Reopening businesses in NYC during COVID-19 is a challenge, particularly for restaurants that have not historically had outdoor eating space.  Restaurant owners are faced with learning about new outdoor dining practice, designing new dining space, sourcing materials, managing construction while trying to navigate shifting health standards and Department of Transportation regulation. City officers have been handing out $1000 fines for violations, compelling restaurants to rebuild their outdoor dining…. all costing restaurant owners more money while already running low on cash.

Assembly for Chinatown is a collaboration between architecture studio A+A+A and Think!Chinatown to bring design solutions for business reopening protocols in Chinatown, NYC.  Assembly for Chinatown designs, sources materials from Chinatown vendors and constructs Department of Transportation compliant dining barriers restaurants. Artists beautify and personalize the space for the restaurants with the help of volunteers who come (socially-distanced) together in a help-a-thon to sand and paint the wood barriers.