Cover Image

A Nighttime ariel view captures the proposed fruit and vegetable market looking towards the Acropolis hill of Athens

Location Plan

Focused on the deprived neighborhood in central Athens, where I explored how public spaces and buildings can become Urban Rooms that contribute to revitalizing the city.

Existing Site Axonometric View

The site is enveloped by buildings ranging from 2 to 10 stories, with 50% of them abandoned including all rooftop spaces. The ground floor includes storage space and a fruit and vegetable market, with an underground car park spanning two levels and an abandoned square at the topmost open space.

Urban Strategy Study

The urban strategy study focuses on the deprived area and aims to connect all public squares to the proposed site on foot. Specifically, by creating passages through several abandoned building blocks, significantly improve the connection between the city and the market

Concept and Prototype Study

I created several collage art prototypes that emphasize forms, building materials, structures, color palettes, and spatial arrangements suitable for adaptation on the proposed site.

Axonometric View

An axonometric view of the proposal showcases the overall building and the expansion idea of rooftop farming, extending across the adjacent abandoned rooftop spaces.

Ground Floor Plan

The ground floor encourages free movement for shoppers. It features 106 market stalls and two sports halls: a basketball court and an adaptable hall. The market expands both indoors and outdoors to enhance job prospects.

First Floor Plan

Due to tall surrounding buildings, light only comes from above, hence light wells are added between structures, illuminating the market below and fostering connections between floors. Here, you'll find workshops, a multipurpose hall, a hydroponic lab with Fitness at the back, and culinary classes upfront with a dining area.

Second Floor Plan

The topmost floor primarily houses hydroponic farming and is accessible to the public for educational visits and hands-on experiences in hydroponic farming.

Interior Perspective View 1

This interior perspective captures the market during the daytime. The design incorporates a lofty ceiling to fulfill the sports court's needs, fostering an airy, forest-like ambiance within the market space.

Interior Perspective View 2

On the first floor, individuals can gaze downward into the market through the light well.

Technical Study Exploded Axonometric

The building will feature diverse structural typologies to accommodate diverse plant sunlight requirements. Load is transferred from the top two columns to a single column, reinforced by a triangular central stiffener that also houses water tanks and electrical and mechanical components.

Technical Study Section

By utilizing the existing underground car park grid structure, a shifted array of columns extends from the ground to the top seamlessly integrating columns and slabs, enhancing the overall structural integrity. Given the prevailing south wind, a north-facing opening ensures efficient air extraction during wind passage, facilitating proper circulation. At the hydroponic farm, precisely angled louvers admit winter sunlight while partially blocking excessive summer sunlight, yet still enabling ample sunlight for plants. The green facade enveloping the market serves as both a privacy barrier and a shield against urban heat, filtering pollutants and reducing heat from the main street.

Hydroponic Structure Typology

This sheet illustrates the placements of three distinct hydroponic structures. Each structure has a capacity for 540 vegetables. Herbs, requiring full sunlight, will be cultivated on type A. Meanwhile, vegetables adaptable to partial shade will find their place on Type B and/or C. Hydroponic vegetables typically mature in 30-40 days, enabling a total production of 43,740 vegetables and herbs from this building per cycle.

Interior Perspective View 3

An interior view of the hydroponic farming.

Cycle System of Water, Waste and Production

This proposal functions as a self-sustaining cycle encompassing water, waste, and production. Three primary food sources contribute to the market stalls: those from the outskirts, rooftop farming, and hydroponic farming. Café waste and fruit and vegetable peels are collected and stored as waste. This material then enters a digestion tank for composting and biogas generation at the lower ground. The resultant biogas fuels electricity generation for the building, while the compost enriches both the hydroponic and rooftop farms. Harvested water serves dual purposes: for toilet use and irrigation across the farms.

Exterior Perspective View

A late evening view while walking towards the market from the street of Athens.

Interior Perspective View 4

At nighttime, when the market is closed, various activities can unfold, such as open-air theater performances. Certain stalls can be effortlessly removed, creating a space for people to gather and enjoy the featured movie of the day. Additionally, parts of the market can transform into bars, providing a vibrant nighttime experience.

Collage Art

Lastly, this collage art is a visual representation I created to encapsulate my portfolio. It showcases the symbiotic relationship between the frame and structure where both come together. On one side, the building's structures are revealed, while the other side portrays the view as a whole. In an artistic manner, the building beckons people from below and exudes the enticing aroma of herbs and vegetables, captivating their senses.