Public Markets are complex cases that beautifully combine an engineering exploration with the instigation of a beneficial public function. In fact, it doesn't take much to designate an open and accessible commercial hub that would encourage commercial exchange and economic development for small or local businesses. All one needs is a lot and a sheltering roof. However, many designers and architects have chosen to take this exercise beyond the social level and into further material and technical exploration.
As in many cases, the public market's ground space is purposefully left unpartitioned and vast for flexible use and organic segmentation. The floor belongs to the merchants that occupy it differently. This requires the designers to address the structural challenge of ensuring wide areas between the columns. Many have taken this opportunity to develop vaulted wooden roofs, brick roofs that act as light tunnels, or even some that might suggest optimal circulation within a city or town.
For centuries, this public function has opened the door for some interesting and aesthetically unique design interventions, as we see in the global projects listed below.
New Guabuliga Market / [applied] Foreign Affairs, Institute of Architecture, University of Applied Arts Vienna
Matamoros Market / Colectivo C733
Huangchong Market / Multi-Architecture
SuperHub Meerstad Market / De Zwarte Hond
Bloom Liutan Market / MINAX Architects
Targ Blonie Market / Aleksandra Wasilkowska Architectural Studio
Guadalupe Market / Colectivo C733
Chicxulub Market Plaza / Estudio MMX
Tea Leaf Market of Zhuguanlong / THAD SUP Atelier
Saint Dizier’s Market / Studiolada
Braga Municipal Market / APTO Architecture
Tainan Market / MVRDV
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Doing More With Less. Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.
Note: Find more reference projects in this My ArchDaily folder created by the author.
