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Markets Area Plan

Background

Any observation of European market towns and cities would show us a market place, or square, many of which would contain a covered market somewhere within this space. In many cases this covered space would be the undercroft of the meeting hall of the town councillors or an Exchange providing facilities to draw up the contracts made in the market place. Thus we find squares with market halls within this space. Here in Dublin we have the market without the square.

The wholesale nature of the Markets area has gone through a process of major transformation over the past decade. Inner-city congestion, logistical changes and the need for centres of distribution with direct access to national and regional routes has forced a re-examination of locational criteria among a number of major firms in the area. These changes call for public and private interventions to harness the potential of the markets area and to create a vibrant new retail market, with a consolidated wholesale provision aimed at the needs of the inner-city restaurant / catering / food / retail trades as the focus of a new city quarter. Building on the creation of this retail food market, an opportunity now exists to rejuvenate this part of the city to create sustainable employment, leisure, cultural and residential opportunities. Apart from introducing a vibrant market and a metropolitan space, it will act as an iconic reference for citizens half way between O'Connell Street and the rejuvenated Smithfield.

To address the issues above, Dublin City Council commissioned MBM Architects, Donnelly-Turpin Architects and AZ Urban Studio to design a Framework Plan that would guide the future development of the markets area. The basic idea within their plan was to create a new 17,000 m2 square incorporating a 6,000m2 market, contained by mixed-use 6-storey buildings on 3 sides and a 2-stoey building on the South side.

Development of the Markets Area

In early 2008 Dublin City Council announced The Markets Regeneration Consortium(MRC), a group that includes Fyffes (a major landowner in the area) as the perferred developer of the scheme. MRC engaged HKR and Make as architects for their proposal, alongside Helle Søholt of Gehl Architects and David Slattery, Conservation Architect.

The design team formed by HKR Architects, Make Architects and Gehl Architects focused on the redesign and revival of the site of the 19th century fruit, vegetable and fish markets. In response to the brief the team produced a design which opens up the site and transforms it into a dynamic new urban focal point. Combining world-class architecture with the creation of a generous new public space, the proposals aim to revitalise the area with a rich mix of uses including retail and wholesale markets, residential and office accommodation, and food shops and restaurants.

Central to their vision for a successful Markets area are the following:

0. The Draft City Council framework plan, whilst providing a strong overall vision could benefit from a re-examination of certain important elements to enhance its success.
0. Stronger relationship to the Luas, Liffy corridor and Four Courts by forming a secondary, entry, square called Chancery Square, on the south west corner of the Market Square. This space developed by a beacon building on the River House site- soon to be lodged as a separate planning application. Tightening of the width of the square to the west of the Market from 40m to an average of 33m, providing a more intensely used compressed and active space.
0. Continuing this more intense space with an opening up of the Market Hall to the square to allow a very active interpretation of activities between Market Hall and space. The opening up of the number of additional arches on the west side of the Market Hall with the advise of our Conservation Architect, David Slattery, avoiding the removal of any polychrome decorative brickwork.
0. A range of food based activities in the market hall, organic produce, cooking school, restaurants, an element of wholesale to be retained. Insertion of a number of mezzanine elements for specialist accommodation.
0. A redesign of the buildings of the west side of the Market Square. Respecting mixture of office, and residential uses above retail but separating into separate buildings over retail ground and mezzanine.
0. Sculpting these and other surrounding buildings to maximise sunlight penetration into the square.
0. Variety of building character and height around all sides of the Market Hall and square as well as a variety of spaces with different characteristics. There is an informality to the Market area at present that is an important part of its urban character.
0. Providing a strong visual connection of Henry Street/Mary Street at present the Henry Street/Mary Street axis (one of the busiest shopping streets in Europe) is lost at Capel Street and the lack of any visual connection helps to render the Markets as a “hidden gem”.