environments, and expressing not only a particular shopping experience but also the business’s brand, are presented. We think that all design is, on some level at least, retail design. Please scroll on, start a dialogue, contact us anytime.
Historic Building Supports a Brand
Captured by Click Bait: We work with small businesses, especially startups. I can’t believe that I am still talking about the COVID but here it is, 2025, and it appears this “ill wind” might have produced something positive, because I have recently finished a project in Old Town Alexandria that was conjured by a client during some pandemic downtime. Captured by an online article by Kirby Allison comparing a $500 shoe to a $5000 shoe, he followed a link into the bespoke world of shoe making and never came out.
The Vision: 
His interest finally led to the footwear academy of the late Stefano Bemer offered by the Schola Academy, a craftsmanship school in Florence as well as to Francis Waplinger, a NYC shoemaker with whom the client became friends, and eventually did some training. By this time, it was apparent that there were few bespoke shoemakers in the world and that this client wanted to be one of them which meant giving up a steady, well-paying job to follow his dream.
The Business: Shoe making as an art form demands skill, training, practice and time. Shoe making as a business requires investment, equipment, inventory, customers and cash. The client decided that a way to do both at once was to open a shop selling quality men’s wear and accessories while at the same time building a bespoke shoe business, which is exactly what he did. The new business is called Old House Provisions, it is in a historic building in historic Old Town Alexandria. The building emanates classic quality and value and so does the brand.
The Building: These old buildings design themselves. Updating them to meet code and obtain city approval is another thing entirely. We are good at it.
How to keep your core customer coming back with interior design.
Few would deny that the post Covid business environment is vastly different than was the pre-pandemic world of an “entertaining experience.” The fundamental need to congregate is still strong, for sure, but the shopper is often looking for something much more fundamental, basic. After three years of at home shopping, learning, working, cooking, eating, sleeping, playing, and most of all communicating, we find a very different shopper heading out to the mall only to find it empty and uninviting.
Now what? Well for one thing, it is not only the shoppers that are effected. It is business owners, especially small independents and specialty retailers and restaurants that, if still around, are faced with the afore mentioned “now what?” Actually, if a business is still around, if they have made it this far, it is likely that they surely know who their customer is. From this it is not difficult to conclude that the “now what” probably resides happily there. If a business owner begins to think of it in terms of how to organize their physical space around the customer that they know so well, the one they are trying to court, things start to fall into place. If they are willing to Lazar focus on the needs of this particular customer, it is possible that even difficult business problems, like being tied to a long term lease on more space than the current market demands, can be solved.
Consider the restaurant in the photo. One look tells the shopper that this is a place for families with kids, also leading them to assume that the menu agrees. There is absolutely no shopper “decision paralysis” here. To a family out for a walk with a hungry toddler and a school kid with a friend, the place is an oasis that may easily become a destination. How is this accomplished? By simplifying, perfecting the basics, and paying attention to conscious consumerism, which is not a bad thing considering the need for continuous online decision making by many families. It is clean, local, and appears healthy. it offers a bit of relief, a safe way to escape the confines of everyday efforts, and even meet some friends.
All this can be accomplished, often with existing fixtures and an interior refresh. There is a fundamental rule for any business temporarily closed, or hard pressed due to recent events, but intending to begin again. Whatever you do, keep up your windows, and make your space look prosperous. The place in the photo accomplishes this in spades.
Recommended Reading and Sources:
https://www.fsrmagazine.com/expert-takes/restaurant-future-30-eight-drivers-change-new-normal
https://www.insider-trends.com/the-future-of-retail-design-expert-roundup/
https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/coronavirus-5-food-trends-that-will-define-new-normal-post-covid-19-epidemic-2228621
https://www.casas-latinas.com/post/6-global-consumer-trends-to-watch-in-2022-2024
HVAC for COVID19: Is there an easy answer?
Can ventilation prevent the spread of Covid19? We have been hearing about how improving an HVAC system – in particular the ventilation – can prevent the spread of Covid19. It is often generalized that throwing money at the problem will stop the spread, that updating/replacing an HVAC system can render an indoor environment safe. If only it were true? The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, also known as ASHRAE, an often referred to authority and standard setter for all things HVAC, has summarized the situation in their “Position Document on Infectious Aerosols:” telling us under “PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR BUILDING OWNERS, OPERATORS, AND ENGINEERS” that:
“Even the most robust HVAC system cannot control all air flows and completely prevent dissemination of an infectious aerosol or disease transmission by droplets or aerosols. An HVAC system’s impact will depend on source location, strength of the source, distribution of the released aerosol, droplet size, air distribution, temperature, relative humidity, and filtration. Furthermore, there are multiple modes and circumstances under which disease transmission occurs. Thus, strategies for prevention and risk mitigation require collaboration among designers, owners, operators, industrial hygienists, and infection prevention specialists…”
Are ther
e practical measures? If it is not possible to avoid transmitting COVID19, are there some practical measures that can help mitigate the problem? There are several products out there with UV lights that can be either plugged in and place on the floor of a space, or are designed to be placed in ductwork. These can make sense in certain applications, but generally are application specific, like health care for example. If they are applied to general applications, like an office, there can be some benefit but no guarantees. If one reads the fine print on these products, there is usually a disclaimer releasing the manufacturer from responsibility. Also UV lights take an extended period of exposure to be effective, meaning there is no benefit for typical circulation types of traffic. Another possibility is to increase the MERV level of HVAC filters. This can have an impact on how an existing system functions or a new one is designed, so it is best to consult a professional before proceeding with any modifications. In the end there is still no substitute proper PPE.
So what can be done? Larry Anderson, HVAC blogger and Editor of HVACInformed.com, suggests what amounts to general good practice strategies: filter indoor air, supply clean outdoor air, and exhaust contaminates. He points to the aforementioned ASHRAE Position Document on Airborne Infectious Diseases which recommends that “…owners, operators and engineers should collaborate with infection prevention specialists knowledgeable about transmission of infection in the community and the workplace and about strategies for prevention and risk mitigation.”I would encourage any property owner or business, whether small or large, to read the entire document before proceeding with an HVAC improvement project, and further to work with a professional at finding the best solution according to their particular situation.
What about innovations? Recently a contractor brought up a product called “Phenomenal Aire.” It is a cold plasma generator that, when installed in an HVAC system uses ionization to “scrub” airborne particles. There appears to be much recommending this product, but not necessarily the type in general. ASHRAE is advising caution as ozone production is one side effect – there are others – of the ionization process and can be a problem. Further, since there is not yet a industry standard MOT (method of testing), they counsel anyone considering an installation to verify that the proposed product has, at least, been tested according to UL2998 which determines that harmful ozone is not a problem. By way of an update, as of 3/3/21 we have been in contact with the manufacturer’s representative for “Phenomenal Aire.” We are told that the Phenomenal Aire meets UL867 and has been submitted for testing according to UL2998. Although the test has been delayed because of a backlog caused by Covid19, it is expected to meet this standard.
And don’t forget? It is always a good idea to insure that an existing system is in good repair and operating according to manufacturers recommendations.