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ASU | ARC402 | Fourth year
La Cadena
MARKET FOR THE PEOPLE
A community-centered urban market that weaves together food vendors, social spaces, and pedestrian movement into a shared civic experience. La Cadena is a place of belonging, where culture is exchanged, relationships are forged, and the spirit of Phoenix finds daily expression.
The proposed public market in downtown Phoenix embraces its unique, narrow site by using the central alleyway as a natural threshold, creating a connected flow between the east and the west parcels. Prioritizing accessibility and community engagement, the design introduces multiple pedestrian entry points and concentrates vehicular access along the southern edge for efficiency. Shaded plazas and flexible outdoor spaces transform the site into a dynamic venue for seasonal markets, cultural events, and food festivals.
Site +
Constraints
La Cadena explores the relationship between connection and light. Inspired by the symbolism of the chain, the market is composed as a series of spatial links that guide movement and social exchange. Natural light acts as the grounding element, stitching these moments together into a unified architectural experience.
Concept
Program
La Cadena’s program is organized as a sequence of linked spaces that transition from the open city into the social core of the market. Street-facing vendors and outdoor seating create a porous edge that draws pedestrians inward, while covered corridors connect food stalls, communal dining, and gathering areas. These shifting thresholds from public plaza to sheltered market hall form a continuous spatial chain that encourages movement, interaction, and shared urban life.
First Floor
Ground Floor
Loading Zone
Service Area
Restrooms
Cafe
Market Stalls
Main Market
Verticle Circulation
Community Space
Physical Model
Experimentation
This photograph is from an eye-level view of the north elevation. Here, you can start to make out the individual spaces of the market, such as the storefront café on the western part of the structure, as well as the openings for the loading zone on the far right.
The 1/32" = 1'-0" site massing model was constructed with paper and basswood sticks that are 1/8" x 1/8" thick to represent the columns used in the main atrium of the public market. This photo was taken overhead with a light source of 10 a.m. to show the relationship between the structure and natural light flow.
This section model represents the saw-toothed design for the roof structure, which is supported by 17-foot-long columns spaced 20 feet apart. Above are glass monitors that allow light to flow into the market spaces, which are indicated by the dashed blue lines.
Ground Floorplan
First Floorplan
Sections
Urban
Integration
La Cadena is designed to seamlessly integrate with the surrounding urban fabric, reinforcing the existing patterns of movement and commerce within the neighborhood. By aligning circulation paths with adjacent streets and pedestrian flows, the market becomes a natural extension of the public realm rather than an isolated object. The architecture prioritizes permeability, visual openness, and accessible gathering spaces, allowing the building to function as a connective node within the city. In this way, La Cadena strengthens the social and spatial continuity of the neighborhood, embodying the project’s core concept of interconnected links within a larger urban chain.
Final Boards Presentation
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