Don’t be fooled by the Mercat Encants’ contemporary look, this site is home to a 100-year old market!
b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos created the new structure. The ostentatious gold canopy acts as a sunscreen while also reflecting the city into the market, connecting the two.
One of the challenges was the limited location size which is about 8,600 square feet. The usual solution would be a multi-story structure, however, the architects felt that just didn’t fit in this case. Instead, they created an “endless loop” of intertwined planes which links the stalls and shops.
According to its website, about 100,000 people visit the Market each week. Both locals and tourists come to find everything from handmade goods to high technology.
