CHANGING OUR FOOD-CULTURE WITH GASTRONOMY AND

ARCHITECTURE

A Thesis
Submitted to the
Faculty of Miami University
In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Architecture
Department of Architecture and Interior Design
By:
Dominic Salvatore Casuccio
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio
2020

Advisor: _________________________
Sergio Sanabria
Reader: _________________________
Craig Hinrichs
Reader: _________________________
Ben Jacks
 2

Dedication to:

Natalia Verdi

Special Thanks To:

My Committee: Sergio Sanabria
Craig Hinrichs
Ben Jacks
Diane Fellows
John Humphries
My Supporters: Kevin Hill
Juan Rivera
Grant Zimmerman
J.R. Casuccio
Chef & Survey Support:
Monica Casuccio
Juan Rivera
Grant Z.
Dallas Riley
Ruby Memorial Staff
City/Community of Morgantown, WV
 CHANGING OUR FOOD-CULTURE WITH GASTRONOMY AND ARCHITECTURE |3

Changing Our Food-Culture with Gastronomy and Architecture

DOMINIC SALVATORE CASUCCIO
Miami University
Introduction:

Abstract: According to Sharon Herbst’s text Food Lover’s Companion,

gastronomy is defined as “the art of fine dining; the science
Food, a necessity of life, brings cultures together and boosts
of gourmet food and drink”1, however, the definition for
tourism and communities across the world. Gastronomy, in
gastronomy in this essay takes a broader approach when
this essay, is understood as how we think about, and engage
defining the word. In this text, gastronomy is defined as the
food. We have lost our way in how we see gastronomy and
way we think about, act, and fabricate our food. It is an open
to bring back its significance we must regain an appreciation
concept that does not specifically mandate techniques,
for food. We must become educated as to how we think
ingredients, or processes. Instead, gastronomy mandates
about and fabricate food. Acquiring education, though,
the quality and passion that goes into the food, and ranges
requires that one be passionate about learning, and it is
from traditional cuisines all the way to molecular
passion that can provoke a change within ourselves, our food
gastronomy. Gastronomy requires a great deal of desire for
culture, and our communities. The food culture that we live
quality food and willingness to learn and understand what it
in today focuses on convenient and cheaply made products
takes to produce quality food.
that require little to no understanding of the food. The idea
that cooking quality food is a timely and expensive chore is Food-culture is the issue we have with gastronomy as a
the mentality that embodies the current food culture within society. It is the way we interact and appreciate our food and
the United States. Morgantown, West Virginia, embodies is the main issue examined in this essay. Our food culture
the issues we have with our food culture based around the focuses on convenient, cheap, and processed foods, and has
connections between culture, community, and food. This been separated from the understanding that you can create
city is the home of West Virginia University and has a steady food of high quality, and that is natural and convenient
influx of students every year, as well as larger companies that without spending a fortune.
help stimulate its economy. Could Morgantown be a model
Gastronomy and Architecture are normally understood as
for connecting the power of gastronomy with architecture to
high-end food, and extraordinary buildings. However, similar
create spaces that provides fresh and authentic food,
to the definition of gastronomy, the definition of architecture
educational experiences, and an atmosphere that would
varies. The main focus concerning architecture in this essay
bring the community together as well as change the way we
Is the place-based experiences the built environment
see food and its impact on our lives? By defining the
provides.
connection between gastronomy and architecture to be one
of making food, healthy eating, and the sensory experiences As a former chef and an inspiring architect, this paper
between the creation of food within specific environments discusses my two passions in life; the sheer power of
that heighten the experience, this essay considers how in the gastronomy and the environment that it touches. This
American small urban context, connecting how we cultivate environment is the physical, psychological, and emotional
our food culture with architectural spaces for the enjoyment setting a person finds themselves in, and is influenced by
of cuisine, we can bring life back to a city, and promote many different forces: gastronomy, architecture, culture, and
Changes needed in our food culture. community. How can gastronomy and architecture be
brought together to reshape our food culture into a
community-based force that focuses on a fresh, passionate,
and educated way of thinking about how we cultivate our
food and how we fabricate our cuisines?

