Sants Market Refurbishment
This is an example of how rehabilitation interventions can design efficient buildings, in this case, with an air-conditioning system by means of a geothermal water-use program.
Location: Sant Jordi Street, 6, Barcelona | Catalonia
Built space: 11.486 m2
Developer: Municipal Markets Institute | Barcelona Town Council
Development: 2008-2015
Budget: 15.665.000 € (market); 2.987.000 € (interim market)
Intervention: Preliminary plans, Basic & Implementation projects and site management. Basic & Implementation projects and site management for the interim market.
The Sants Market, which is actually protected as a Cultural Interest in the Local Architectural Historic Artistic Heritage Catalog of the city of Barcelona, was designed by architect Pere Falqués i Urpí and opened in 1913.
The refurbishment proposal wants to preserve the uniqueness of the existing building, by maintaining volumes, facades and its structural elements and ornaments, but redesigning completely its internal functionality. In order to improve the competitiveness and attractiveness of the building the project proposes the reorganization of retail space by a new distribution of stalls and the incorporation of a self-service area (supermarket). At the same time, the project also unifies the outside image through the integration of the shops at the north exterior facade. The project also incorporates two basement floors to be able to accommodate spaces destined to merchandise management and also parking facilities for shop-keepers, customers and neighbours.
With the new position of external ramps, there is also an environment improvement, because of the pedestrianization of the immediate surroundings, in order to give priority to the proximity routes and close connections with the existing public transport network.
The project also provided the design and implementation of the interim market which accommodated the market during the market refurbishment works, which are being held in three contiguous phases of construction.
