Street Markets as Designs

How Layout and Flow shape Urban Life

Since the dawn of human civilization, street markets have been at the forefront of shaping and encouraging the flow, movements and behaviors of the general public.

The evidences of long linear streets becoming trade corridors in Mesopotamian cities, the organized street grids with designated commercial areas in Indus Valley civilization and the “Agora” (public square) functioning as a market and traffic organizer in classical Greece period are a few examples of prominent market spaces.

Illustration of an Agora in ancient Greece transformed into a market square

There are a few notable characteristics of market spaces which facilitate beyond simply selling and buying.

One of the key features of contemporary street markets that allows for a good public flow is their orientation and spatial organization in relation to the street and the city. While the market achieves its basic requirements for the vendors as well as the customers, a cleverly designed street market would integrate dedicated recreational spaces traffic calming measures to encourage walking instead of driving.

Proposal to enhance Market Street to an adaptive street in Mumbai

Usually implemented by targeting a pedestrian heavy access road with considerable width for dynamic movement, these markets not only function as economic spaces but also as everyday gathering spaces that foster social interaction and cultural exchange.

The street Markets of Pettah is an example of this phenomenon in an informal setting and also proves that markets are shaped through accessibility and not aesthetics.

Pettah street market as a place of encounter and cross-cultural exchange

Another quality of such street markets is how the micro-climate and comfort is sought through the use of informal shading devices including awnings, temporary canopies and the shade of nearby multi-story buildings.

Informal shading devices used in a street market in Italy

Not only do these shading devices help to cut down light rain and harsh sunlight, but they also reflect and enhance the overall character of the city and its people. The change in ambience from daytime to nighttime is yet another reason for the general public to utilize the market street throughout the day.

Night market in Kandy utilizing the shading devices to enhance the ambience

Moreover, integration of street markets with other recreational activities is a newly emerging trend among pop-up markets, where the markets are innovatively and strategically placed along the recreational routes, resulting in a multi-functional walkable street.

Trailside market in Round Rocks Park, USA

In addition to this, the seasonal variation and festivities of urban space is prominently reflected in street markets as well. From Christmas markets in Europe to Vesak season pop-up markets in Sri Lanka, the flow and behavior of the general public is reflected through its layouts.

Here, the land value and density patterns of the cities overall are heavily impacted on the effectiveness of the market itself and further emphasizes that chaotic-ness does not necessarily mean ineffective.

Large scale Christmas market in Switzerland promotes gathering around the tree

Roadside pop-up markets during Vesak seasons promote negotiations and quick exchanges

Street markets act as everyday public spaces. It supports the local economy and community life. Thus, when it comes to street market design, vitality of understanding human behavior is crucial. It is imperative that planners understand that these places thrive when markets are designed to encourage the general public to flow formally or not, rather than replace it.

References:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360805383_Order_without_design_How_markets_shape_cities

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nattika-Navapan/publication/355874127_Local_Markets_How_the_Ordinary_Public_Places_Can_Support_Urban_Sustainable_Development/links/626f4e8bd49fe200e1cd39d2/Local-Markets-How-the-Ordinary-Public-Places-Can-Support-Urban-Sustainable-Development.pdf

https://www.archdaily.com/907230/markets-examples-in-plan-and-section

https://betweenarchitectureandurbanism.com/2021/06/06/towards-resilience-native-town-of-mumbai/