WHAT IS A MARKET?
Ontologies and Geneologies 2023-24
The module focused on to observe the geneological shifts of the markets from the history to present times and to speculate the future type of markets in a particular site by observing the current type. Problem solving and enhancing the relation of the site with the urban context was one of the task assigned. We started with studying markets from the past in detail with drawings and analysis with the help of diagrams through a different lens of datums.
Case Study
Village Supermarket, Bangladesh
Type: Pavillion with a linear and porous spine
Village supermarket located in Khulna, Bangladesh is a contemporary wholesale market place built by Tjep and Vastukala Architects in 2018.The total site area is about 8500sq.m but the built area is about 2800sq.m. Inspired by the arots (local market structures) the stalls are articulated with a large human sized circular hole which increases the transactional capacity of the whole trading area.The layout of the site places the stalls along the main spine of the market building, with social and educational functions such as an information centre, retail space, and administration on the perpendicular axis spread across two levels.
Outbuildings on the place connect the main building to essential functional spaces such as a processing and packing area, storage facilities and a prayer room.
The market affords a lot of activities such as trading, educational activities, religious practices, high tech facilities, offices, community gatherings,etc. The created design is a complex that functions as a village. At the conceptual level it is designed to engender a sense of communal pride, and provide the necessary spaces to support better productivity and quality of life.
The case study ended with an understanding of sytructure and type which runs the intensive market. With the help of plan we were able to understand how layout plays an important role in shaping the ergonomics of a design. Sections showed how levels play in architecture and isometric views showed how it merges well with the context. Atlast this chart with diagrams helped us in segregating the observations and analyse the structure with respect to various datums.
Site Introduction
The site assigned was the Borivali market stretch spanning from Goragandhi restaurant till Moksh Plaza. Each group got a patch from this large piece of site. Assigned withe third site, it was majorly fabric market with women clothing its priority. It consisted three different zones every zone having the same linear type. Our intervention area stretches from the Goyal Shopping Centre to the Diamond Theatre and ends at the Purohit Hospital. The path is in the shape of an L, with the first stretch running along the edge of Lokmanya Tilak Road. The first structure, Goyal Shopping Centre, is a market complex built in the early 1980s that contains shops selling various commodities, primarily women's clothing. It has an opening that tucks the consumers into the dense shopping maze. A one-story building next to it has godowns on the top floor and shops on the ground floor. The lower stretch is then continued by the Kukus Restaurant, which is an independent shop, until the entrance to the Diamond Theatre. All of these stores primarily serve women of various ages with accessories and clothing. The massive Diamond Theatre, which closed three years ago, is a massive structure. An alley adjacent to it leads to the Purohit Hospital, which is housed in a dilapidated bungalow. On the way to the bungalow, there is also a well that is currently inactive. These are some of the drawings of the site.
My design process started with identifying the problems on site caused due to various factor to various stakeholders. Listening what the site needed it all started with starting to look for present opportunities. Making a chart segregating the problems and opportunities into three datums helped in determinimng improvement in three sectors.
As you can see the chart the priority was to look at the congestion caused on the road and giving every shop its own identity with extending the street into a market increasing its porosity. These three are the most concerning problems picked out from the chart.
The major opportunities are in the red boxes which are looked into detail while designing. Apart from this we talked with stakeholders presemt on site ranging from the vendors to shop owners to the buyers and consumers.
Interviewing 5 people, 3 being the the vendors and shopkeepers and 2 being the consumer we got a clear view of what the stakeholder aspire from the sites. Also the sense of adaptability from the street vendors to be provided with a upgrade was sensed.
Speculations: People
Argumentative Drawing
The above image raises my arguement which goes like
How can a hard edged street facade increase its permeability and absorb the floating population within it?
AND
Can a street eventually extend into a market, as well as a place for the city to pause and look around?
Design Process
The process started with analysing the current programs on site and looking at large with the urban context. Also using the opportunities as efficiently as possible.
Determining the current program on sites with the placement and amount I drew some diagrams.
On rethinking the whole site we identified there was a need to locate the market at the proximity to Goyal Shopping Center and to rethink the spaces such as theater and food court. Listing down the programmatical opportunities:
-rethinking the location of informal street vendors
-rethinking the footpath
-rethinking the theatre area
-considering the well as a public spot
-a market complex with public spaces and the open amphitheatre incorporated within it
-making the market more porous
-creating a typology which complements the existing style
By analysing the above requirements we cutdown the list to the required programs on site.
Market complex
Food Kiosk
An open amphitheater
Step well / Water body
Public recreational space
Godowns
Offices
The programs written in gray indicate the current programs on site whereas the balck ones are the one proposed.
The area required and the overlapping of spaces is shown in the diagram below.
The next step was how to integrate these into the context. Creating a landscape which affords all the programs.
The concern for a flexible ergonomics which be true to provide porosity to the street as well as the whole markets resulted in thinking for a space navigated through walls. Iterations with walls arranged vertically through out the site creating a labyrinth of shops engaging the consumers to stroll around. Physical model helped in understanding the spatial arrangement.
Concept Diagrams
These diagram coming together formed a structure which when in context formed a landscape of different programs.
Design Drawings
The existing well transforms into an Open Amphitheater during the community functions and discussions and integrates with the design having the food kiosk adjacent to it transforming it into a public recreational space during the free days.
Experential Views
Construction Detail
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