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DESIGN STATEMENT

GALTON DE ORO: DYNAMIC MICRO MARKETS OF THE FUTURE A PROPOSED REDESIGN OF THE CDO PUBLIC MARKET

As we continue to traverse and cope with this pandemic-stricken society, and as the global economy falters to the brink of stress and exhaustion, we have learned to live with the present standards and protocols concerning this crisis. As local economies gradually open up, we understand that redesigning public spaces in line with the standard pandemic protocols is not only necessary but is definitely inevitable.

Understanding that architecture is not only an avenue to create structurally-sound and appealing design, but also a means of creating opportunities for various sectors in society both social and political. With this, the idea of redesigning a certain public space that will not only have a structural and aesthetic impact, but may also serve as a major economic and social model structure for a post- pandemic Philippines.

The marketplace was chosen as the ideal public space for redesigning given its architectural, social, and economic potential. Markets are a staple public space in every community and serves as the backbone of the state as it caters to the various sectors in society. Analyzing the potential impact of this public space to the community, it became imperative that redesigning this space in line with the current public safety standards and employing the stated economic-centric principle would mean prioritizing the safety of the shoppers without compromising the current number of stalls in the public space.

The team focused on a motion-centric solution that will address the existing standards for public safety (i.e. social distancing, contact, etc.). The usage of various elements such as path walk and stall to shopper ratio will hopefully influence the mobility of patrons. Aside from this, the entirety of the market was divided into clusters with each cluster capable of providing the necessary goods and services that the average shopper needed. This concept was derived from the Filipino mico markets called talipapa which are commonly found in towns and barrios in the country. The application of this concept is conceived to be a solution in relieving the possible foot traffic and human density that is perpetuated by the usual market design that divides the whole into sections. The reduction of the possibility of dense foot traffic and human convergence is correlated to minimizing the possible risk of infection therefore ensuring public safety.

In addition to the micro markets found in the ground level, an urban farm is also included in the overall plan as the presence of this feature does not only improve the economic impact of the structure, but it also serves as a green feature and public safety measure. The addition of this feature minimizes the possible risk that comes with food transportation such as contamination and as well as serving as a good investment of the local government to urban farming systems.

In architecture there’s no other way but to look forward, break existing human barriers, and to design for the future. With this, we proudly present, Galton De Oro: Dynamic Micro Markets of the Future.