Market forces: a former market is now a picturesque urban ruin.Working with existing buildings is an important aspect of Eduardo Souto de Moura's oeuvre, but perhaps even he could not have imagined that he would be called upon to remodel re·mod·el tr.v. re·mod·eled also re·mod·elled, re·mod·el·ing also re·mod·el·ling, re·mod·els also re·mod·els To make over in structure or style; reconstruct. one of his own early projects--an intriguing, if slightly double-edged, challenge for any architect. Designed in the early '80s, Braga's Caranda market was Souto de Moura's first public work and was conceived as a conventional market hall serving the densely populated pop·u·late tr.v. pop·u·lat·ed, pop·u·lat·ing, pop·u·lates 1. To supply with inhabitants, as by colonization; people. 2. and expanding southern part of Braga. In urban terms, it reflected the influence of Aldo Rossi Aldo Rossi (May 3, 1931- September 4, 1997) was an Italian architect and designer who accomplished the unusual feat of achieving international recognition in three distinct areas: theory, drawing, and architecture. Rossi was born in Milan, Italy. , forming a covered street that acted as an extension of the surrounding city fabric. With its spare, rational geometry and slender concrete roof slab supported on regimented lines of columns, it also owed a clear debt to lberian Modernism. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As an urban and architectural element Caranda was a success, becoming a physical and social fixture in the tradition of Braga's older covered markets. However, in commercial terms it languished, a situation exacerbated by lack of accessible parking and the subsequent development of larger and more convenient edge-of-town shopping centres that made no pretence at being part of the city. Faced with a gradual decline in trade, the authorities decided to close the market and seek an alternative use for the site, commissioning Souto de Moura, now elevated from promising newcomer to established luminary, to unpick and remodel his original design. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Despite its commercial failings, Caranda still formed a strong connective connective - An operator used in logic to combine two logical formulas. See first order logic. tissue between two areas of the city and this provided the seed for the germination germination, in a seed, process by which the plant embryo within the seed resumes growth after a period of dormancy and the seedling emerges. The length of dormancy varies; the seed of some plants (e.g. of the new scheme. Souto de Moura's reworking accentuates this connective aspect by partly demolishing the original market hall and turning it into a courtyard garden flanked by new small shop units and a new dance school. This revised arrangement scales down the complex's commercial function to a more sustainable level and adds a cultural dimension, while still encouraging a high level of public use and access. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Though the idea of demolition was initially resisted by the authorities, who were anxious to preserve the original building, it has given rise to the most visually compelling element of the remodelling. The roof of the market hall has been removed, but the columns remain as a kind of picturesque ruin in a new landscaped garden at the heart of the complex. Worn and weather beaten, with reinforcement bars skewing wildly from their shattered shat·ter v. shat·tered, shat·ter·ing, shat·ters v.tr. 1. To cause to break or burst suddenly into pieces, as with a violent blow. 2. a. heads, the archaeological fragments of the columns are an intimation both of the building's original function and the wider processes of change and decay. The new architecture is deliberately low key and functional--taut white planes are anchored by granite walls and the long glazed vitrine of the dance school that alludes to the original shop fronts. The memory of the market is further evoked in the rebuilt benches that resemble the fish and meat counters; now they are used to sell books, coins and antiques. Routes through the site are also preserved, and there are plans for the construction of a neighbouring new public square. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Over twenty years TWENTY YEARS. The lapse of twenty years raises a presumption of certain facts, and after such a time, the party against whom the presumption has been raised, will be required to prove a negative to establish his rights. 2. ago Souto de Moura's contemporary reinterpretation re·in·ter·pret tr.v. re·in·ter·pret·ed, re·in·ter·pret·ing, re·in·ter·prets To interpret again or anew. re of a historic archetype archetype (är`kĭtīp') [Gr. arch=first, typos=mold], term whose earlier meaning, "original model," or "prototype," has been enlarged by C. G. Jung and by several contemporary literary critics. helped to establish his reputation, now the fragments of this scheme inform and underpin a new phase of development. For an architect admittedly fascinated by ruins (Souto de Moura has travelled extensively to Greece and Peru, among other places), the act of transforming his own work into a ruin is poignantly paradoxical, but also curiously enriching. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Architect Souto Moura Arquitectos, Oporto Project team Eduardo Souto de Moura Eduardo Elisio Machado Souto de Moura (born on July 25th 1952 in Porto, Portugal) is an architect. Moura currently lives and works in Porto where he has built several internationally acclaimed buildings. , Jose Carlos Mariano, Carlo Nozza, Jorge Domingues Structural engineer G.O.P Building contractor building contractor n → contratista m/f de obras building contractor n → entrepreneur m (en bâtiment) building contractor Britalar Photographs Duccio Malagamba |
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