1
Herbst, Sharon Tyler. The New Food Lover's Companion. Barron's,
2001.
 4

Methodology: The drive that is needed to create gastronomy has faded, and
feeding ourselves has turned into a chore, creating a focus
Morgantown, West Virginia, offers an opportunity to engage
on fast, and cheap food. A disconnection between quality
how we understand food-culture, cuisine, and the spaces in
food and our daily lives has isolated the idea of sustaining
which we interact with food cultivation and gastronomy.
fresh and passionate cuisine. Restaurants have become on
Because of Morgantown’s diverse demographics, and a
to the riskiest businesses to maintain and the majority of
history rooted in the Appalachia area of the United States,
those that do exist normally last only a few years and
understanding the Appalachia area’s history and culture is
disappear.
key to addressing how a regions cuisine, the ability to easily
access food products, and the lack of knowledge to use the When considering small towns such as Morgantown, West
products may cause a region’s cuisine to decline. How can Virginia, that have an economic base consisting of higher
architecture provide a realistic and respectful solution to education with local industry but still lack any connection
address passionate cuisine and architectural spaces that between food, community, and architecture there are ways
support these contemporary opportunities? Observational through design, research, and food education where
and analytical research of the area and the city includes, case communities can engage with food and architecture
studies such as DC Reynolds Bar and Petworth Citizen and experiences. By looking at the specific cultures of the area
Reading Room that focus on the importance of community and problems with availability and access to quality food,
engagement and support relative to the success and among other problems of the area, an understanding of what
development of the businesses and community. Interviews divides the community and cultures can be understood, and
of people in the community, both involved and not involved a designed connection between gastronomy and architecture
in business of gastronomy in the area will support the can be created to foster community connectivity , and
programing of architectural opportunities in Morgantown. change the way people think about and experience food.

The research conducted will reach all of the demographics in The Widespread Problem:
the area including the diverse groups from West Virginia
The issues with the food culture within Morgantown are
University and the Appalachia locals. With such different
focused around education, desire for change, and
environments between ten miles of hilly roads, animosity has
opportunities for quality food. Studies focused around our
grown exponentially within the different cultures that reside
food culture suggest that the issue with eating habits and its
in the city. The goal is to change the way people experience
impact on the community is the lack of availability to fresh
food, and to create a unified community based around these
food, but this is far from the problem. Many proposed
goals, which requires research to identify exactly who will be
solutions to this problem such as the Soul Food initiative,
open to a community-based change.
Fresh Food Financing Initiative, and Healthy Food Financing
Discussion: Initiative, provide opportunities for low income areas to
receive support to increase the amount of fresh produce and
The passion enacted by the connection between gastronomy
fruit. The issue is that availability is not the only problem, it
and architecture impacts our experiences of spaces and
is the combination of peoples purchasing and consuming
places. For the chef, it is based on a deep appreciation and
habits mixed with stigmas that we have with our food, such
understanding of ingredients and processes and is not
as thinking it will cost a fortune to cook fresh food.
something that every person is simply born with. The power
of gastronomy is about the blissful experiences produced Food culture is a massive issue with the way we cook, eat,
from quality food, and, when mixed with architecture, a and think about food, and idolizes convenience and the idea
placed-based experience is given to the patron. This that cheaper is better. In addition, we often don’t visit
experience gives the patron something to enjoy and journey certain sections of the stores because it will cost too much to
through, and the location becomes a destination that is held buy the products, and we may not end up using the food
at a much higher stature than typical surroundings. items bought because fabrication is required to make the
meal. With a better understanding of the ingredients and
The issue is a lack of passion and care the average person has
with purchasing and cooking their food. In a society where
convenience is valued, a lackadaisical approach to feeding
ourselves and an unfortunate view of food in general occurs.
 CHANGING OUR FOOD-CULTURE WITH GASTRONOMY AND ARCHITECTURE |5

how to create a fresh and affordable meal, this issue could Residential
Commercial Owned
be solved. University Owned

People are visual and experiential beings and for them to be

enticed to visit areas that provide fresh and local ingredients
there must be some form of transportation convenience,
experience, and destination aspects to where they are going.
We travel to experience great architecture and culturally
authentic food, and the combination of the two experiences
give us a euphoric feeling because it is such a new experience
to us. The destination plays a huge role in how we act and
think about food and is key to creating change in the food-
culture that exists today. Farmers markets have failed all
over the United States, and part of this problem is that there Fig. 1 Map of Morgantown
is no real experience to be had, and little community
involvement. It is still easier and more affordable to eat
Areas With Fresh Markets
unhealthy cheap food than to dedicate a trip to the farmers
market that is inconveniently located and take the time to
learn to fabricate fresh, homemade, and passionate food.

