Case Study – Barceloneta Market, Spain
Comments: “When I was a student at the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB), Barceloneta was the subject of much conversation. Restaurants on the beach which later disappeared… narrow streets, cramped flats, the clothes hanging out on the balconies, the shops, the artisans’ workshops.
.. and its people, who talked, and still talk, fast and loud. The project meant a chance to go back to the neighbourhood in an interested manner; it was no longer a trip down there for fun, to discover its people, its bars, its smell..
. ut rather a survey of the place with the object of identifying what would enable us to reveal its qualities and to describe it accurately for the purposes of a project. An attempt, ultimately, to explain a reality, to offer a new and fuller meaning to an architectural project, beyond resolving a programme or commission. ” Text by the architect. One of the major fresh food market of Barcelona follows the Santa Catarina Market strategy: mixing singular and spectacular new architecture with a public program of an important social impact.
The Barceloneta Market -located at the heart of the traditional, maritime neighborhood- has been rehabilitated after several years of decay. It was built in the late 19th century by architect Rovira i Trias. The iron roof and facades were the most interesting features of the old market, so Mias -an ex-collaborator of Miralles- dismantled the old metallic structure and restored it, adding new parts, resulting in a multiple, fragmented roof.
While Miralles’ Santa Caterina is an explosion of color mixed with the warmth of wood and ceramic elements, Mias’ Barceloneta has more darker and colder aesthetics, probably more fitting for the industrial character. The market has a series of solar panels on the roof, and a new underground parking is equipped with all kinds of modern services and facilities. – Naomi, Amsterdam, Netherlands 13-Apr-11 Architecture Architect Josep Mias Site Barcelona Promoting Barcelona City Hall; Institut Municipal de Mercats de Barcelona IMMB Client Public
Type Rehabilitation Project 2001 International competition: First Prize.
Construction 2005-2007 Area 5. 200 m? Budget <10M€ Year of construction: 1884 Refurbishments: Maintenance: 1993 Structural: 1996 and 2007 Building Type: Stand-alone Total surface area: 2. 670 m2 Architect Josep Mias Site Barcelona Promoting Barcelona City Hall; Institut Municipal de Mercats de Barcelona IMMB Client Public Type Rehabilitation Project 2001 International competition: First Prize. Construction 2005-2007 Area 5. 200 m? Budget <10M€ Project team Architect: Josep Mias
Collaborators: Barbara Fachada (project leader), Marta Cases, Emiliano Armani, Orlando Melo, Horacio Arias, Raul Castano, Luis Carballeda, Carlota Martinez, Xavier Ribera, Neus Cayla, Angelica Fernandez, Sonia Maia, Helene Silvy-Leligois, Lara Lupi, Angelica Riquelme, Francisca Marzotto Prizes · 2008 Catalonia Construction Prize – Winner · 2007 City of Barcelona Architecture and Urbanism Prize – Winner Exhibitions · 2012 Kiev, Ukraine. House of the Architect.
“CANactions 2012 Architectural Festival” · 2011-2009 Vienna, Austria; Brno, Czech Republic; Barcelona, Spain; Florencia, Italy; Terni, Italy; Steinhaus,
Austria. “Wonderland, Platform for European Architecture” · 2004 Barcelona, Spain. Forum 2004, Edificio Forum, “Barcelona in Progress” · 2003 Barcelona, Spain. Colegio de Arquitectos de Catalunya, Demarcacion de Barcelona, “A-Z ;lt;40” Barceloneta market goods and services Trading area: 645 m2. Produce: Battery and game poultry and eggs, charcuterie y sausages, meat and offal, fruit, vegetables and cereals, fresh fi sh and shellfi sh, salt fi sh and preserves, groceries. Additional services: Caprabo Supermarket.
Specialist retailers: Towels, clothing, haberdashery, newspaper kiosk, handbags…
Description The Barceloneta Market located on the maritime part of Barcelona, designed by the practice of Josep Mias Gifre, MIAS Architects. It was an attempt to explain a reality and to offer a new and fuller meaning to an architectural project, beyond resolving a programme or commission. As early as the competition stage architects did a collage with some of Cesar Manrique’s fantastic fish, drawings for children they hoped might embody and express the joy of these people: their liveliness, their energy, their enthusiasm in the face of frequent hardship.
