Street Food Vending Project

Street Food Vending and Design at the Design Exchange

An exhibition of the results of the national Street Food Vending Cart Design Competition.
Curated by Lorella Di Cintio, Ryerson University, in partnership with Multistory Complex

Part of the Alphabet City 2007 Festival: FOOD

Exhibition hours:
Sept. 26 – Oct. 16, 2007
Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm, Sat/Sun: 12-5 pm
Design Exchange, Teknion Lounge, Chalmers Design Centre, Ground Floor, 234 Bay Street

The national Street Food Vending Cart design competition sought new designs for Toronto's hot dog carts. It aimed to introduce healthier, affordable and more culturally diverse street food to Toronto. It was also intended to foster a public conversation about street food vending, including its relationship to urban and industrial design, construction and regulation of the public realm, community health, and employment. This conversation was developed through the competition's Snack Chats, a panel discussion series on the culture and politics of vending, organized by Multistory Complex; an undergraduate design studio course taught by Professor Lorella Di Cintio at Ryerson University; and through special events like Alphabet City's 2007 festival: FOOD
and Ourtopias, the 2007 DX National Design Conference.

The design competition awards were distributed as follows:
1st prize: Urban Chow by Amanda Kali Bent, Industrial Designer
2nd prize (shared): Versatility by Abbi Chan and Shirley Cheung, Ryerson students, High Tea by HRH of Darjeeling, MoV-Et by Precipice Studios Inc.
Honourable Mention: Powerstation by Brock Miller, Industrial Designer.

All competition entries and undergraduate design studio projects will be exhibited at the Design Exchange. Competition prizes will be awarded at the Opening Reception. The competition's winning entry, Urban Chow, will be prototyped in 2008.

The competition is a partnership of Multistory Complex and Lorella Di Cintio, Ryerson University, School of Interior Design, Faculty of Communication and Design. It emerged out of Multistory Complex's Street Food Vending Project and Professor Di Cintio's Soft Design Activism research and undergraduate design studio course.

Special thanks to our exhibition sponsors:
•Ryerson University, Faculty of Communication and Design, School of Interior Design (Lead Exhibition Sponsor, Competition and Snack Chats Sponsor)
•Ryerson University, School of Nutrition, Centre for Studies in Food Security, (Exhibition Sponsor)
•Metcalf Foundation (Sponsor of the Street Food Vending Project)

Scroll down for the competition brief.

About the Street Food Vending Project

The Street Food Vending Project aims to introduce healthy, affordable, and culturally diverse street food to Toronto; improve vending policies and opportunities for existing vendors; and educate the public on the links between street vending and larger planning themes such as sustainable development, regulation of urban space, workers’ rights and socio-cultural expression in a multicultural city.

The project is comprised of 3 components:

• Research and policy recommendations– research existing and best practices related to street food vending regulation and enforcement, vendor employment support, and the sale of healthier street food.
• Pilot project – pilot street food vending carts across the city to demonstrate the possibilities for healthy, affordable, culturally diverse street food. This will involve identifying interested vendors and vending sites across the city and linking vendors to local farmers, community kitchens and small-scale food processors.
• Public engagement and education – introduce the objectives and ideas developed through the Street Food Vending Project to the public through initiatives like the national vending cart design competition and special events like Snack Chats, Harbourfront’s Hot & Spicy Festival and Alphabet City’s FOOD Festival.

The project takes an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach. We will work with vendors and vendor advocates, food security advocates, academics, planners, designers, policy makers and enforcers, social service agencies, community organizations and the general public.

Some past events of the Street Food Vending Project...

Street food pilot project!
During October, 2007, we gave Toronto a taste of great street food. We partnered with FoodShare, The Stop Community Food Centre and Evergreen at the Brickworks to sell culturally diverse, healthy and affordable street food at festival sites across the city. The pilot project was intended to serve as a longterm model for sustainable street food vending in Toronto. For example, vending could contribute to community health by providing healthy, affordable, locally sourced food and by offering viable employment to many, including those facing barriers to employment.

