The emergence of a farmers market in the Tula region is developing the smallest low-security market segment - farms and local small businesses. The prototype of the market served as a traditional wooden gable stall, which traditionally traded at different times. In the architecture of the market, the forms like these stalls are combined into one building, preserving the similarity. It symbolizes the unity and commonality of interests based on the many private interests of farmers.
The architecture of the farmers market reflects the modern values of trade in the food segment, where “handmade” products and individuality are valued. At the same time, the shape of the building reflected the idea of rural cooperation, where each farmer is firstly an individual, but with all of them together, because the cooperative way of managing helps everyone to find their consumer, to respond to market conditions.
An important element of the market is the gardening and landscaping around the market. The market stands in a deserted place, so the role of green space is to shape and ensure human scale and comfort for visitors, especially in strong winds.
The second principle of shaping served on open form. Initially, to save the budget, only a roof shed was built, it was equipped with all the necessary infrastructure.
Then the farmers, whose products are sold on the market, themselves decided how much to isolate from precipitation and cold and erected glass walls. So in the first year after the opening, a cafe-roll appeared, adapted for selling products at any time of the year and weather. The following year, part of the sales area for agricultural products was also fenced off with stained glass windows and now the market is adapted for selling farm products all year round.
The construction of the market building involves retail space with sales areas for farm products and agricultural materials, a cafe, product quality control laboratory, a playground, an area for season events and holidays, a recreation area, sanitary facilities, and an economic zone that includes an office, a warehouse, and workshops. These functions allow the market to become not only a place of trade, but a community center where connections are made, projects arise, new intentions are creating and opportunities are founding. In front of the building is a small area for temporary art objects.
In the market architecture we manifested democracy, eco-friendly approach and cooperation as a model of a new rural way of life.
In 2018 Tula farmers market project received the Grand Prix of the ARCHIWOOD competition as the best wooden architecture of the year in the category "Public wooden buildings".
