The document summarizes the Mercat Santa Caterina market redevelopment project in Barcelona, Spain designed by architects Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue. The project transformed a dour neoclassical market into a vibrant space with a colorful, undulating roof composed of over 300,000 hexagonal ceramic tiles supported by a forest of steel pillars. The design integrated the old market structure, uncovered Roman ruins, and surrounding streets and plaza, fusing modern and historical elements to create an ultra-modern public space in the heart of the city.

1. MERCAT SANTA CATERINA.
A colorful sense of identity and space.

2.  LOCATION
Barcelona, Spain
ARCHITECTS
EMBT
Enric miralles
Benedetta tagliabue
This characteristically
uproarious design does more
than transform a dour
NEOCLASSICAL FRESH
FOOD MARKET into a flying
carpet of brilliant colors and
agitated forms.

3.  A Concept of METAMORPH, bringing
together the people, culture and history
under one roof.
 Makes a terrain that corresponds widely to
topography.
 A building which is both ultra-modern and
very old in spirit and technique.

4.  It fuses together the revived market, the
plan of which is constantly changing.
 Includes a museum, two blocks of 59 low-rent
social housing and underground car park with
organic waste depository.
 There are 100 or so stalls in the market
selling local products of almost every
description.

5. HISTORIC OVERVIEW.
 There had been a market on the site, since
1848.
 After 150 years of existence, in 1997 the
commission for a new design was given to
EMBT.
 During renovation the work was stopped for
two years after the ruins of a roman
necropolis were uncovered.

6. CONSTRUCTION
 Architect Tagliabue explains “we tried to break
with the pattern of brutal demolition followed by
rebuilding using very different typology ”.
 In the new design, they retained the white
painted masonry walls on three sides of the
rectangular structure.
 These walls has many arched opening
permeable to the surrounding streets.

7.  They bought same granite pavers used on
city streets into the market interior.
 The rear wall was demolished and cut in an
intimate plaza.

8.  Built on the ruins of old market.
 Project began in 1997 and was completed in may
2005.
 The Outstanding feature is its roof (5,500sq-
ms).

9.  Made by assembling 300,000 ceramic
hexagons, supported by forest of
steel pillars.

10.  Projects beyond the perimeter of
construction (3,749sq-ms).

11. A brilliantly colored wave-like carpet
depicting fruit and vegetable designs.

12. Although Computer helped to generate the
form of the roof but Many of the roof panel
had to be cut by hand to accommodate the
many curves.
 Thus combining old techniques with new
architectural vision.

13. ROOF
A Closer look

14. PICTURES SHOWING STEEL PILLARS

15. INSIDE

17. STREET.