Aga Khan Award for Architecture
Central Market
Architect: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Client: Koudougou Municipality
Completed: 2005
Site size: 29'000 m²
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Central Market Project BriefKoudougou’s central market combines a covered hall with space for 624 stalls with a further 125 buildings containing 1'195 shop units, the vast majority of them small spaces of only 6.20 square metres. By virtue of its size, the project provided an important training ground for local masons. The market buildings are made almost exclusively of a local material - compressed earth blocks - using traditional Nubian techniques of arch and vault construction. Such self-sufficiency was deemed particularly desirable in light of the increasing costs of imported materials.
In the stalls zone, a series of arches support dome-shaped roofs.© Laurent SECHAUD
The detailed architectural project was adopted after the construction of a 1:1 prototype of a retail shop.© Laurent SECHAUD
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The main objective was to use the compressed earth blocks not only for walls but also for roofs.
© Laurent SECHAUD
The first step was to choose the site for the new market: the site of the original market or another site situated in a commercial and administrative zone. The first option was retained.© Laurent SECHAUD
The market's layout is quite simple and regular. Two orthogonal grids define the alleys and the small gathering places.© Laurent SECHAUD
The market is enclosed by the shop buildings around the periphery and by gates that are locked at night.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
The market is bordered on two sides by car parks, or more exactly motorcycle parks.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
Shops around the periphery can stay open beyond the general opening hours, animating the city centre even when the Central market is closed.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
A major innovation was the introduction of counterweighted top-hinged doors, which cover the whole shop front when closed and form a canopy over the street when open.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
The organisation of the Central market allows for good air-circulation and gives every building the benefit of shade provided by other constructions.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
Being labour-intensive, this project generated more jobs than a construction in concrete. The raw material was extracted by locals and blocks were made on site.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
The grid of the market is interrupted by the stalls zone, which has been conceived as an open vaulted space, supported by a series of high arches that permit a visual continuity.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
For use of maintenance, corrugated metal sheets were used to reduce the vulnerability of the earth roofs and domes and make them more waterproof.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
At the scale of the city, the Central Market was expected to enhance the urban fabric and strengthen the commercial vocation of the neighbourhood.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
On a construction level, the innovative use of compressed earth blocks was intended to demonstrate the aesthetic and environmental potential of the local material.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
The choice of the structural system of dome-shaped roofs was dictated by the need for longer spans to accommodate the use of tables and stools in the stalls and allow free and easy circulation.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
A large number of stalls are occupied by vegetable vendors.© Amir-Massoud ANOUSHFAR
Master plan© AKTC
Shops, section north-south© AKTC
Stalls, section north-south© AKTC
Shops plan© AKTC
Shops façade© AKTC
Shops elevation© AKTC
2007 Award Recipients
Review and Selection Procedures
Press: Press Releases, Speeches, Podcasts
AKAA 2007 Resources
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