The Market has always been an element of social cohesion in the neighborhood, a landmark, sometimes almost secret and visible only to its inhabitants. This condition of density that the market has in relation to the city should be a condition of the project, so that the building and its immediate surroundings actually become a clear point of reference in this corner of the city of Barcelona.
The market seeks to form part of the neighborhood, its urban fabric, and is redirected toward the squares front and rear – formerly no square existed, and the bays that made up the market crossed.
The new metal figures create new market spaces, not touching the ground, but suspended from the old structure, not a in real manner, since the two structures, the old and new, never really overlap structurally, rather they do so in a false equilibrium. The imprisoned, tamed building writhes within this space, a certain violence in its rebuilt form, acquiring a reality that lies between the memory of its former self and its new ambition. It uncurls, curls back up, and offers a succession of new spaces to discover. The Spanish firm MiAS Architects designed Barcelona Market.
The market is an important social factor for the neighbourhood.
The relation that the city has with the market is very important for the project. The building is like a prisoner in its town plan, the pieces for this construction were carried through the streets to their final place. These little pieces created a great reality. The market has two structures, the old one and the new one, they don’t overlap, are in a false equilibrium. The new structure is metal made, it looks suspended because it is hanged by the old one but it does not touch the ground.
Its design is a little bit complicated, it uncurls, curls back up offering hidden spaces. The market curving metal forms are the frames for the glass facade. Its suspended metal shapes are bringing to the neighbourhood a new profile. This large public square contains also restaurants and shops. As it has a day-to-day continuity and it can be crossed as one does a pedestrian crossing it can be said that the market belongs to its neighbourhood naturally. A market is essential but it can became special if it has different design.
History
From its very beginnings, Barceloneta market has always had a particular maritime and fi shing character because of the district in which it is to be found. Originally, it was an open air market situated in the Plaza de Sant Miquel. The new refurbished Barceloneta market is destined to become a powerful commercial, architectural and gastronomic point of reference. The project, led by architect Josep Mias, right-hand man to the late Enric Miralles, has preserved the original structure of the building, dating from 1884, a work of Antoni Rovira i Trias.
The market boasts two high-class restaurants offering high-quality seafood cuisine. Another distinguishing characteristic of this market is that it is the first in Barcelona incorporating integral solar panels, producing 30 kilowatts per hour, meeting 40% of the total energy consumption of the market.
From the social responsibility angle, the market employs a waste separation and recycling plan (Pla de Separacio de Residus i Reciclatge), for which it received an award from the Catalan Regional Administration.
In architectural terms the market is also striking, given the original period wrought iron metallic structure has been restored, incorporating modern and functional elements. With its 2. 670 square metres, the market offers new services and infrastructures: a car park, domestic deliveries, new drainage and lighting systems, and a Caprabo supermarket which makes one-stop shopping a possibility. In addition to this, it also has an attic fl oor, serving as a meeting hall for all types of events. The new market is air-conditioned and has two underground floors accommodating the unloading bay.
There are all kinds of establishments: eight fi sh stalls – refl ecting the maritime character of the neighbourhood – eight butchers, four fruit and vegetable stalls, a salt fi sh stall, a frozen foods stall, one serving vegetables and take-away cooked dishes, two bars and fi ve nonfoodstuff stalls. Architects: MiAS Arquitectes / Josep Mias, Silvia Brandi, Adriana Porta, Maria Chiara Ziliani, Andreu Canut, Carles Bou Project Year: 2007 Project Area: 5,200 sqm The Market has always been an element of social cohesion in the neighborhood, a landmark, sometimes almost secret and visible only to its inhabitants.
This condition of density that the market has in relation to the city should be a condition of the project, so that the building and its immediate surroundings actually become a clear point of reference in this corner of the city of Barcelona. The market boasts two high-class restaurants offering high-quality seafood cuisine. Another unique characteristic of this market is that it is the first in Barcelona incorporating integral solar panels, producing 30 kilowatts per hour, meeting 40% of the total energy consumption of the market.
