An upmart is an experimental new model of waste management meant to engage users with their everyday waste after the trash can. The building combines household recycling and composting services with urban farming, a makerspace and a public market all around two courtyards.
Located in Boston's industrial Newmarket neighborhood, the building acts as scaffolding for these programs to plug into it. The structure wraps around two courtyards which appeal to the two main user types of the space - the social visitor and the industrial worker. The social courtyard is defined by the marketspace which wraps around two parts of an open courtyard to draw people in. The industrial space, meanwhile, is completely engrossed by the building, connecting the market to the recycling center. This space acts as an outdoor workshop, giving users access to the materials available from an active recycling center.
In the center stands a makerspace with artist housing above, unifying the user types and standing as a beacon to the city center. This connection is emphasized by a third garden courtyard built on top of the nearby transfer station, lifting people up to look out at views of the city, reminding them just how close the two seemingly disparate spaces really are.