Pilot project events:

Saturday, September 29, 2007 - Good Food For All Festival
The Stop Community Food Centre - 12-3 pm
1884 Davenport Road West (at Davenport & Symington)

Saturday, October 13, 2007 - Harvest Family Fun Day
Evergreen Brick Works - 10am to 4pm
550 Bayview Avenue

Saturday, October 20, 2007 - FoodShare Open House
90 Croatia St. (near Bloor and Dufferin)- 11 am-3pm

Panel discussion on the culture and politics of street food vending
When: August 11th, 3-5pm
Where: Studio Theatre, Harbourfront Centre

Panelists:
Dr. Mariana Valderde, Centre of Criminology, University of Toronto
Mariana specialises in social and legal theory, studies of moral regulation, and the sociology of law. She is currently researching municipal practices of ordering, focusing on officials other than police. She is looking at the new Municipal Acts in Ontario, nuisance law, and licensing and zoning as tools for enacting a certain vision of the well-ordered 'civil' community. She will apply her research to understanding street vending in Toronto.

Sean Basinski, Director, Street Vendor Project, Urban Justice Center (New York City)
Sean is the Coordinator of the Street Vendor Project in New York City. He is a lawyer and a former street vendor. He will be discussing the Street Vendor Project which educates vendors about their legal rights, supports a local vendors' rights movement and engages in advocacy to help policy makers and the public understand the role street vendors play in the life of the city.

Dr. Liette Gilbert, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University
Liette's research has been on the social and political impacts of immigration in North American cities/regions. She will be discussing the cultural, economic and political implications of street vending, for example, street vending as cultural identity, as alternative food institution, and as a livelihood in service oriented society.

Fred Haywood, Former President of Toronto's Street Vendor Association.

VENDING CART DESIGN COMPETITION

Snack Chats
Multistory Complex and Ryerson University hosted 2 Snack Chats in May. Recordings of the Chats are now posted on Ryerson's website Thanks to everyone who attended.

Wednesday May 16 - Designing a vending cart and vendors' experiences
Where: 125 Bond Street, Room 201 HEI, Ryerson University
When: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
What are the current street vending cart design standards? How can design accommodate healthy, safe and diverse street food preparation and sale? What are important considerations when designing a vending cart? How can carts meet the needs of vendors?

Speakers:
Professor Lorella Di Cintio (Ryerson University) has been teaching a studio design course this winter on designing vending carts. Meet Gerry Lawrence, a City of Toronto public health inspector who ensures carts meet City health regulations. Hear from local street vendors.

Thursday May 24- The role of street food and vending in the city
Where: 87 Gerrard Street East, Room 229 EPH, Ryerson University
When: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
What issues should we consider as we try to introduce healthier, more diverse street food? How does street vending fit into the planning, design and regulation of our streets and social spaces? How do vendors feel about their work?

Speakers:
Members of the Toronto Food Policy Council and Gus Michaels from the City's Municipal Licensing and Standards Division will discuss the regulation and role of street food in the city. Dr. Mariana Valverde ( University of Toronto) will share her research of the regulation and ordering of communities and public space. John Clarke from the Ontarion Coalition Against Poverty will speak about the organization's work with vendors in Chinatown and street vendors from across the city will share their experiences.

THE COMPETITION BRIEF
Propose a new street food vending cart for the City of Toronto. Winning designs will be prototyped, exhibited in Alphabet City’s Food Festival and used in a citywide pilot project. All short-listed and winning entries will be exhibited throughout the city during the Food Festival in various high profile locations.

The Vending Cart Design
Requirements:

• Provide a mobile premises to prepare and serve street food;
• Support the sale of street food that is healthy, affordable and reflective of Toronto’s diverse populations;
• Consider the City of Toronto’s vending regulations (licensing, permitting and health). Note: you do not need to strictly abide by these regulations. For example, health regulations only permit the sale of hot dogs but we encourage you to consider other foods.

Important considerations:

• The conditions and needs of Toronto’s street food vendors;
• The social spaces that vending carts create;
• The contribution of street vending to pedestrian-friendly environments;
• The cart’s location in Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods, including those without access to healthy, affordable food

We encourage design teams to collaborate or consult with vendors and consider issues like food security, urban planning, urban design, employment and the creation and regulation of space.

Web Links:

Licensing and Permitting:

Toronto Municipal Code, Street Vending (pdf )
See page 315.9, Section 1b and 2 for vending cart size and location requirements. (Your design does not need to follow these regulations but do consider them).

