Market spaces - a case study for South Africa
Markets are more than just places of commerce
Markets have always been at the heart of communities—places where economic, social, and cultural exchanges converge.
Despite the rise of globalized commerce and online retail, physical markets remain vital, particularly in informal economies where they provide affordable space for traders and access to essential goods for residents.
In many cities, informal trading is not just a necessity but a dominant economic force. In Cape Town, for instance, informal trade contributes significantly to employment, yet it operates under precarious conditions lacking basic infrastructure, municipal support, and protection from gentrification. Women in South Africa, who form the majority of informal traders, are especially vulnerable.
This project explores an architectural typology for informal markets, focusing on Delft South, Cape Town. The aim was not just to propose a market but to investigate how architecture through long-span structures like vaults can create dignified, efficient, and adaptable spaces for informal trade.
Rather than merely providing shelter, markets act as social infrastructure, reinforcing community networks, supporting local economies, and shaping urban identity. Through research, interviews, and structural experimentation, I sought to design a marketplace that responds to the realities of informal trade while engaging in architectural innovation.
Vaulted Structures: Efficiency, Form, and Atmosphere
Vaults have long been used in architecture for their efficiency, material economy, and spatial fluidity. By standing purely through compressive forces, they require minimal material while offering large-span coverage, making them ideal for open public spaces like markets. Their curved forms not only provide structural integrity but also create an inviting atmosphere, offering natural shading, ventilation, and a sense of enclosure without restricting movement.
In contrast to conventional beam-and-pillar structures, vaulted systems minimize deflection and reduce the need for excessive reinforcement. The thin-tile vaulting technique, pioneered in Catalonia, Spain, and later refined by Eladio Dieste in Uruguay, exemplifies this approach—using lightweight bricks that interlock without heavy formwork, resulting in structures that are both economical and expressive.
This method has historically been used where resources were scarce, from Antoni Gaudí’s Catalan vaults to the Cuban National Schools of Arts, built during the U.S. trade embargo. Inspired by these precedents, my project explores the potential of vaulted structures in informal market spaces, where affordability, adaptability, and spatial identity are crucial.
A Market Rooted in Community & Structure.
The fluid, lightweight shell structure spans large areas with minimal material, providing shaded, naturally ventilated spaces for vendors and the public. Circular market pods integrate essential services, while the dynamic roofscape creates a symbolic and functional landmark. Designed for Delft South, Cape Town, the project explores how public infrastructure can support informal economies, offering a dignified, adaptable space that fosters economic activity, social interaction, and urban identity.
Exploring Vaulted Structures Through Hands-On Experimentation.
To test the feasibility of the vaulted design, I built three 1:20 scale models and 3D printed structures. Using wire mesh and layered brick tiles, these models demonstrate structural integrity, material economy, and form-finding principles. This hands-on process was crucial in understanding how compression-based structures can be efficiently constructed while adapting to site-specific needs.
Beyond South Africa: A Universal Need for Inclusive Market Spaces.
While this research is rooted in Cape Town’s informal economy, the challenges it addresses—lack of infrastructure, economic exclusion, and the precarity of informal trade—are global. Informal markets exist everywhere, from Latin America to Southeast Asia, but in contexts where the wealth gap is extreme, like South Africa, these contradictions are most stark.
Here, the absence of public investment in market infrastructure reveals a deeper issue: a system that prioritizes large-scale commerce while disregarding the economic backbone of many communities. In settings of extreme inequality, the need for alternative typologies—markets that dignify, protect, and empower not only traders but also communities—becomes even more urgent.
By examining this reality in South Africa, we uncover broader lessons: how architecture can mediate economic disparity, how design can serve public interest, and how markets can function as both economic engines and social infrastructure. These principles are applicable anywhere—not just in informal economies but also in cities where the push for privatization threatens local commerce.
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