This market, located within a resort in Kissimmee, Florida, with over 1,700 rooms, serves as a centralized marketplace capable of meeting diverse guest needs while effectively managing the large volume of visitors. The resort's multiple venues offered various services but operated with differing hours, leading to inefficiencies. This decentralized model missed opportunities to capture guest spending, increase sales, and optimize staffing across the property. The challenge was to create a centralized 18hr marketplace that would house all the needs of the previous venues, be efficient at peak times, and transition throughout the day for various offerings.
From the early stages of concept design, we envisioned a space that embodied a strong sense of place, capturing the essence of both Florida and the resort itself. The design needed to convey a feeling of having always belonged, blending quaint charm with fresh, stylish elements, all while maintaining a timeless aesthetic. The market's location was carefully chosen for its visibility and ample space to accommodate a variety of guest needs. Coffee served as the primary anchor, drawing guests into the marketplace each morning. Our goal was to guide them through the space, showcasing the diverse offerings in hopes of sparking impulse purchases or simply familiarizing them with what they might return for later in the day or evening. The market featured a wide range of items, including coffee, beverages, self-serve yogurt, local sweets, fresh food options throughout the day—from salads to hot sandwiches—and alcoholic beverages for the evening.
We collaborated with the owner to carve out a centralized location for the market in the heart of the hotel, within the Atrium Plaza. Our design drew inspiration from Florida's Deco period, incorporating a material palette reflective of tropical Florida. We encased the food service equipment in bent wood and rattan fronts, complemented by custom lighting that also doubled as signage in select areas. Our design team personally crafted artisan display risers and installed custom caster plates on the product baskets, allowing the market layout to be reconfigured throughout the day to manage guest flow during peak times. We also cleverly concealed a second checkout area within the millwork, along with a self-serve coffee bar to ease the morning rush for craft coffee. The color palette features pinks and greens, paired with cerused white oak, warm rattan millwork, hand-aged brass, custom floor mosaic tiles, terrazzo countertops, and handmade Moroccan Zellige tiles. The Marketplace has become the vibrant heart of the hotel, evoking the charm of a nostalgic Art Deco market with fresh, contemporary finishes—a space that celebrates Florida's past and present.
