Temporary Market Hall made from sustainable materials pops up in Stockholm

Is there any better way to bring people together than with food? Swedish firm Tengbom revitalized the heart of Stockholm’s Östermalm district with the addition of a temporary Market Hall.

Constructed from sustainable and cost-efficient materials, the pop-up market serves as a food hub and gathering space that has brought new life to the area - and it's on track to outperform the old Market Hall.

The pop-up Market Hall was created as a temporary home for the vendors of the old Market Hall, which is currently undergoing renovations under the direction of Tengbom. The architects decided to build the temporary food market on Östermalm’s Square, a busy thoroughfare that was once the original location of the old Market Hall until the municipality forced its move in 1888. Though the government’s decision to place the pop-up Market Hall in the square was due to a lack of suitable spaces, the placement has actually helped bring new life to the area and increased the visibility of the market vendors.

“It’s quite a remarkable and historic situation which we’re proud and happy to be part of,” said the architects. “From Stockholm city’s perspective it was important to turn the temporary loss of urban space into a positive addition to the urban fabric. We did this by applying considerable care to the design of the building. It required a sense of quality suitable to the local context and the historic Market Hall while using lightweight, cost efficient and sustainable materials befitting the temporary nature of the building.”

The pop-up building is clad in vertical strips of untreated pine on the first level, while the upper levels are covered in a modular system of translucent multi-wall polycarbonate sheeting that allows natural light to penetrate through during the daytime and gives the building a glowing effect at night. Large glazed doors along the southwest corner and the east facade provide views into the Market Hall. The building’s modular mounting system of steel brackets enables quick construction and dismantling.

The light-filled interior features market stalls, restaurants and storage on the ground floor. The kitchens and technical installations are located on the two mezzanines. Entrances and exits are strategically located on all four sides of the building to allow pedestrian traffic to flow through the square during opening hours.