24x7 Make Mart : the future nexus of innovation

Abstract

There is a total of more than 9700 convenient stores in Taiwan. In Taipei, the capital of the country, there is 1 convenient store in every 400 meters, which is equivalent to one convenient store in every 5 minutes. This thesis aims to explore the possibility of optimizing the notion of convenience, in its provision of amenity and services, to facilitate innovations at the individual level while fostering a culture of do-it-together as a collaborative knowledge-based community. Unlike US where innovators can make and prototype in their own garages, people in Taipei do not have a physical space to prototype without paying the high cost of renting an office or workspace, not to mention the lack of equipment and facilities. This thesis examines how can one translate the success behind the business model of highly distributed convenience store into the paradigm for fostering innovations at individual level. The thesis began with a thorough study of 7-Eleven to try to understand its recipe of success. Throughout its 34 years of history in Taiwan, 7-Eleven serves as the paradigm of its typology and constantly innovates its services and products to address the daily needs of the common individuals. This thesis will demonstrate that 7-Eleven is ready to take on a greater challenge, a challenge that aims to serve the individuals with all the amenities and services needed to become an entrepreneurial innovator by rebranding itself into a new identity - the 24x7 Make Mart. The newly re-branded 24x7 Make Mart will not only transform the physical space of 7-Eleven's current typologies, but also prototype a new architectural typologies emerged from the synergy of conventional 7-Eleven strategies and innovative programs. The 24x7 Make Mart adopts the current distributed model of 7-Eleven and provides 3 layers of megafloors that can be programmed into different uses, including individual workstation, self-storage, event space, exhibition, workshop/ classroom, fabrication labs, meeting rooms, etc, and everything is rentable at an affordable price to the public. The experimental implementation of 24x7 Make Mart will be highly distributed in the urban setting of Taipei and searchable by a corresponding mobile APP called Where is my 24x7 Make Mart?.