Nou Mercat dels Encants Barcelona, Catalonia Building, Spain, Spanish Architecture

Nou Mercat dels Encants, Barcelona

Catalonia Building Development design by Fermín Vázquez, b720 architecture studio

page updated 27 Oct 2016 with new photos ; 31 May 2013

Nou Mercat dels Encants Barcelona

Design: Fermín Vázquez, head of the b720 architecture studio

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Photos © Rafael Vargas

Nou Mercat dels Encants Barcelona

BARCELONA DESIGNS A NEW FLEA MARKET

This reflective building reminds me of Foster + Partner’s recently completed mirrored plane pavilion in Marseilles, except here the surface is fractured, cut around the edges and bent upwards. The result is energetic and captivating. This market – with origins way back in the 14th Century – has not had a permanent structure for 85 years. It is dedicated to auctions and the sale of second hand objects, furniture, clothing, curios and bric-à-brac.

Nou Mercat dels Encants Barcelona : article from e-architect, 10 Jun 2013

– On June 21st the Nou Mercat dels Encants, by Fermín Vázquez, head of the b720 architecture studio, will officially open, providing a permanent structure for the much-loved 85 year-old flea market.

-The site, a large plaza covered by an 8.000 square meter, gold triangular roof aims to dignify commercial activity in this symbolic flea market, which dates back to the 19th Century.

Barcelona, May 2013

In London there is Camden Town, in Paris the Marché aux Puces and in Barcelona the Nous Encants, which will open on June 21st, putting an end to its 85 years of existence without a permanent structure. The Nous Encants is a market dedicated to auctions and the sale of second hand objects, furniture, clothing and all sorts of curios and bric-à-brac.

Its origins go back to the 14th Century. At its current location it began its activity at 1999 in an improvised and chaotic way, and developed under a temporary structure, becoming a much-loved, unique space in the city. The new site is located very close to the old one, near the Plaça de les Glòries, and close to important architectural works like the Torre Agbar, the Auditori or the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. The Nous Encants’ improved facilities will dignify commercial activity, and allow for longer hours and new services and activities.

Fermín Vázquez, architect of the Nous Encants, underlines how he sought to preserve the essence of this traditional flea market, rejecting the shopping mall model. The project’s defining element is a roof that hangs almost 25 meters high and serves to protect commercial activity from the elements while maintaining the outdoor atmosphere of the flea market. The spectacular 8.000 square meter triangular canopy, covered with a gold-toned reflective surface that evokes the dignified and time honoured commercial activity, contrasts with the simplicity and restraint of the stands, where the disparate second-hand merchandise will be sold.

The Nou Mercat dels Encants will occupy an area of 35.440 square meters, improving considerably on the current 14.000 square meter space. A total of 78 shops, 156 stands, 40 auction spaces and 2 cafés and a restaurant round out the offerings. The site has two underground levels. The first one is a logistical base for the market, and the second is user parking. Taking advantage of the grade of the streets that surround the new location, ramps with a slight incline have been built to create a continuous commercial space, and create an experience similar to strolling down a pedestrian street.

Fermín Vázquez, author of the refurbishment of the port in Porto Alegre (Brasil) and of the plans for the Cusco (Perú) airport, is the director b720 architecture studio, founded in Barcelona and dedicated to rigorously contemporary architecture using the natural resources provided by an environment.