protective habitat for local birds while filtering the immediate site water run-off.

The new fish market is adaptable and can be programmed with various indoor and outdoor functionalities, depending on the social needs of market users. It allows for interior and exterior spaces to flex, grow and shrink as needs require. The building becomes a responsive element that changes to meet the current and future needs of the various user groups and stakeholders.

Environmental and social sustainable design
According to Nielsen, “Environmental and social sustainability are essential and inseparable parts of the design. The roof, landscaped forms, open atmosphere, plantings, and materials that characterise the experience of the design are examples of this union. Throughout the course of the new market’s concept and design development, public amenity and environmental sustainability have formed the core of our decision-making processes. ”The goals for the design include a significant reduction in energy, water consumption and waste when compared to the existing fish market.

The building’s roof is an integral aspect of the fish market’s iconic design but also its overall sustainability strategy. Shaped to respond to the spatial demands of the program below, it also harvests rainwater for reuse, protects the retail spaces from the sun, and filters daylight for operations below. The unique form uses prevailing winds to extract hot air and protects the sellers from southerly winds. The canopy, made from timber and aluminium is designed to be as permeable as possible, minimising the need for air conditioning, while also deflecting direct sunlight.

The new fish market maximises its water recycling potential through a combination of rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling, bio-filtration, and mechanical filtration and sterilisation for the use in daily operations like washdown. Biological and mechanical water quality systems are an integral part of the design of the new fish market, focused on conserving this valuable aquatic resource.

The waste systems employed in the new fish market aim to recycle industrial food waste. A comprehensive strategy for recyclables will be instituted and managed to optimise consumables and the fish market will reprocess materials used in packaging and operations. Visitor numbers to the new market are expected to double over the next 10 years, from three million to six million each year. A tender process is underway for the major construction phase, which is expected to start in early 2021. The new building is expected to open in 2024.