Rambla + Kapsalon proposes a central urban avenue and a multifunctional hub to regenerate the heart of BoTu (Bospolder Tussendijken). It combines the dynamics of the existing, and highly popular market with its large diversity of cultures, to make a genuine and collective identity. Colomer explored the following key questions as these relate to the ambitions for Visserijplein, with experts in his webinar session:

Relationship with the city: what strategic position could the market at the Visserijplein have in relation to the ‘ecosystem’ of markets in Rotterdam?

Relationship with the neighbourhood: what is the right mix of programme that fits with and fosters the dynamics in the neighbourhood?

Nature of activities: what is the right spatial configuration of this programmatic mix?

Mercat Sant Antoni, Barcelona

Architect: Antoni Rovira i Trias, and Josep Maria Cornet i Mas

Case Study Expert: Jordi Tolrà

Barcelona is a market city; they form a central part of the city’s public life. Completed in 1882, Mercat Sant Antoni is one of the most iconic public buildings in Barcelona, drawing together the old city and the areas beyond the Ronda ringroad. The first covered food market built outside the old city, it has been integral to defining the character of the surrounding neighbourhood.

Relationship with city ecosystem – In the redevelopment of Barcelona markets following the Olympic games, they focused on ensuring that stall vendors felt as though they were part of the community, making them business partners, and empowering the association of vendors.

Relationship with neighbourhood ecosystem – Mercat Sant Antoni is a covered, indoor market. To ensure that the market serves its demographic, and remains relevant, the organization is conducting research to determine what’s missing in the city, and building this in to the market program.

Spatial configuration of programmatic mix – Markets are highly resilient, and adapt to crisis faster than other commercial entities. They form the heart of the neighbourhood as they are a place for people of a broad spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds to meet, as they are highly accessible, just as libraries are.

Granby Street Market, Liverpool

Case Study Expert: Ronnie Hughes

Once a thriving high street in the centre of Liverpool, Granby Four Streets’ Victorian terraces had fallen into a state of disrepair when in 2011 the Granby Four Streets Community Land Trust initiated an area revival lead by and for Granby Street residents. One facet of the community’s redevelopment includes the Granby Market which showcases the talents, spirit, and diversity of the community, becoming a much loved event for local residents while also attracting crowds from across the city.

Relationship with city ecosystem – Granby Streets were spared from demolition through the dedication of a core group of local residents, and this group has been integral to facilitating the area’s development by first marking a clear identity for the neighbourhood, and then becoming one of the most celebrated markets in Liverpool. This new-found identity helped area residents stake their claim, hold on to their neighbourhood, and restore its physical beauty as well as local pride.

Relationship with neighbourhood ecosystem – Granby Market is an open air neighbourhood market, run by and for locals, with informal in physical qualities.

Spatial configuration of programmatic mix – The market’s development has taken place in tandem with other local developments which have worked in complement, so the physical space it occupies is neighbourhood space. At first, it was a few tables pulled out on the street by a few locals, and now it’s a focal point for culture and activity in Liverpool.

Afrikaandermarkt, Rotterdam

Case Study Expert: Mark Bode, Business Design Agency

Buzzing with cultural life, and various delicacies from all reaches of the world, Rotterdam’s Afrikaandermarkt is the most multicultural in all of the Netherlands, and the third largest in the country. Set amidst a problematic area, not unlike Visserijplein, there have been many initiatives focused on this market to enhance the neighbourhood, and make it an integral part of the social life of the city, while also further diversifying its demographic.

Relationship with city ecosystem – Afrikaandermarkt has a unique atmosphere compared to other Rotterdam markets, and has become a strong focal point for the neighbourhoods in the vicinity. More initiatives are planned to build both the business case and the community, and enhance the presence of local vendors, as well as proximal experiences around the market to broaden the impact, merging these with local sustainability initiatives.

Relationship with neighbourhood ecosystem – Afrikaandermarkt is an open air market, vendors travel and don’t have a connection to the neighbourhood. As it is in the open air, there are few places to find shelter, and rest, and in crowds it can be difficult to navigate.

Spatial configuration of programmatic mix – Taking place on a large square in the south of Rotterdam, the impact the market can have on the population it serves is significant. To build on this unique atmosphere, and bring the market to its full potential in its public interface, initiatives planned include a recycling station and waste collection station to demonstrate the upcycling of waste, as well as a community green roof and garden to upskill residents and become a flywheel in the neighbourhood economy.

Process expertise in market development

Case Study Expert: Amanda Edmonds, food market consultant

Amanda Edmonds’ NGO Growing Hope focuses on creating vibrant communities through generating win-win partnerships with local communities and market initiatives.

Relationship with city ecosystem – Markets are distinct from grocery stores, because they are unique to the local neighbourhoods that give rise to them. They are places: social places, learning places, community spaces, and vibrant places engaged in their environment. In contrast, grocery stores are not places, they do not carry the identity of the surrounding experience.

Relationship with neighbourhood ecosystem – Inclusive marketplaces make places physically inclusive through seating, and shading, and engage vendors, partners, and visitors in the plan, process, programming, and engagement. A diverse range of food demonstrators, performers etc, visually cue who’s welcome.

Spatial configuration of programmatic mix – Provide an experience around and beyond the commercial purpose of the market by providing spaces for performers, mobile vendors, as well as education experiences.

Takeaway 1

Facilitate social resilience

Markets are highly resilient social structures, in constant development, and serve as a critical city-making tool to improve quality of life, and enhance and revivify struggling neighbourhoods. That said, there must be a strategy on the scale of the city as a whole that legitimizes large public investment in them, as in the case in Barcelona.

Takeaway 2

Empower communities through involvement

Consider the process of development of the market, not just the end goal; empower vendors in policy making, engage the community in the design process, and establish vendor associations to engender a collaborative, community spirit.

Takeaway 3

Create spaces that are socially, physically, and programmatically inclusive

Design markets with a dedicated attention to providing a mixed-use of space, and diverse experience, applying both socially inclusive strategies to engage locals (aligning with public goals of the neighbourhood, and enlisting organizational support), and physically inclusive spaces, providing visual cues to indicate all are welcome, and enhancing comfort through seating, shading, lighting and navigation.

Photo: Willem de Kam, Vers Beton

Operating out of Rotterdam and Barcelona, Guillem Colomer of COFO architects (2015) has realised a wide variety of architecture and urban projects. Each one responds to its context and local community with a clear concept: vision, process, and identity. In addition to their Visserijplein proposal, COFO are working with the City of Mannheim to transform the former exhibition space Multihalle Mannheim into multifunctional public program.