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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Mercado do Gado in Ponte de Lima, Portugal by Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e DesignMarch 25th, 2017 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e Design The complex design has an unlikely morphology for a cattle market, away from the massive image of the prefabricated pavilions. Located near the town, it releases the closure of the urban fabric so another more appropriate equipment can do it. Its function is another: the transition between the immediate rurality of the suburbs and the historic center of Ponte de Lima. The new complex cohabits with palaces, gardens and chapels, and its structure composes an orthogonal grid that relates to the existing routes and reinforces the visual relationship with the river. The Earth Market is something bigger than the cattle fair and market, than the horse fair or Expolima, it comes from a wider ambition to create a network of “structures”, sporadic and localized interventions of a smaller or larger scale, but precise and of ”exact measurements”.  Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo
 Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo
 Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo The beginnings of the intervention are drawn up coherently with a political strategy, the Earth project. At town level tensions are created, functional and volumetric interdependences which go beyond the superficiality of a “plan masse” for the urban perimeter. The solution of the Earth Market lends this idea the symbolic usefulness of the system, of rules and of the group. And the notion that these characteristics enable it to accompany the moments of political option, to change the “projects” within the project. It created and simultaneously responded to new requirements of the program. It has been bigger, smaller, had a multi-functional building, arena and now has a horse-riding school and tracks for equestrian competitions. It is still the best example of this ambition, falling short only while it waits to be joined by other elements, other members of a political design.  Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo The complex looks like an unlikely morphology for a cattle-fair, distancing itself from the large pre-fabricated pavilions. It is situated at the edge of the town but frees up the edge of the urban grid so that other equipment, more appropriate, can possibly perform that role. Its function is other than this, it provides a transition between the immediate rural nature of the outskirts and the centre of the historical town, with dignity. It lives alongside small palaces, gardens and chapels. In spite of successive rectifications to the project, it always maintained the concepts which were established when the project began. The structure of the plan is made up of an orthogonal grid, which relates with the existing paths and improves the views of the river. This grid is a reference guide for positioning the key elements of the proposal, establishing relationships of proportion with relevant constructions or points of scenic interest.  Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo The compositional approach therefore provides its formalism and apparent informality, since superimposed on this layout is an architectural composition and topography adapted to the serenity of the landscape. The constructions do not interfere with the rural character of the intervention area, nor with its environment, with the structure remaining on a small scale, in plots, with the walls adjacent to the main road providing a smooth breach of perspective.  Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo During the elaboration of the first studies for stage 1 – “Cattle-Fair”, the lack of similar references in similar programs led to a lack of definition of the area that the equipment should occupy. On the one hand because the acquisition of land, which was the closest base of comparison we had, was that of the fair which was already being held. This ended up being the model for the implantation, a linear structure of boxes, with paths and squares, in a square grid similar to that of a small residential quarter.  Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo System and module The Project paid particular emphasis to constructive rationalization, using the same elements, modules and constructive solutions for the whole complex, in order to optimize the execution of the structural elements in exposed concrete, window frames, facing and lighting, creating a structure based on repetition and rule.  Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo Based on the module of four by three metre boxes, the standard constructive elements are repeated throughout the fair, such as the exposed reinforced concrete columns, with tubular metallic profiles for the attachment of guards and gates, placed at the corners and middle of the columns. These tubes also allow vertical access to water supplies in the boxes and connect to a network of tubular profiles through which the electrical connections are made. The air-tight light fittings are also recessed into the roof slab, aligned with the width of the column, repeated in the same way throughout the complex. The lighting solution reinforces the perspective by repetition and makes the module stand out.  Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo Various solutions were standardised. The window / door frames built in iron, metallised and painted, have 1×1, 3×1, 3×3 modules and their locations vary depending on the interior lighting requirements, following a virtual 1×1 grid. The enclosure systems of the boxes also have identical solutions, gates and metallic beams were designed with standard fittings, which connect to the metallic structure which form rings around each box.  Image Courtesy © Pedro Lobo The finishings, materials and material transitions are also always identical. Beginning with the roof garden, over an exposed concrete slab, with protected platbands with zinc roof-flashings, in line with the concrete with three by one panels, the resolution of water pipes embedded in the centre of the columns, ending in pavement boxes covered with concrete slabs which run the whole length of the buildings, making the transition between the pigmented concrete pavement on the exterior paths and the concrete pavement on the interior of the boxes. In order to contain costs the transitions between materials are harsh, without resorting to junction elements, since many metres of material would have been needed.  Image Courtesy © Hugo Carvalho Araújo Exceptions to this are some areas which have contact with animals which have metallic elements, such as reinforcements on the corners or a difference in levels of the pavements. The base material used on the exterior of the enclosed grounds of the fair is stone as an element of continuity with the urban space and concrete on the interior, used for structural elements, pavements and walls.  Image Courtesy © Hugo Carvalho Araújo In closed off areas a concrete block wall set with a dry joint was used, reinforced on the inside with a fibre mesh, hydrofuged, plastered and painted with an exterior finishing with a clear epoxy varnish, which allowed it to lend a continuity of colour on the buildings, keeping the structural metric rhythm and enriching the constructive language by creating a new concrete surface.  Image Courtesy © Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e Design  Image Courtesy © Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e Design  Image Courtesy © Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e Design  Image Courtesy © Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e Design  Image Courtesy © Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e Design  Image Courtesy © Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e Design  Image Courtesy © Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e Design  Image Courtesy © Carvalho Araújo, Arquitectura e Design
Tags: Ponte de Lima, Portugal Category: Market |
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