depending where you live, by mid-august 2020, if you were getting comfortable dining out, that is dining out outdoors, you were beginning to think what are you going to do come winter? chicago has already thought about it and decides to ask the public for ideas via a city of chicago winter restaurant challenge.
chicago’s mayor, lori lightfoot tweets “chicago winters have a reputation. we’re asking chicagoans to share their ideas for innovative winter outdoor dining solutions that adhere to covid-19 protocols so we can support our favorite local restaurants while keeping chicagoans healthy.”
Chicago winters have a reputation. We're asking Chicagoans to share their ideas for innovative winter outdoor dining solutions that adhere to COVID-19 protocols so we can support our favorite local restaurants while keeping Chicagoans healthy. https://t.co/9F1h4kfHmC
— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) August 25, 2020
in partnership with bmo harris bank, the illinois restaurant association, and california-based design firm ideo, the chicago winter restaurant challenge, a first-of-its-kind competition that will engage community members to reimagine the winter outdoor dining experience in frosty chicago. the contest will award three $5,000 cash prizes for the best ideas in each of the following categories: “outdoor structures,” “indoor-adjacent spaces” and “behavioral shifts making winter dining more appealing.”
the press release invites the city of chicago residents who want to participate in the contest can submit their suggestions online.
submissions criteria include: concept ideas and fesability, a solution overview, user research that take into account the many stakeholders involved – from customers to restaurant workers to construction trade workers, the technical descriptions and prototypes.
ideas already submitted include ice bars, swiss-style fondue chalets pop-ups, and city trains and city buses.
entries deadline will be accepted through 11:30 pm on labor day, monday, 7 september, via ideo’s innovation platform
above> chicago river walk igloos were seen prior to the pandemic hitting chicago.
when thinking about your concept consider this…
“the key to outdoor dining is the free flow of air,” dr. anne rimoin, professor of epidemiology at ucla told today food about the plastic igloo concept. “it’s not clear to me that these domes will keep people in them safe nor the servers who would have to enter the domes to serve the people inside them, who would be dining presumably without masks on, with poor airflow. given the current setup, it seems that these domes might end up promoting transmission instead of preventing it.”
also, an interesting article reimagining restaurants in the chicago tribune re the pandemic forever changing restaurant design similar to how 9/11 air attacks changed airport design.