MVRDV’s new Markthal >> glass and colors take over in Rotterdam

After Rem Koolhas’ “De Rotterdam”, the Dutch city welcomes another impressive mega-project: the Markthal. Designed by MVRDV and developed by Provast, it’s the first covered market in the Netherlandands.

Markthal, more than a market. In fact, this large-scale structure is a housing building too: 228 apartments are placed in the large-spanning arch that covers the indoor market hall. The facility also offers public access for eating, drinking and shopping and is likely to attract over 5million visitors per year.

The structure aims to be as open and accessible to the public as possible: despite the elevators being truncated (for functional purposes), the use of glass curtain walls affirms the building’s openness and transparency. It’s an architecture whose shape, colors and materials create a relationship with the public, grasping the visitors’ sight and commanding attention. The surface is characterized by two different finishes: a gray natural stone cladding contrasts with the vibrant and colorful mural, above the hall. This artwork, named “Cornucopia” and realized by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam, consists in printed images on perforated aluminum panels.