Mercurium
Market rehabilitation
This market, located in the municipality of Regla in Havana, works well but in poorly in deplorable conditions. Structural, aesthetic and functional damages were countless, rendered the interior into a cave almost impassable from one side to the other.
The objectives are clear: to maintain the function of the building, creating new opportunities accompanying the market function as a restaurant-cafeteria, a media room, small library and recreational spaces. To achieve these objectives, the roof space and the underground level were used and refunctionalized. The rooftop area will be mainly used for projection of different young artists.
The aesthetic and structural treatment of the old building was to preserve old structure of the building like creating layer levels, remodeled and created a new skin, once inside it becomes a complete new building, so the access to the market and other areas is possible from any point of the open old and renovated skin.
The lighting confort at the interior is assured during daytime hours through the large openings of the old facade, also in the ceiling is intended to plant a mass of mercury, a highly reflective material to bring light into this space that was designed without any atrium or light hole in the middle of the building - thing which is very important considering the dimensions of the structure - . Besides the artificial lighting comfort is guaranteed with harmonies that will make space a new center of attraction for the town.
