1954
Coyoacán Market, Mexico D.F.
Félix Candela

Address: Coyoacán
City: Mexico D.F.
State:
Country: Mexico

In the 1950’s Mexico city began to substitute old city markets by new premises, some of them designed by Felix Candela with other architects, like this early example at Coyoacán with Pedro Ramírez Vásquez. Rows of thin exposed concrete “umbrellas” cover the place not unlike the tents of old open-air markets. These umbrellas are composed by four hypar structures that converged towards a central support or base, inside of which a tube allowed the water to be drained to a central sewage system. Three rows of seven structural umbrellas define the market main precinct, naturally illuminated by the shed-like openings between the rows. The external walls are structurally independent and also help to bring light and natural ventilation to the interiors. Several recent inappropriate  additions and interventions heavily  interfere with the quality of the original structural spaces.

(Reference: ALANÍS, 2010 p.36-37)