The Focused Problem, Morgantown:

While there are still debates about if food deserts exist

within the US, there is no denying that location, topography,
and transportation among other obstacles influence the
availability, convenience, and reality of people traveling to
markets to get fresh food. Morgantown has markets such as
Kroger’s, Walmart, Giant Eagle, and Target within 5-10 miles Fig. 2 Markets in Morgantown
of each other but traveling to these locations can be very
Importance of Community Case Study: DC Reynolds Bar &
difficult for those who do not have their own vehicles. While
Petworth Citizen and Reading Room:
most households in Morgantown have on average 2 vehicles,
this does not count for the population living in the The importance of community support and input cannot be
condensed downtown area. This area, populated by college over emphasized when dealing with this topic. Community
students, mid to low-income homes, and a low percentage of involvement and support is what can make or break
high-income homes, has a bigger issue. (Figures 1 & 2) The businesses and is the force that can produce change within
university dictates how many cars per student are allowed in its own area. The impact of having the support of the people
the area and the prices for parking permits are astronomical is the key to creating lasting infrastructure, because if the
compared to the average income of the people living in the community is behind an intent then it already has the client
area. For the residents of Morgantown’s downtown area, base it needs to thrive. This is exactly the reason why the DC
public transportation is the likely option for making it to the Reynolds Bar and the Petworth Citizen and Reading Room
market because of the unforgiving topography of the city. thrived in lesser known areas of Washington DC.
When walking to the market to shop, one is greeted by
monstrous hills and little to no sidewalks along the way. For Both restaurants/bars had a major focus on the community
these reasons the downtown area relies on university owned that would be their client base. Situated in an area of
food halls. Therefore, the downtown area and community Washington DC, between the vibrant city environment and
are prime targets for creating an environment focused an almost completely forgotten area, there was a great need
around food and architecture that entices the community to to ensure that the community of the area was in support of
push towards purchasing, cultivating, and fabricating fresh new development. In an area that had no real structured
food. community the owners of these two establishments reached
 6

