Our office was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Public Architectural Ideas Competition organized by the Municipality of Ioannina, titled “Architectural Ideas Competition for the Design of the New Agia Marina Municipal Market and Its Integration into the Urban Landscape.” The proposal was developed in collaboration with Miltiadis Katsaros, Architect and Professor at the School of Architecture, NTUA (M2K Architects I.K.E.).
The city of Ioannina, with its rich historical layers, is a living architectural palimpsest. This proposal aims reintergrate the market of the Agia Marina district into the heart of the city, as a landmark that embodies the urban experience.
Serving as a cultural backbone, the market becomes a vessel of collective memory, where old and new coexist in conversation rather than conflict. Its primary goal is to gather people at a historic point in Ioannina that functions as a hub of diverse activities — all operating simultaneously, independently, and without interference.
The new Municipal Market is envisioned as a semi-open food market, where a mix of enclosed shops and open spaces frames a dynamic public environment.
The market is more than a destination; it is a link along the axis stretching from the Kaloutsiani Mosque to the historic city center. It integrates the urban fabric, connecting the city’s heart to the market itself, while forming a visual corridor extending from Aris Konstantinidis’ “Oasis” to the Cultural Center, threading through the Ottoman-era buildings.
This sense of continuity is enhanced by the lightweight metal roof, which acts as an urban canopy — filtering sunlight, offering protection from the elements, and harmonizing with the surrounding architectural scale. Hovering above the public space, the roof defines the market not as an enclosed structure but as a social sanctuary.
Existing buildings and open spaces are treated with a focus on coherence and flow. The entire design is a permeable, layered composition, with gentle transitions between hard and soft surfaces, vegetation, and shaded areas. This approach highlights the daily rhythms of urban life while ensuring multiple points of access and circulation.
