Mercado de Otavalo | Jose Yanez

Located in the heart of The Andes, this Indian Otavalo Marketplace constitutes a statement of global trading recognition, in which its population manifests to the world the fact that they are ready and prepared for global commerce.The proposed building makes this market an architectural landmark with no physical boundaries going beyond its region, country and continent. It is meant to welcome tourists, visitors and merchants of all over the world. It becomes an icon in the city grid and main destination point for all. Also provides beautification of the city of Otavalo, enhancing the character of its built environment. The site allows for clear way finding and easy access from main regional and city roads.Part of the Master Plan is the relocation of the retail corridor in order to provide better access to main basic infrastructure, vehicle access and to be comprehensive with the growth of the community. The building provides users, costumers and traders a contemporary and flexible facility that improves business and productionThe project is an abstract representation of its natural context with a great influence of the powerful presence of the Andes Mountains and its most notorious regional peak, “The Imbabura”, with its sensual and dynamic topography and patterned agricultural fields around it. The building shell was conceived as an Indian textile that covers the mountains, using its morphology to achieve the actual tridimensional movement.There are three distinct functional zones in the building, named as “wet, semi-wet and dry” which are represented by interconnected platforms. The Semi- wet area being centralized and is the main destination point of the complex. The other two zones are transitional and accommodate services and each of them distinct loading yards.