Markthal in Rotterdam: an inhabited arch over a covered market

Markthal in Rotterdam turns a traditional market square into an inhabited concrete arch, wrapped around a covered hall beneath a vast artwork.

Markthal in Rotterdam is a mixed-use arch of concrete and glass that bends over a covered market hall in the Laurenskwartier district, combining housing with food stalls beneath an enormous interior artwork.Markthal is formed by apartments arranged into a large arch The building, designed by Rotterdam-based practice MVRDV and completed in 2014, stands on the Binnenrotte near Blaak station in the historic heart of the city.The Markthal opened on 1 October 2014

An inhabited horseshoe of concrete and glass

Seen from outside, Markthal reads as a broad horseshoe-shaped volume clad in grey natural stone, its two end walls closed by tall cable-net glass facades that expose the curve of the building and the activity inside.The building has glass facades hung in a steel cable structure The arch rises to around 40 m (131 ft) over a footprint roughly 120 m long and 70 m wide, giving the interior hall the scale of a small city square roofed by neighbouring homes.The building has a total floor area of 100,000 square metres

Within the thickness of the arch are 228 apartments arranged along both sides of the curve, their windows facing out to the city and down into the hall below, while balconies line the exterior elevations.Markthal combines a market hall with apartments and offices Below ground, a multi-level car park with around 1,200 spaces occupies the basement, accessed from the surrounding streets and supporting the daily flow of residents and visitors.The building includes 1,200 below-ground parking spaces

The covered market hall and the Horn of Plenty

At the centre of Markthal lies the covered market floor, a long hall laid out with fresh-food stalls, counters and small restaurants, edged by retail units at ground level that open directly onto the interior square.The covered market hall comprises fresh produce and hospitality units The hall forms the underside of the arch, and its concrete surfaces carry a vast printed artwork, the Horn of Plenty, which turns the ceiling into a continuous image of oversized fruits, vegetables and market produce.

The Horn of Plenty was created by artists Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam, printed on perforated aluminium panels that together cover about 11,000 m² of the inner arch.The Horn of Plenty ceiling artwork covers about 11,000 square metres The combination of the market floor, the surrounding food outlets and the sweeping artwork gives the hall a theatrical character, with the daily trade in groceries taking place under an indoor mural of the goods on offer.

Markthal in the Laurenskwartier city fabric

Markthal stands on Dominee Jan Scharpstraat by the Binnenrotte in Rotterdam’s Laurenskwartier district, an area associated with open-air markets and framed by the Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk and post-war redevelopment.Markthal stands in the Laurenskwartier on the Binnenrotte near Blaak station The building occupies a site beside the long strip of the outdoor market on the Binnenrotte, creating a pairing of uncovered and covered market spaces within a short walk.

On the south side of Markthal, Blaak station brings trains, metro lines and trams to the doorstep, with entrances and platforms visible from the hall’s glass facades.Markthal is next to Blaak station in Rotterdam Around the building, streets lined with shops and offices connect the market area to other central districts, so that visits to Markthal often sit alongside time in the surrounding squares and waterfronts.

Visiting Markthal: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Markthal stands in central Rotterdam’s Laurenskwartier district on Dominee Jan Scharpstraat by the Binnenrotte; Blaak railway and metro station is directly beside the building.
• Inside, the main market floor is level and open, while upper residential levels and parts of the car park are reached by escalators, lifts and staircases.
• The official language is Dutch and the currency is the euro.

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Frequently asked questions about Markthal

Where is Markthal in Rotterdam?

Markthal is in the Laurenskwartier district of central Rotterdam, on Dominee Jan Scharpstraat by the Binnenrotte and next to Blaak station.

What can visitors expect inside Markthal?

Visitors find a covered market hall with food stalls, shops and restaurants at ground level, overlooked by apartments that form the concrete arch and by the Horn of Plenty ceiling artwork.

What makes Markthal distinctive among city market halls?

Markthal stands out for its inhabited arch structure that combines homes, retail and an indoor market beneath a single curved concrete shell, together with the large interior artwork covering the hall.