DESA1002 'Nine Quarter City' - <TingYue Ma>

Abstract

My design is a local market for Madrid Spain. The main idea behind this design is architectural promenade. There are two entries to the building, each facing a street point to the plaza. This opens opportunities for more customers. The pointed entry had really provided a sense of flow; it encourages people from entering the building. The way this entry points to the ramp leads people around the building. The building was composed of three blocks: a four storey high market block, a two storey high café block and a central block contains all the servant areas including the kitchen and toilets for the café and the refrigerators for the market. Lifts are also contained in this block. The café block has two floors. The ground floor is a café area and the first floor is a formal dining area. The café block has a half floor difference to the other block and were connected by ramps. There are two sets of ramps within the building; one on each side. These two ramps look into each other and provide a sense of reflection. As we walk around the ramps, we move from the more vulgar market block to the more elegant café block. This had provided a sense of architectural promenade. The building had a column and slab structure. Steel columns had been used for the market block while wood columns had been used for the café block. This helps to create the two blocks different feelings. The café block extends out into a courtyard and this had made this side of the building even more elegant. A sundeck is attached to the café and this had create a sense of relax. On each floor, there are areas extended from one block to another. You can sit there have a drink and watch what’s going on in the other block through the glass screen. These areas can be seen as transitional areas between the vulgar and the elegant. The building was enclosed by steel framework and various glasses going from transparent to translucent and then opaque. These glasses were in triangular shapes. To make a difference for the feeling, the café block was only enclosed by translucent glasses. Although the two blocks provide different feelings, I still wanted them to be seen as a whole body. So the same pattern had been used for the roof.