To draw attention and activity to a long-term multi-acre development along the Mystic River, Mapos used modular shipping containers to create a short-term and flexible public space supporting the multiple programs of the new beer and food culture, public arts, and large-scale cultural events.
In collaboration with digital media gurus Materials & Methods, Mapos created the concept for transforming an underutilized parcel of a brownfield site into a dynamic public space centered on the emerging beer and foodie culture, with ongoing programming supporting public art, local markets, and large-scale cultural events.
Strategically situated as the cultural generator of a new mixed-use development, the project is a hybrid which transforms over time from a high-impact, temporary installation focused on cultural events into a permanent mixed-use facility as the centerpiece of a new creative community. The final program included a beer garden, a restaurant and café, bocce courts and playground, a food truck area, an arts center, and open-air market space.
The phase 1 temporary installation took advantage of adjacent open space to host large-space cultural events, and with a prominent adjacency to major highways allowed the project to act as a high-tech billboard for the forthcoming new cultural community.