Local Food Hall: Using Interior Design Inspired by the Philosophies and Methods of the Slow Food Movement to Connect People, Food, and Place in Toronto and the Riverside Neighbourhood

The standardization of food retail and hospitality spaces has been shown to cause a lack of connection between people, food, and place because they do not authentically connect with the users. The purpose of this study was to examine how a food hall in the Riverside neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, can be designed using the Slow Food Movement’s philosophies and methodologies that aim to create a stronger sense of people, food, and place through an engaging multisensory experience. An in-depth interview was conducted with stakeholders with experience in architecture, interior design, the Slow Food Movement, or food retail and hospitality to test the hypothesis. A literature review was also conducted, which explored the Slow Food Movement, the food hall typology, theories of the connection between people, food, place, and lastly, theories of the multisensory experience. The findings suggest that using the Slow Food movement’s philosophies and methodologies will create a memorable and engaging multisensory experience that connects people, food, and place within the Riverside and Toronto community. As a result, a detailed program has been developed that aims to promote local identity, community connection to others, and a deeper connection with the Riverside neighbourhood, Toronto, and it’s local food communities.