CENTRAL MARKET & HOUSING
OPORTO, PORTUGAL, 2002

Competition OPORTO, PORTUGAL
By MEROestudio (Paula Montoya & Iñigo Redondo) with Iván Carvajosa, Luordes Carretero
Client:THYSSEN-KRUPP

Se trata de un proyecto experimental que explora las posibilidades de configurar un complejo residencial piloto en un área deprimida de la ciudad de Oporto. Las viviendas se organizan en bandas paralelas suspendidas en un gran elemento cubierta que tiene debajo un uso intensivo industrial de mercado central de abastos. El tipo de viviendas crece como un fuelle en el eje longitudinal manteniendo el ancho de crujía inicial. El acceso a las mismas es siempre en sentido descendente desde la gran cubierta-plaza pública.

 

The scheme is a experimental proposal for a mixed-use residential and Central Market with very high levels of innovation in typological propositions; The housing section is located in a huge upper element canopy-like over an industrial space full of massive transport lorries and warehouses. The entries are strongly separated: the residential area is accessed from above, from an public open garden. The access to the market is from underneath, supporting the heavy structural elements. The housing units are arranged in long strips and they can “grow” in length as the occupants grow in number keeping a constant width.