Gregory Hargreaves interviews Louisa Iarocci about her research project “Bin, Bag, Box: The Architecture of Convenience,” in support of which, Iarocci, an associate professor at the University of Washington at Seattle, received an exploratory grant from the Hagley Center for the History of Business, Technology, & Society. 

In “Bin, Bag, Box,” Iarocci discusses her research into the design history of convenience stores, those ubiquitous retail locations meant to serve the “top-up” style of shopping, where customers buy little but often. Louisa suggests that the design of convenience store buildings is intimately tied to the packages and products contained therein, with factors of speed, visibility, & instant gratification combining to shape the spaces and shopper’s experience of the store. 

The audio only version of this program is available on our podcast.