In the heart of Times Square now resides the
SnackBox, a pop-up restaurant signed by Ædifica and MuvBox that just won multiple honors* and awarded STORE
OF THE YEAR at the Retail Design
Institute’s International Store Design Competition. The 20-feet long container was selected among
about 80 proposals by local restaurant owners and had to comply with New York City’s
security departments in this high traffic area.
Innovative New York’s restaurateur Jonathan
Morr, a well-known personality in the business, was looking for a design team that
would help him develop a unique solution that would fit in this iconic site. Created from a shipping container the concept
is a first in the USA. It is the
modern-day reinvention of the old-fashion canteen and serves iconic NY Street
Food with gourmet flair. The SnackBox
had to stand out in this visually saturated environment. The elaboration
and development of its visual identity and brand were born from this idea and
succeeds to convey that “NY personality” to the pop-up restaurant.
Located on a section of Broadway that is now
closed off to vehicular traffic, the SnackBox is easily movable and entirely
self-sufficient. It works off the grid with its fresh and grey water supply
tanks that are embedded in the floor while power comes from a hybrid energy
system combining electric batteries and generator. The upper section of the walls pivot upwards, transforming into cantilevered
steel awnings, and provide shelter from the elements. Inside, working within
the physical limits of the container, space was carefully planned and evaluated
to optimize all useable space. During
colder days, heating for the staff is provided by recuperating the heat from
the generator.
The SnackBox’s black & white graphic
stripes contrast elegantly by opposition the neon rainbow of
color of its surroundings. At night, the SnackBOX vanishes back into its cube,
ready to redeploy in minutes, bright and early the next morning.
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