International design practice Aidia Studio has completed an innovative market building in Quintana Roo, Mexico, featuring a distinctive wave-like vaulted roof system with green architectural details. The 82,882-square-foot Mercado Nicolás Bravo showcases a series of inverted umbrella-shaped structures that create a canopy over individual market stalls across the 3.2-acre site on the Yucatan Peninsula.
Completed in 2024, the market serves a dual purpose of empowering the local community through arts and crafts while providing fresh produce to tourists visiting nearby Mayan archaeological sites. The project represents part of a government-funded program designed to improve underdeveloped Mexican municipalities, creating a vital link between the tourism industry and the needs of fewer than 5,000 residents in Nicolás Bravo.
"The project is a testament to our commitment to a resilient architecture approach, prioritizing construction techniques and materials that ensure minimal upkeep throughout the building's lifespan," stated Aidia Studio, which maintains offices in both London and Mexico City. The studio arranged 50 individual market stalls within 14 enclosed blocks, following a precise 26-foot by 26-foot grid system.
The building's construction incorporates four primary elements: a lightweight steel structure, reinforced concrete slabs and parapets, concrete blocks, and clay bricks. The masonry and concrete feature natural sand-colored pigments that complement the light olive green trim and market doors, creating a color palette that reflects the surrounding palm trees throughout the facility.
The most striking feature of the design is the undulating roof constructed from hyperbolic paraboloid forms, which rises above the market stalls like a natural tree canopy. This architectural element is interrupted only by two planted courtyards, creating breaks in the continuous roof structure. "This not only reflects our dedication to form-finding for architectural aesthetics and structural integrity but also integrates a biophilic design philosophy, seamlessly blending the structure with its natural surroundings," the studio explained.
Clay bricks are carefully laid across the metal structure to accommodate the multi-directional curvature of the roof sections. The brick courses run in alternating directions, creating a distinctive textured grid pattern within the diagonal structural lines. The innovative roof design lifts up at the corners, directing rainwater to internal downspouts that run down the columns rather than using a traditional perimeter gutter system.
The supporting columns consist of four square metal pieces grouped together in lightweight clusters, providing structural support while maintaining the building's airy aesthetic. The market blocks are divided diagonally into four symmetrical triangles that can be configured as display spaces, kitchens, and restrooms, offering flexibility for various commercial uses.
Brick walkways extend outward from under the protective roof and define square gardens that follow the rhythmic pattern of the market stalls, creating a harmonious integration between built and natural environments. The facility also functions as a community center for cultural events and educational workshops, expanding its role beyond commercial activities.
This latest project continues Aidia Studio's tradition of creating sail-like roof structures throughout Mexico. The firm previously designed a zigzag metal roof over a sports grandstand and topped a community center with concrete barrel vaults, both located in Oaxaca. The team also completed a conceptual design for a Tulum train station featuring a curving, shell-like lattice roof structure.
The Mercado Nicolás Bravo project was led by architects Rolando Rodriguez Leal and Natalia Wrzask, with project coordination by José Luis Mulás. The project team included Alexis Escalante, Mariano González, Nitze Magaña, and Emilio Vásquez, while structural engineering was provided by Project Calc. The client for this transformative community project was Mexico's Secretary of Agrarian, Territorial, and Urban Development.
