Green Market in Ciechanów by Agata Parzentna and Michał Kucharski – the new commercial heart of the city

The Green Market – a contemporary, friendly, and functional space for commerce and social encounters – has been opened in Ciechanów, located on Płońska Street. This investment on the part of the Municipality of Ciechanów is an excellent example of how the tradition of a local market can be combined with modern architectural and ecological solutions.

The designers of the new structure, with a surface area of around 1,650 m², were architects Michał Kucharski and Agata Parzentna. The spatial design is based on the idea of an open square, like an old town market, edged by modular shopping and service modules. The Market has preserved its role as a place for everyday shopping while gaining a completely new dimension — aesthetic, functional, and social.

Architecture and functionality

The building was conceived in a U-shape, with three open gates leading into a central, half-protected courtyard. A large circular opening in the roof allows natural light to flood in while keeping the interior safe from bad weather. Inside, there is room for commercial stalls, service pods, and a restaurant with a green rooftop terrace on the upper level, forming another recreation and social space.

The design deems the separation into two functional areas — the northern area for the market, and the southern area for customer parking — to be self-evident. The arrangement organizes vehicular circulation while allowing a safe and pleasant area for pedestrians.

Façade and aesthetics

Green Market façades are composed of aluminum profiles coated in white powder, which give the building a light, modern appearance. The ground floor facing the courtyard is glazed as much as possible to ensure maximum daylight inside. Signage strips are left above the shopfronts to keep the visual identity of the Market clear and consistent. Minimalist architecture is complemented with greenery and simple urban furniture such as benches, bike racks, and litter bins.

Ecology, energy efficiency

The Green Market is not only useful but also sustainable. The building has been equipped with a heat recovery ventilation system and photovoltaic panels for generating energy for operation. Roofs have been designed as green roofs, which create water retention and improve the microclimate of the area.

A new community hub

Besides daily commerce, the Green Market will serve as a location for social and cultural events. The courtyard can host Christmas fairs, outdoor events, concerts, and other communal events. This renders the marketplace a new center of Ciechanów's social life, strengthening social ties and animating the urban tissue.

The Green Market in Ciechanów is an investment combining tradition and modernity. Not only a place of shopping, but also of integration, culture, and everyday life — adapted to the needs of the city's residents today.

Name: The Green Market
Location: Ciechanów, Poland
Architects: Agata Parzentna, Michał Kucharski (michalkucharski@onet.pl)
Detailed design: Karol Kożuchowski
Structural engineer: Grzegorz Mazurek,
Sanitary Engineer: Artur Nowotka,
Electrical engineer: Konrad Jabłoński,
Telecommunications engineer: Leszek Stułka,
Civil engineer: Marcin Wąchnicki,
Landscape architect: Anna Zbrzezna
Photography: Piotr Krajewski