From the social responsibility angle, the market employs a waste separation and recycling plan (Pla de Separacio de Residus i Reciclatge), for which it received an award from the Catalan Regional Administration. In architectural terms the market is also striking, given the original period wrought iron metallic structure has been restored, incorporating modern and functional elements. With its 2. 670 square metres, the market offers new services and infrastructures: a car park, domestic deliveries, new drainage and lighting systems, and a Caprabo supermarket which makes one-stop shopping a possibility.
In addition to this, it also has an attic floor, serving as a meeting hall for all types of events. The new market is air-conditioned and has two underground floors accommodating the unloading bay.
There are all kinds of establishments: eight fish stalls – reflecting the maritime character of the neighbourhood – eight butchers, four fruit and vegetable stalls, a salt fish stall, a frozen foods stall, one serving vegetables and take-away cooked dishes, two bars and five nonfood stuff stalls. | | Curving metal forms frame the glass facade of this market hall in Barcelona by Spanish firm MiAS Architects. Wrapping around a bomb-damaged nineteenth century structure, the suspended metal shapes give the Barceloneta Market a new profile. Containing restaurants and shops, the market faces onto a large public square. More stories about markets on Dezeen » Photography is by Adria Goula. Curving metal forms frame the glass facade of this market hall in Barcelona by Spanish firm MiAS Architects.
Wrapping around a bomb-damaged nineteenth century structure, the suspended metal shapes give the Barceloneta Market a new profile. Containing restaurants and shops, the market faces onto a large public square. Photography is by Adria Goula. The following text is from the architects: The Market in a Neighbourhood called l’Ostia When I was a student at the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB), Barceloneta was the subject of much conversation.
Restaurants on the beach which later disappeared… narrow streets, cramped flats, the clothes hanging out on the balconies, the shops, the artisans’ workshops… and its people, who talked, and still talk, fast and loud. The project meant a chance to go back to the neighbourhood in an interested manner; it was no longer a trip down there for fun, to discover its people, its bars, its smell… but rather a survey of the place with the object of identifying what would enable us to reveal its qualities and to describe it accurately for the purposes of a project.
An attempt, ultimately, to explain a reality, to offer a new and fuller meaning to an architectural project, beyond resolving a programme or commission. As early as the competition stage we did a collage with some of Cesar Manrique’s fantastic fish, drawings for children we hoped might embody and express the joy of these people: their liveliness, their energy, their enthusiasm in the face of frequent hardship. In fact the Market has always been an element of social cohesion in the neighbourhood, a landmark, sometimes almost secret and visible only to its inhabitants.
This condition of density that the market has in relation to the city should be a condition of the project, so that the building and its immediate surroundings actually become a clear point of reference in this corner of the city of Barcelona. It is surprising to see now the photos we made of the market during construction, when the pieces, the bones, of this huge animal were being carried through the streets to their final place.
?This animal is now a prisoner in a military-imposed town plan, this neighbourhood, with no chance of escape.
I think it’s nice to think of the memory of these very streets of each of these transported parts; each neighbour, witness alike to the construction, or at least some fragment of the market. ?And it is surprising even now, to recall that building process, which we shared with neighbours, with workers… the final construction done in parts, little pieces of a greater reality; the assembly of these pieces, these fragments, previously cut up in the factory, to facilitate transport, and their passage through the narrow streets to the space allocated for the market.
The market seeks to form part of the neighbourhood, its urban fabric, and is redirected toward the squares front and rear – formerly no square existed, and the bays that made up the market crossed. The new metal figures create new market spaces, not touching the ground, but suspended from the old structure, not a in real manner, since the two structures, the old and new, never really overlap structurally, rather they do so in a false equilibrium.
The imprisoned, tamed building writhes within this space, a certain violence in its rebuilt form, acquiring a reality that lies between the memory of its former self and its new ambition.
It uncurls, curls back up, and offers a succession of new spaces to discover. I think we have succeeded in making the market belong to the neighbourhood again naturally: from inside, the windows of neighbouring buildings overlay our enclosure, and vice versa. It is a market that can be understood as an extension of the city, of the neighbourhood, of its shops, of its bars, with a day-to-day continuity.
And it can be crossed as one does a pedestrian crossing, hardly looking from side to side. Halls, restaurants, shops, spaces of and for the neighbourhood, ultimately… and a sense of necessarily belonging to a place, of identifying with it, and participating in its energy.