out to the population in the area in hopes of creating an cannot be ignored, especially because it is a request for more
environment that would embrace the culture in the city. For DC Reynolds Bar & Petworth Citizen
and Reading Room, they received overwhelming support
community, and the community would support the new
prior to opening from the community, and as the community
restaurant endeavor. The owners’ process included
felt like they were a part of the environment from the start.
surveying over 800 residents in the area and asking them all
The significance of community involvement is clearly shown
about every aspect of what they would like to have come to
in these businesses, and the change in peoples thinking
their neighborhood. Questions specific as what kind of chairs
about their food is clearly seen within.
they would like and what environment they would like to
experience was the key to obtaining the support the owners Farm to Table? Oh, You Mean Appalachian Cuisine:
with the community needed to thrive before breaking
“Making do with what you have and celebrating it”
ground.
(…Appalachian Cuisine?, Sauceman).2 This simple statement
The outcome of this kind of community involvement is two embodies the foundation of Appalachian cuisine. Simplicity,
successful businesses that opened and have been maintained locality, and availability surround the techniques and recipes
for years to come, and with a bright future. The people that of Appalachian cuisine. Using what is freshly available and
supported the concepts initially continued their support and what is natural to the area is what farm to table really means
further pushed the success of the area. This success brought and it is the same definition as Appalachian cuisine.
about new businesses and new housing in the area. This all Something specific as the European borscht soup is
began with the community in the area being heard and Appalachian cuisine if the ingredients are locally available in
feeling that what was being built and brought to their area Appalachia. Appalachian cuisine is not defined by
was an extension of themselves. With such support and techniques, ingredients, or specific cultures like other
outreach from the locals it came as no surprise that a cuisines, such as the five mother sauces stemming from
community quickly started growing around these two France or specific fish fabricating techniques of some Asian
businesses. People used the space as a common meeting cuisines. It is the idea of using what you have and adapting
ground and the support and progress continued to grow. your recipes and techniques to provide fresh and wholesome
meals to those who will enjoy them. “Do I cook Appalachian
What is perhaps more interesting about this involvement and
food? Well, I cook food of the region inspired by the region
success is the impact the food had on the community. While
with ingredients from the region, so sure, I’m an Appalachian
the community was asked about the environment they
chef. Why not?” (Appalachian Food Revolution, Daddio).3
would like to have, what they were not specifically asked
about was the kind of food they would like to be served. With such organic and local focuses, it seems odd that few
With the community driven bar design of the restaurants, people have ever considered Appalachian cuisine or ever
you would expect to encounter hot wings and burgers. thought about how it embodies all of the concepts healthy,
Instead, the restaurants served much more intricate cuisines, organic, and local food shoppers seem to desire. Why is
such as duck, braised beef, carpaccio… which could be Appalachian cuisine never considered? Why is it forgotten
intimidating to the average patron, but since the businesses when thinking about eating, purchasing, and fabricating food
already had the community’s support, the community locally? From studies focusing on these questions; the
engaged in the new cuisines. This is an extremely important answer is because of the stigmas that follow the word
step with the issues with our food culture, because some of Appalachia. When studying recipes established from
the time, people will only engage with new cuisines when Appalachian kitchens, they have all been altered to fix what
traveling to new areas and experiencing new cultures but is wrong with them. The cooks that created simple recipes
when people are engaging with this in their own back yards that require no additives such as vanilla extract, and only
something special is happening. This has been seen in the uses the most basic ingredients did not do so because of a
surveys conducted in Morgantown. There has been a lack of understanding of the ingredients, but instead they did
constant outcry for more cultural restaurants in the city. At so because they had an outstanding understanding of the
the moment there is an Egyptian restaurant that opened a ingredients. “if a recipe comes from Appalachia, then it must
year ago and an Indian restaurant that recently closed its need improvement” (…Appalachian Cuisine?, Sauceman).
doors for good. This kind of request from the community This is the exact issue with the way some see Appalachian

2 3
Sauceman, Fred. “What Exactly Is Appalachian Cuisine?” Daddio, Jess. “Appalachian Food Revolution.”
 CHANGING OUR FOOD-CULTURE WITH GASTRONOMY AND ARCHITECTURE |7

