Chinese studio Naturalbuild has completed the reconstruction of Xinfan Market in Huzhen Town, Zhejiang Province, with a design that aims to help facilitate visitors' return to wet markets in the wake of coronavirus lockdowns.
A series of easily customisable steel booths were designed for the new market in order to encourage the random adjustments that the Beijing-based studio feels are key to the character and social role of these spaces.
The Xinfan Market in China was reconstructed by Naturalbuild
The decision to demolish and rebuild Xinfan Market after 20 years in operation had been made prior to the outbreak of Covid-19, due to declining structural and sanitary conditions.
Once the project was underway, however, the outbreak of Covid-19 attracted global attention to these spaces, with early accounts ? since disputed ? claiming a wet market in Wuhan as the original source of the virus. Wet markets are markets that sell fresh meat, fish and produce, as opposed to dry markets, which sell goods such as electronics and clothes. The structure was designed to accommodate the random adjustments typically made to markets
Naturalbuild's founder Yanfei Shui recognised the importance of improving these spaces, but was concerned about the impact the sudden closure or replacement of the markets would have the communities and farmers who rely on them.
"At the start of this project, we seriously doubted the necessity of full demolition and reconstruction," Shui told Dezeen.
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