Merkato | Francesc Rifé Studio

Taking advantage of the industrial space of an old aircraft hangar, with their former lives in the subconscious, the design of this new gastronomic market and restaurant, situated in central Valencia Eixample district is based on historical and culinary sensibilities of the city. With the helping hand of Valentín Sánchez Arrieta our studio has created a renewed market concept based on honesty, both in materials and products.

Logically, efforts have been made to maintain the industrial nature of space without falling into topics, thematization or traditions. Using simplicity as a principle, we begin the journey starting from the original facade, without retouching nor additions. Access to the premise is through a grand door made of solid pine slats dyed in black, which reveals one of the protagonists project materials. The first part of the longitudinal space invites us to logically travel different places such as groceries, the fish market, and display shelves of products for immediate sale in which high and low tasting areas are integrated until reaching the central Bakery area. Located in a courtyard, it has a new zenith skin, in the form of a lattice, with which we avoid displaying the sloping roof while maintaining the proportion of space in balance with the rest of ceilings and levels. It is a space dedicated to the production of bread and pastry market, dressed by pine tables and a succession of benches. Also accompanying an area of chairs, end tables, and large lamps by &Tradition, which together with the carpets contribute to a warmer climate.

Then we discover the large nave, which covers part of the inner courtyard of the block. A large gabled roof covered in ceramic rests on light but majestic metallic trusses and has as exclamation a central skylight that bathes the entire space during the day. This set has been dyed in warm colors to unify the different levels, and under it, most of the tasting area is located, captained transversely by a large kitchen that elaborates entertaining typologies of dishes-cold, rice, charcoal, and fusion -. A latticework in terracotta tiles surrounds it, while at the same time it silences all the installations and ducts towards the outside, letting them intuit in an orderly manner.

The contemporary touch comes through two geometric volumes displayed, of which on one side hide the cellar and the other, as the distribution to the attic. The latter with access to offices, cold chambers, and an urban garden will supply some of the goods to the restaurant. The lower part of the staircase, intended for the unisex area of the toilets, delimits the views towards the bathrooms. The lower part of the terrace is perhaps the most intimate space of the place. Dedicated to the kitchen with grill, is topped by a glass showcase of maturation of the meat which is one of the stars of the market. A running bench covers the entire length of this space, along with large tables of natural black stained pine, designed to locate large groups.

Although the space opens towards the interior, a constant interaction with nature is provoked by distributing strategic vegetation in the main room. These elements contribute to the intimacy and a correct layout of the tables, designed to be joined in an orderly manner, depending on the number of guests. A large support furniture will be responsible for dividing the room into two territories.

Backstage of the premises, the Kuarto Oskuro is located. A warehouse with a more private life that will lead you to taste "clandestinely" the proposals of the menu. This space, which can be accessed through a door hidden in the bookshelf of the fish market, also leads to the changing rooms of the staff and leads to the access of merchandise and suppliers.