Article source: Vrtical

The project is the result of Tlaxco´s Municipal Urban Development Plan (PMDU): the first project for this “Magical Town” was chosen to be the market following a consensus, participatory decision, as a means of boosting the local economy and arts crafts in Tlaxco. The project was developed on the basis of recovering the outer walls and foundations of a pre-existing building that had fallen into disuse. With a walkway at the front, the project is organized into two main halls, the larger one housing fourteen stalls for artisans from various parts of the municipal district, while the smaller one has a space for workshops. Each area is also connected to a courtyard that can be used as necessary for other activities. The walkway uses a series of arches and a rectangular frame that creates a dialogue between a contemporary and vernacular language; the space is used as a meeting point. Load-bearing walls and a laminated timber (pine) roof trusses were employed for the construction. The interiors enjoy natural lightning thanks to the placement of skylights along the length of the hall to provide bright, throughout the market place, at the same time as creating iconic structure which the local population can feel proud and make their own.

Image Courtesy © Enrique Márquez Abella

• Architects: Vrtical
• Project: Tlaxco Artisans Market
• Location: Tlaxco, Mexico
• Photography: Enrique Márquez Abella, Rafael Gamo
• Authors: Arch. Luis Beltrán del Río, Arch. Andrew Sosa
• Construction: Arch. Jorge Rivera
• Collaborators: Ing. Alejandro Solano, Ing. Dolores Galicia, Ing. Hector Rojas, Arch. Ana Lourdes Esquer, Arch. Ximena Rebollo, Arch. Arelly Blas

(more…)