Whole Foods
Currently a rural community in southern Mississippi, Saucier and the rest of Harrison county have expected population growth due to relocation of families and devastated communities after Hurricane Katrina. This is a design of a large-scale Whole Foods Market that preserves the culture and is a positive presence in the small town.
The design for this particular Whole Foods is not only urban - with on-street parking, building brought up to the sidewalk, and grocery store departments open to the passer-bys; but is also incorporates many design criteria for southern architecture and historic Mississippi grocery stores.
After careful research, history showed that grocery stores were amongst the most stable business on the main street. Therefore, it became the host of the town's social gatherings. Taking this into account, the building had to have a large space to accommodate groups of all sizes.
Another cultural aspect that has influenced architecture in this region is the use of courtyard. Careful studies must be done to insure the location, correct orientation, and layout of the courtyard. Other design guidelines based on the region were included, such as the importance of porches, galleries, balconies, passive cooling, etc.