City of Toronto vending application and information (pdf)

Health regulations:

Ontario Food Premise Regulation 562/90 (html)

Toronto Public Health (html) (this site explains the Ontario Food Premise Regulation)

City of Toronto Food Charter (pdf)

DELIVERABLES

A. Send us your email to receive competition updates and invites to snack chats and other events.

B. One or Two Poster Boards [24” x 36”, unmounted poster]

• Drawings should include front, back and side views of vending cart
• Include any details or key features (at least 2) relevant to your design
• Written Design Statement summarizing your concepts and its objectives, the type(s) and preparation of food that will be served. Maximum 250 words attached to the back of the design board.
• BLIND REVIEW PROCESS: Names of designers should not be listed on the front of the design board.
• CD – High-resolution print read images saved as .eps or jpeg file

DEADLINES: SUBMISSION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Submissions must be postmarked by Friday June 15, 2007 by 5 p.m. Late entries will not be accepted. Judging will take place in August. Winners will be announced in early September.

The Jury and evaluation criteria

A diverse panel comprised of vendors, local politicians, journalists, health advocates, academics, designers and the public will review all valid entries.

Evaluation Criteria:
Is the solution well executed? Originality of design; overall presentation; consideration of existing vending regulations, the conditions and needs of current vendors and the relation of the cart to social and physical spaces in the city; clever use of current vending cart designs along with future considerations.

MAIL SUBMISSIONS TO:

Ryerson University, Faculty of Communication and Design, School of Interior Design Attention: Lorella Di Cintio – Vending Cart Competition
Mailing Address: 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 2K3
Courier Address: 302 Church Street. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 2K3

The prizes

First Prize will receive funding to support fabrication of a working prototype, to participate in Alphabet City’s Food Festival, and to collaborate with a local chef or vendor.

Second and Third Prize winners will be eligible to receive funding to support fabrication of a working prototype, to participate in Alphabet City’s Food Festival and to collaborate with a local chef or vendor.

All short-listed and winning entries will be exhibited throughout the city during the Food Festival in various high profile locations.

Brief set by Lorella Di Cintio, Katie Rabinowicz, Andrea Winkler

Returns

Entries will not be returned. If you would like your project returned, you must make arrangements after the Food Festival. Details to follow.

Mobile Studio

Multistory Complex would like to build a mobile studio. The walls and roof will give us space to work. Mobility will allow us to directly engage with places and people across the city. Got a design? Know how to build? Contact us!

Concept

Intrigued by urban mobilities, inspired by off-grid and temporary architecture and in need of a workspace, we would like to embark upon the design and construction of a mobile studio.

The mobile studio will be a vehicle for on-site exploration of urban planning issues, particularly those affecting everyday life in the city.

We will involve neighbours, passersby, and visitors in critical, interdisciplinary investigation of how the surrounding space is regulated, formed and used. Through this investigation, we will encourage the public to consider themselves as active participants in the creation, interpretation and use of these spaces of daily life.

Through our work, we aspire to educate the public on urban planning issues, involve them in planning-related decision-making and encourage a practice of urban planning based upon foundations of social and ecological justice and interdisciplinary, innovative approaches.

Design and Construction

The conceptualization, design and construction processes will be a collaborative effort of people in the fields of architecture, planning and filmmaking. Our interdisciplinary approach is intended to open urban planning to new approaches, perspectives and practices.

The design of the structure itself will express and reflect upon current regulations that govern built form, for example, building codes and land use regulations. The unique look of the structure will inspire questions about its own form and function, as well as its surrounding environment. The structure aims to be accessible and inviting to passersby, encouraging them to question and learn about their surroundings. The design will be physically responsive to the environment, for example, through adaptable, detachable panel walls, ceiling and floor. The panels will be lightweight and easily transportable.

Function and Location

Multistory Complex will use and offer the mobile space as a public classroom, workshop and laboratory to explore urban planning issues.

We will temporarily take up residency through legal or illegal visitation. Spaces might include those that are public, private, orphaned or a layering of these. While on-site, we will examine formal and informal regulations and practices governing and shaping the site and its surroundings. We will engage with users of the site, as well as the site’s unique forms and functions. We might host a workshop or an exhibit or use the space for on-site research and action. We will encourage participation among passersby, neighbours, collaborators and others. We will encourage and facilitate a physical platform for networking, action and interdisciplinary collaboration between diverse citizens and disciplines.

Past Projects

This is an archive of previous Multistory Complex projects.