ANALYSIS

The primary defined problems, which this project seeks to improve upon concern the lack of coherent connections between the different urban functional zones, the organization of the structural volumes, the quality of the material space.

The market today effectively turns its back on the park, but also on the neighbouring streets and serves as a visual and physical barrier without direct relationship with its surrounding spaces. In its interior, the market is enclosed and claustrophobic without a clear path of movement and organization.

Despite the current day market being located in the same place as the historic “Jensko Pazarishte“ (Women‘s Market), the many bygone decades have radically changed the morphology of the location. The current project aims to be a destination, as well as a binding agent – both physically (between the pedestrian zones and the park); and temporally (between the historical importance of the place and the future needs of its habitation.

SOLUTION

Originating from the search for a unified, uninterrupted and coherent urban fabric, the project seeks to achieve a large degree of connection with its surrounding complex and nuanced context  through a purposeful porosity of its volumes and the avoidance of partitioning, unmoving volumes.

Four main pavilions are envisioned, which contain the main market and supplementary functions. They are arranged in ascending height with correspondence of their immediate context and they vary in orientation mimicking the irregular urban grid. Imagined as roof structures, the volumes create an ensemble of porous structures, which allow one to pass through unimpeded along any axis. This manner effectively strengthens the connection between the pedestrian zones in the center of Pazardzhik with “Mineralni Bani” park, paying attention to both equally. This aspiration is underscored by the lack of inactive facades, allowing unprecedented potentials for the structure to become a catalyst of urban activity.

This aspiration is also emphasized by the lack of inactive facades in the design proposal and creates new prerequisites for the market area to become a catalyst for urban activity.

THE NEW CITY MARKET

The current project seeks to rediscover simultaneously the functional and physical, as well as the symbolic and temporal connecting role of the market in urban life as a bridge between the city and the park, between the historical significance of the place and the present and future requirements of its habitation. It is both a place for shopping, and also a new place for meetings and events; at the same time technological and seeking energetic and functional sustainability and, on the other hand, warm and welcoming in the material expression of its internal spaces; it is strategically protected where necessary and equally open to all adjacent spaces of the city.

ORGANIZATION

In parallel with the gradation in the volumes and orientation of the pavilions, a progression in the functional organization has also been carried out, with the northernmost and smallest pavilion being a grandstand to the park, under which are located commercial areas and a small restaurant, and under the covers of the remaining pavilions alternating areas with a completely open plan for a classic market function and closed volumes with commercial facilities, catering establishments, sanitary facilities, administration and security. All of them communicate with micro-squares and island landscaping and parking and charging areas.

HABITATION

Еxtensive covered spaces with an undefined plan are provided for the main market activities, allowing for the adaptive placement of transformable modular trading tables. This approach allows the covered open and closed urban spaces created by the project to meet a variety of functional and social needs. The liveliness and coziness inherent in the historical market are achieved here through a meaningful change of materiality in the “interior” in relation to the exterior of the market ensemble. The geometric configuration of the lighting in the covered areas is conceived as a kind of signpost through the market spaces.

INTEGRATION

The silhouette and material presence of the market are a diagram and symbol of the syncretic integrity of urban life sought in the project.

LEVEL 1

1. Flowershop
2. Pavilion for industrial/household/textile goods
3. Cafe/Restaurant
4. Outdoor sales area – industrial/household/textile goods
5. Outdoor sales area – groceries
6. Groceries pavillion

LEVEL 2

1. Director’s office
2. Accountant’s office
3. Secretary’s office
4. Collectors’ office
5. Break room
6. Storage room
7. Security
8. Cafe/Restaurant
9. Pavilion for industrial/household/textile goods
10. Groceries pavillion