Manchester 'Wet Market'
The wet market is a vital and uniquely Chinese architectural typology, serving not only as a site of economic exchange but also as an essential public space where human, animal, and material interactions occur. It functions as a dynamic system that sustains both community and livelihood. However, since COVID-19, Chinese wet markets have been criticized—often unfairly—by Western media as unsanitary and ecologically harmful, overlooking their cultural and infrastructural importance. While some environmental challenges like waste management and poor ventilation are real, these markets remain central to urban life.
The new wet market typology merges traditional market functions with contemporary environmental and spatial needs. Designed for a specific site, it combines mushroom cultivation, a public garden, and market space into a hybrid, productive system. This integrated model not only facilitates food circulation but also promotes material reuse.
