MVRDV has created some of its finest work in relation to markets, such as the Glass Farm and Markthal. The firm has now broken ground on yet another market and this one will be defined by a large terraced green roof that will grow produce and allow people to walk atop.
As its name suggests, the Tainan Xinhua Fruit and Vegetable Market will be constructed in Tainan, Taiwan, the same city as the firm's T-Axis project. It'll be centered around a main market space housing 180 market stalls, as well as space for auctions and other facilities. High undulating ceilings will promote natural ventilation.
The main market space will be topped by a large terraced roof that's accessible from the eastern corner. It will be used to grow different produce from the area, including pineapples, rice, roses, and tea.
The project will also feature a four-story building housing the market's administrative offices, a restaurant, and an exhibition center where agricultural products from the region can be displayed. The four-story building punctures the main structure, providing a secondary means of access to the landscaped roof.
"Tainan, in my opinion, is one of those towns which is so beautiful to me because maybe most of its nature, agriculture fields, farms, sea, and mountains," says Winy Maas, MVRDV co-founder. "Tainan Market can become a building that symbolizes this beauty as it compliments both landscape and its surrounding environment. It is completely functional and caters to the needs for auctioning, selling and buying goods, but its terraced roof with its collection of growing products will allow visitors to take in the landscape while escaping from bustle below".
The Tainan Xinhua Fruit and Vegetable Market is expected to be completed in 2020.
Source: MVRDV