The reconfiguration of Benfica Marketplace, together with the repositioning of the outdoor market installations, opens up the area surrounding the building. This transformation not only enhances the building but also an invitation to rethinking how the market relates to public space and the city as a whole.
Creating a continuous public realm reinforces the market’s centrality and strengthens its connection to the urban fabric. The new design promotes smooth circulation around the building and improves access through stairways and new ramps that ensure universal accessibility. The tree-lined square, distinct from nearby public spaces due to its larger scale and capacity to host events, establishes synergies between the market, its new dining areas, and the adjoining garden — while remaining typologically distinct in its form and the way it is used.
To express the idea of a unified, continuous space, the proposal uses limestone throughout, applied in different formats and finishes according to each area’s character and level of use. Within the intervention area, the vehicles zones are designed to be levelled with the pedestrian areas, maintaining the same paving material — traditional stone cobbles — but with larger stones and a sub-base adapted for vehicle loads.
The landscaping strategy extends the tree canopy of the existing Market Garden into the new public space, using a more organic arrangement of trees that mirrors the garden’s character. This approach softens the paved areas and enhances comfort by improving the microclimate. The selection of tree species was guided by the scale of the site, the building, and the desired canopy type — neutral, uniform, deciduous, and tall — preserving the openness of the square and its usability beneath the shade. This clear distinction in vegetation underlines the different identities of the two adjacent public spaces.
