20. Dec 2018

Metal mesh: Reopening of the Mercat de Sant Antoni

The Mercat de Sant Antoni is one of the most beautiful markets in Barcelona. It was reopened this year following years of restoration work. In modernizing the traditional food, book, and flea market, Ravetllat Ribas Arquitectes made use of stainless steel fabric from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG in four different applications.

The restoration of the market highlights the special features and unique architecture of the building. For the distinctive main entrances of the Mercat de Sant Antoni, the planners chose PC-Tigris fabric, which is shaped at the top to follow the arch of the entrance. Ten panels of this fabric type, each of them 2.5 meters long and 1.25 meters wide, were mounted in front of the window openings, where they serve as a visual filter and stop birds from flying into the building. The metallic texture reflects sunlight and the surroundings, which lends it its versatile appearance. What’s more, the woven structure provides optimal ventilation for the market hall. Inside the building, the architects designed 26 folding elements from 275 square meters of GKD fabric. The roller-mounted elements are movable and are locked at closing time to secure the inner corridors. In addition, four stores selected roller shutters made of metal mesh for times outside of opening hours. Thanks to the excellent transparency of the fabric, these elegant night shutters enable visitors to browse the window displays even when the stores are closed. Despite their transparency, the roller shutters provide robust protection against unauthorized access. The interplay of the various metal fabric applications gives the market hall a timeless elegance while leaving the traditional architecture to shine at center stage.