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Public Market, Mexico City: Re-establishing the Vitality of an Ancient Typology

Part 2 Project 2017
Emma Woodward
 University of Cambridge | UK
The public market forms the heart of this hybrid market-transport station. The market as an ancient typology embedded in Mexican society is urged to evolve in conjunction with the city, opening up to incorporate a range of informal and formal activity. The project reacts to current redevelopment in Mexico City, challenging the prevalent tendency towards corporate-oriented commercial development to the detriment of civic institutions and the quality of urban life.

Tutor(s)
2017
Public market of Mexico City as community: 20 interviews with vendors of the public market, Peña Manterola of Tacubaya.
Context: Mexico City public markets lack investment; current redevelopment of inter-modal public transport stations permeates public realm with banal corporate commercial development.
Mapping the historic and cultural embeddedness of the marketplace in the city. Mural painting by Diego Rivera.
Existing site condition: Conflicting relationship of transport station, public market and informal activity; confluence between a broad cross-section of population.
Informal vending surrounding metro entrances. Study of existing site condition.
3 design approaches to a hybrid market-transport station
Increasing degree of enclosure from permeable ground floor market, to second floor formalised retail level and third floor civic spaces.
Variety of conditions: 3 self-contained blocks, 1 integrated market
Barrel vault construction: Mexican ‘leaning brick’ method
Model: Pedestrian walkways bridge streets alternating between public transport, market access and temporary street markets.
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