culture. Simple is not a bad thing, in fact simple is the key to This example is really just about kids being bored and not
making some of the best food you will ever have. wanting to eat the food in front of them, but the concept of
entertainment combined with food is something that is
Providing Appalachian cuisine to a city such as Morgantown,
extremely successful in our current food and economic
West Virginia, the stigmas must be dissolved and pride must
market. In the surveys and interviews conducted in
replace it. The history of the culture and the area must
Morgantown, the few examples of entertainment and food
become part of what the city stands for. The surveys
that people have come up with or suggested are Dave and
collected from the community of Morgantown shows that
Busters and descriptions of similar establishments. These
there is a great desire for locality, fresh, and healthy cuisines
kinds of establishments provide family friendly arcade like
in the area. A sizable portion of the city is willing to get
experiences as well as a corporate restaurant cuisine, and
involved with a push towards the goal of providing healthier
while the food still holds the familiar techniques and tastes
and locally sourced food options in the city, but what to call
as most corporate restaurants there is a great deal of
it and what it would look like is still a mystery to most.
customer satisfaction. This satisfaction comes from the
Without even knowing it this community is screaming for
experiences provided by the rest of the establishment.
Appalachian cuisine and the concepts that it embodies, so
Giving people an enjoyable environment to be in will boost
why not introduce the area to its own heritage and provide
just about every situation they find themselves in. The goals
exactly what is being asked for. “the further away
of this thesis are not to bring Dave and Busters to the city but
ingredients came from the better. In a place like West
using the same idea about mixing entertainment and food is
Virginia, ‘local’ was not a symbol of quality. It was frowned
going to be a key element to enticing people to visit the new
upon. We sort of have this tendency to see what we have to
designed space and to continue to support what is to come.
offer as not all that special or marketable. We look at other
states and see what looks popular and then try to do it here. When deciding exactly what kind of entertainment would
What we come up with is a much less authentic version” entice the community to regularly visit the location we must
(Appalachian Food Revolution, Daddio). Daddio’s research remember that the goal is to influence and expose the
on this particular issue paints an unfortunate picture for how people of Morgantown to fresh authentic food, food
we view locality. Fortunately for this argument I believe it is education, and architectural experiences in order to connect
only partly true to the city of Morgantown. With clear data the community to the idea that eating, purchasing, and
showing that there is a following and desire by the fabricating quality food is not a back and wallet breaking
community to have local and fresh products, I believe that is endeavor. This means that the entertainment that is
a combination of not knowing it is available, not having a provided must be enjoyable for a wide range of cultures and
centralized place to find these kinds of products, and a lack ages. The role of innovative agricultural systems and
of combined force to elevate those who are offering what is techniques could be a huge player in this goal. Markets in
desired. For those who permanently live in the city as well as Dayton, Cincinnati, Oxford, Fairfield, and Eastgate area being
those who are temporarily residing in the city (students), supplied their produce from a source in Hamilton, Ohio. To
there is an ample amount of pride for the city. This is a huge be reaching such a wide range of markets all around the
benefit when trying to introduce new community focuses region you would expect the farm that is producing the
because city pride is based off of many different aspects of products to be large and taking up a large rural plot of land.
what happens in the city and adding more things to find The reality is that most of this produce is coming from a
pride in is far preferable to inspiring pride from nothing. single entity situated in the urban fabric of Hamilton’s
downtown area. 80 Acres is a vertical farm in Hamilton that
Don’t Play With Your Food: Entertainment and Innovation:
spent 2 years restoring an old run-down building in the
The imagery of parents telling their children to stop playing downtown area. The goal of the farm was to produce as
with their food is one which most people can relate to, but much, if not more, produce in a smaller vertical structure
what is the real issue with playing with your food? While situated in the urban setting and providing fresh produce to
most times this is in reference to children using their forks to regional markets. This vertical farm grows vine crops such as
push their food from one side of the plate to the other tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. While the farm
because they don’t like the food or of boredom. A question distributes mostly to markets, they still deal directly to
that needs to be asked Is why is this bad and what can we do restaurants as well, creating a direct relationship between
to change it? Why can’t some form of entertainment be locally grown produce, innovative agriculture, and local
merged with food to create a more satisfying experience? restaurants. This innovative agriculture provides
 8

entertainment via tours and other public activities offered architecture and food to open peoples eyes to just how
throughout the year. The farm has become a destination powerful food can be in our lives. Picking Morgantown was
within the city where people come from all around the area not simply because of my history in the city, it is because of
to visit. This kind of attraction and entertainment is highly the mixture of issues and promising elements within the city
effective with the goals of the farm, by bringing customers itself that holds all of the problems with our food culture but
directly to their farm and educating/entertaining with their also has a strong chance to change and embrace the change.
innovative techniques. This is a prime example of the kind of Food is not a basic element in our lives, it is a massive entity
entertainment that will be used in the designs for this thesis. that sustains us and carries cultural identities through its
Providing innovative experiences that also educate the origins, techniques, and ingredients. Very few things in this
patrons is key to obtaining the goals of this thesis. especially world can carry these kinds of identities and inspire emotion,
with some of the smaller sites, this kind of innovative vertical but architecture is one of these things as well. Carrying the
farming would create jobs, entertainment, a destination to same cultural identities as food, just in a different way,
visit, and most importantly it will provide the city with fresh architecture creates astonishing experiences to all who come
produce made in their back yard. in contact with its spaces. Combining these two elements
has been done at many major examples of great
architecture, be it a coffee shop across the street, the street
Conclusion: vender providing freshly made products, or markets and
restaurants directly within the spaces itself. This
Morgantown is a city that holds multiple universities, a few combination is the key to amplifying the experiences that are
large companies, and has a lot of mountaineer pride. The given by the spaces and the food and can be used on a
pride that the community have for their town is extremely smaller scale to entice urban communities to embrace
important when looking at how the goals of this thesis would unfamiliar cuisines and learn how to create fresh, authentic,
actually play out. An area that has little community support and passionate cuisines for themselves.
in general is not a place to create a model behind using
 CHANGING OUR FOOD-CULTURE WITH GASTRONOMY AND ARCHITECTURE |9

