The Small Business Innovation Hub is a purpose-built community space for the non-profit, Welcome to Chinatown. A response to the 2022 Impact Study on the state of neighborhood small businesses, the Hub integrates community events with business support services to empower local enterprises, foster connections, and champion Chinatown’s sustainable growth.

Drawing inspiration from Chinatown’s vibrant street life, the Hub is designed as an interior neighborhood organized around the interplay of three elements — a cherrywood cabinet, a silver curtain, and a fleet of mobile carts.

The cherrywood cabinet bisects the Hub, forming an interior façade between the double-height grand hall and more intimate spaces in blue. Meanwhile, the silver curtain meanders through the Hub, connecting various spaces while offering versatility by selectively hiding and revealing an art gallery, a stage, and meeting rooms. Scattered mobile carts add further adaptability, reconfigurable to activate programs ranging from movie screenings to night markets. Together, these three elements create a characterful ensemble of spaces that accommodate diverse opportunities for community gatherings.