GLOBAL SPACES: Markthal Rotterdam
In this contemporary age, one of the difficult aspects of maintaining and cultivating the urban landscape is constantly ensuring that the different parts of our cities are as efficiently accessible to the people as possible. For the architect, this means that a thorough understanding of the cityscape and its inhabitants is important to be able to assess spatial construction. Oftentimes in cities, there is one significant space that becomes the central hub of commerce and social gathering. To create such a space, the architect must address the city as a whole. With that said, this week’s case study is Markthal Rotterdam: a unique building typology that might just start a new architectural trend in today’s urban cities.
The Markthal Rotterdam, located in Rotterdam, Netherlands, was designed by the Dutch firm MVRDB for a design competition (which they won) back in 2004. It was finally completed and made open to public this year. The Markthal Rotterdam is actually built in a historical location in context to the city being that it is right next to the biggest open-air market in the city of Rotterdam.
What makes this building really unique is that the function of the building is both a market place and a residential area. The market place is located in the ground floor and actually is an extension of the shopping experience from the open-air market that is close to the proximity of this building. The Markthal Rotterdam serves as the new central hub for the other parts of the city.
The main arch form of this building was generated by the careful orchestration of its programmatic functions. There is also an interesting relation between how the interior space within the building heavily relates to the exterior space that spills out into the street. This relationship is emphasized by using the same material from the street pavements to the exterior shell of the building. The building also has a central threshold that remains open to people in both sides of the street, making the market place easily accessible to everyone.
As for the residential part of the Markthal Rotterdam, the apartments are located from the third floor all the way to the eleventh floor. There are in 228 apartments in total and 24 penthouses, to each with its own terrace. The living quarters can be accessed through six entrances located in the street level.
However, the most striking feature of the building might be the amazing mural by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam titled “Cornucopia” seen through the fantastic glass façade. I think that this part of the building truly address how the interior space can make a connection with the exterior space. It captures the attention of the people, and whether they are propelled to explore the interior to shop or to simply hang out, it shows how successful the design is in creating a new hub for the city. The effect of this visionary design will surely affect Rotterdam in rewarding ways.
photo credits: archdaily / my modern metropolis