Globally, markets have made their mark in history as epicenters of commerce and conversation, where communities come together to exchange. People have an innate need to engage with one another, and in today’s era of belonging and inclusivity, brands have begun to embrace the power of physical space as platforms to create meaningful experiences for and build lasting relationships with their customers.
This week, we are excited to introduce a three-part series on the Gensler Design Exchange podcast in collaboration with EDENS. Together, over the course of the next three months, we will explore how contemporary Latin marketplace La Cosecha (“the harvest”), designed by EDENS and Gensler, transcends the traditional concept of a marketplace by planting the seeds for a wide variety of ripe cultural immersion experiences cultivated by a dynamic community in Washington, D.C.’s historic Union Market District. Each episode will break down the foundational elements of La Cosecha — Mercado (market), Arte (art), and Cultura (culture) — to dig into the practice of cultural placemaking and how intentional space design can help to bridge cultures and create inclusive platforms for community and connection.
