Local context drives design of Tepoztlán Market in central Mexico

Brick, wood and reddish steel come together to form a multi-level public market, which was designed by local studios Ramírez Suarez Arquitectos and Laboratorio Regional de Arquitectura for a dense, urban site in Mexico.

The market is located in the town of Tepoztlán, which lies about 80 kilometres south of Mexico City and is set against a mountainous backdrop.

The project came about due to a "lack of adequate commercial conditions" in the town centre, promoting the need to create a new municipal market.

There was an opportunity to help the local economy while strengthening Tepoztlán's urban core, enhancing the "value of its historical and natural heritage", the team said.

The project was developed as part of an urban improvement programme overseen by the Secretariat of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development, known as SEDATU.

Mexico City studios Ramírez Suarez Arquitectos and Laboratorio Regional de Arquitectura were brought in for the design.

The 5,754-square-metre market occupies a rectangular plot in the town's dense historic centre, along the southeastern corner of the Convent of the Nativity of Mary.

Set against a slope, the site faces three roads and was formerly an undeveloped site used by street vendors.

"By relocating informal commerce, this initiative aimed to free up public spaces that had been irregularly occupied," the team said.

"With an architectural approach that respects Tepoztlán's urban scale, the new market seeks not only to improve logistics and safety, but also to provide a better experience for both merchants and visitors."

The market holds a total of 195 commercial spaces, spread across three levels. The building also features outdoor terraces and underground parking.

The various floors are connected by exterior stairs and elevators, while a pedestrian ramp leads up from the parking lot to a front plaza.

The structural elements are made of steel, arranged to form a grid of square modules measuring 2.5 by 2.5 metres – ensuring uniform dimensions for all merchant stalls.

The building's terracotta colour draws from the context.

"The structure is painted in a reddish hue to resemble the predominant clay tones of the region, and is complemented by local materials such as exposed brick walls and wooden furniture," the team said.

Within the market, one can buy a variety of goods, from traditional cuisine and handicrafts to fresh produce. The market has become a community hub in Tepoztlán.

"As a vital gathering space for the community, the market offers a variety of goods, from fresh produce and traditional cuisine to handicrafts," the team said.

"This new space represents an opportunity to revitalize the local economy while preserving the customs and traditions of the region."

Other projects in Tepoztlán include a holiday home by HGR Arquitectos that consists of intersecting gabled volumes wrapped in stone and a spa building by Soler Orozco Arquitectos and Javier Sánche that is shaped like a truncated cone and is lit by a dramatic skylight.

The photography is by Ana Paula Álvarez and Miguel Cobos.

Project credits:

Design: Ramírez Suarez Arquitectos and Laboratorio Regional de Arquitectura
Lead architect: Carlos Ramírez Suárez
Design team: Carlos Ramírez Suárez, Alejandro Mosqueda García, Luis Carlos Orihuela Valle, and Isaid Serrano Corona

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