I would like the building to be, beyond its market, a part of the neighbourhood’s impudence, to match the gutsy character of this neighbourhood ? so special, so vital ? of Barcelona that they call, for some reason, l’Ostia. Renewal of the Barceloneta’s market
Credits Site Barcelona Promoting Barcelona City Hall; Institut Municipal de Mercats de Barcelona. Client Public Type Rehabilitation Project 2001 International competition: First Prize. Construction 2005-2006 Area 5. 200 m2 Budget <10M€ Project team Barbara Fachada (project leader), Emiliano Armani, Lluis Carballeda, Orlando Melo, Marta Cases, Carlota Martinez, Raul Castano, Lara Lupi, Xavier Ribera, Horacio Arias.
Consulting Europrincipia Consultores Asociados S. L: Anna Moretti, architect; Jose Minarro, architect; OMA
Agusti Obiol, Lluis Moya y Asociados Josep Ramon Sole, Maria Ibarz (structures); Ramon Fairen. As early as the competition stage we did a collage with some of Cesar Manrique’s fantastic fish, drawings for children we hoped might embody and express the joy of these people: their liveliness, their energy, their enthusiasm in the face of frequent hardship. In fact the Market has always been an element of social cohesion in the neighbourhood, a landmark, sometimes almost secret and visible only to its inhabitants.
This condition of density that the market has in relation to the city should be a condition of the project, so that the building and its immediate surroundings actually become a clear point of reference in this corner of the city of Barcelona. It is surprising to see now the photos we made of the market during construction, when the pieces, the bones, of this huge animal were being carried through the streets to their final place.
The market seeks to form part of the neighbourhood, its urban fabric, and is redirected toward the squares front and rear – formerly no square existed, and the bays that made up the market crossed.
The new metal figures create new market spaces, not touching the ground, but suspended from the old structure, not a in real manner, since the two structures, the old and new, never really overlap structurally, rather they do so in a false equilibrium. The imprisoned, tamed building writhes within this space, a certain violence in its rebuilt form, acquiring a reality that lies between the memory of its former self and its new ambition.
I think we have succeeded in making the market belong to the neighbourhood again naturally: from inside, the windows of neighbouring buildings overlay our enclosure, and vice versa. It is a market that can be understood as an extension of the city, of the neighbourhood, of its shops, of its bars, with a day-to-day continuity.
And it can be crossed as one does a pedestrian crossing, hardly looking from side to side. Halls, restaurants, shops, spaces of and for the neighbourhood, ultimately… and a sense of necessarily belonging to a place, of identifying with it, and articipating in its energy.
Prizes 2007 City of Barcelona Architecture and Urbanism Prize 2008 Catalonia Construction Prize. Finalist Exhibitions 2003 BARCELONA, Spain. Forum 2004, Forum Building, Barcelona in Progress. Col•legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya i Demarcacio de Barcelona. A-Z <40, Under fourty. Publications Mercado de la Barceloneta, ARQCAT 123, Col•legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya, Barcelona 2008, pp.
190-193. Federica Gasparetto, Balzi giocosi, ARKETIPO – IL SOLE 24 ORE 26/08 – Edifici per il commercio, Anno 3, n? 6, Milano 2008, pp. 56-69. La remodelacion del mercado de la Barceloneta, PREMI CIUTAT DE BARCELONA 2007, March 2008. REFERENCES: http://www. dezeen.
com/2011/06/24/barceloneta-market-by-mias-architects/ http://architectuul. com/architecture/barceloneta-market http://fancycribs. com/22879-barceloneta-market-by-mias-architects. html http://www. miasarquitectes.
com/cmsFiles/proyectos/Mercado_de_la_Barceloneta. pdf http://www. archdaily. com/140622/barceloneta-market-mias-arquitectes/ ——————————————– 2 ]. Archdaily.
(2011). Barceloneta Market. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://www. archdaily. com/140622/barceloneta-market-mias-arquitectes/ [ 3 ].
Photos and plans are adapted from: Archdaily. (2011). Barceloneta Market. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://www. archdaily.
com/140622/barceloneta-market-mias-arquitectes/ [ 4 ]. Guia digital dels Commercos i la restauracio de la Barceloneta. (2012). Barceloneta Market. Retrieved July 2, 2012, from http://guiadigital. barcelonetapladebarris.
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