New Vision for the Municipal Market, Pazardzhik

The project assesses both tangible and intangible positive and negative aspects of the existing condition. The research process included site visits, on-site interviews, and a review of historical and contemporary information related to the competition brief.

The findings of this analysis form the basis of the ideas embedded in the urban design concept. All existing trees are retained without exception, determining the location of green islands woven into the overall composition. The canopy follows the direction of the main axis connecting the two principal entrances from the north and south. The centrally located green space prompts the linear form to transform into a meandering layout. In this way, the canopy opens towards the garden, where a third entrance to the market is created.

Fruit and vegetable stalls are located in the southern part of the site, while clothing and household goods stalls are situated in the northern part. Between these two zones lies the project’s distinctive spatial focal point—the Flower Square: a space with a fountain and drinking fountains, framed by flower pavilions. Flower beds on either side further reinforce the intensity of its function.

The project preserves the existing human scale. All buildings, with the exception of the administrative building, are single-storey. Secondary cross-axes form a network of commercial streets. The market functions as a small urban district, with recognisable urban elements—neighbourhoods, a square, and gardens—allowing easy orientation within a highly complex and diverse micro-environment.