The Can Vidalet Market is located in a central area of the city of Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, at the intersection of Virgen de la Merced Street and Severo Ochoa Avenue. The market building helps define and oversee a large public space for the city, which is also connected to a large green area to the northwest, the Can Vidalet Park. It serves as a meeting point for different neighborhoods in a densely populated residential area and will define a new centrality.
The plot designated for the market is triangular in shape. It features two underground levels for parking and logistics, a level at the exterior space for a supermarket, and an upper level for the market.
The general floor plan has a very clear geometry, similar to a triangle. This triangular perimeter allows for the insertion of a grid of squares and triangles, expressed both in the geometry of the roof and in the overall structure of the market.
The market is conceived from the construction of a large urban-scale roof under which commercial spaces, streets, and squares are placed. This roof expresses a clear public vocation and the desire to overcome its own boundaries, establishing a strong connection with the public space. In total, this roof structure consists of ten squares, each measuring 15x15 meters, taking the shape of an inverted pyramid in section.
Once the roof is defined, the perimeter walls are also conceived as a skeleton to be clothed. In this case, the lightweight GRC panels with color applications, mimicking the work of Villeglé, incorporate the atmosphere of the interior of the market, bringing optimism and contextualizing the container within this large public space.