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ADDENDUM Dominating the street was a large design element as well.
Before ever entering the site you are held by a continuous
DOMINIC CASUCCIO face across the street front. This is done to have a
Miami University progression inside that states you are entering a new
environment but also done in a way that still welcomes
Written Thesis to Design: patrons at ground level. This is done by raising the first floor
of the corner entry (triumphal arch), the apartment building,
With such a community based thesis the first step I took was and providing direct access to the site through gaps in the
engaging the community, and compiling my surveys. What I street front in the form of the greenhouse, residential stair
found was that the community was looking for entry, and the corner triumphal arch. Controlling the corner
entertainment, cultural, options, farm to table, accessibility, and street while still having a sense of fluidity and openness
walkability, and more local options. The program developed was the main goal for pedestrian access.
from there quickly, creating a series of attracters that would
bring people in and keep them coming back. The goal was While progressing through the site you are held in specific
not to create a space that people come visit once a week, but spaces that offer entertainment areas that double as
to create an environment that they would come multiple educational areas surrounded by shops, restaurants,
times a week for different reasons. This is because of a markets, greenhouse, indoor gardens, and demonstration
realization I had early on in my design and thesis kitchens. The idea to laying out the usages around the site
development; it can not just be food and architecture. I was drawn from not wanting any one area of the site and
knew there had to more options that would entice people to design to be dominated by one usage. I didn’t want there to
visit the site on a more frequent timeline. This is when the be districts for food and shopping around the site. Instead,
program became very diverse and the site took on a entire there was to be different opportunities adjacent to each
new meaning. The River Front site already had a few other allowing for the patrons to experience a variety of
amenities that I needed to work with. First being an existing elements no matter what their primary goal for visiting was.
residential building, second being a commuter bus station,
and third rail trail/riverfront access. Mixing these existing Post Review:
element with the sloped site I had a interesting design
challenge. The site had a 40’ difference from road level to After the thesis review there was a lot of thought to
water level and the existing buildings either needed to be connecting some of the elements in my program and my
completely redone or given a facelift. By not limiting myself design. The idea that the large gestures that I made could
to any existing conditions I made the site my own. The incorporate more of what happens around them instead of
residential building was given a new façade and the standing alone. Specifically, the greenhouse, this grand
commuter bus station was moved to the south-east end of gesture could have been repeated and grown in different
the site. ways to interact with the other buildings and usages on the
site. The use of color was a constant struggle in this design
The slope of the existing site held challenges as well, but also and came to light in the review. The idea of building in a
opportunities. With a 40’ difference I was able to create a postindustrial college town created a personal view that
layered design that steps down the site progressing towards bright colors would not be a good fit but after review and
the river front. This was a major design strategy for my discussions with my committee the need for more color
thesis. The river front is the gem of this site and progression became evident.
towards that element made sense if the goal was to keep
people interested as they progressed through the site. The Conclusion:
pattern of the site layout was meant to match the existing
grid layout of the city above, in order to give some context to The unique program and layout of the design and site creates
Morgantown and some familiarity in movement to the an educational and experiential opportunity for all that
people visiting. Extending the existing street grid was an would come visit this location. The way the site is layered
important aspect for matching the city context but also for and the variety of opportunities provide a chance for the city
ADA reasons. With two extensions of the city grid to grow it’s food-culture as a community. A place to come
progressing down and inward to the river, the greenhouse together to learn, eat, shop, be entertained, and all around
extends at street level all of the way to the river front. This be exposed to what is available in the area. For these
gives elevator access to the lower levels but also allows reasons I believe this design and thesis would become a
people to view the sloping design from top down. success if the people came to experience it.
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