Mercado Salado is the architectural project of the thesis “Villas Pesqueras of Puerto Rico: Documenting the Coastal Culture Through Architectural Discourse”, which documents traditional fishing villages around the island and emphasizes how these communities have been historically marginalized using filmmaking as an architectural research method. The architectural project combines two typologies and programs: the traditional ‘Villa Pesquera’ (official center for fresh seafood distribution around the island) and a hospitality facility.
Mercado Salado inserts traditional Puerto Rican fishing villages in direct confrontation with public policies that exclude locals from access to the coasts, while granting access to the tourism industry. In this way, it challenges issues of community displacement, legislation, and the right locals have to their land. The imminent rise of sea level is used as the framework to destabilize existing zoning regulations to safeguard the existence of a local fishing community while recognizing that part of Mercado Salado and its site will be lost to the Caribbean waters.
Thesis committee: Dr. Regner Ramos, thesis director; Arch. Fabiola Guzmán + Arch. Kleanthis Kyriakou, consultants.
"The jurors were unanimous in their admiration for this excellent submittal. We were impressed by the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of the proposal – this was a design proposal deeply inspired by the culture, materiality and climate of place. The graphics were outstanding and supported the storytelling of the project – one could almost feel the way the senses and light of Puerto Rico fish markets and coastal environment clearly inspired the palette and the design. The analysis of sustainability and resiliency were very complete and deeply integrated into the design.
The imagery for this project stood out in a field of other talented applicants - it was fresh and original, almost painterly. Beautifully conceived and executed – this project is very deserving of the highest honor. It is remarkable for a professional studio, let alone a student effort."
The imagery for this project stood out in a field of other talented applicants - it was fresh and original, almost painterly. Beautifully conceived and executed – this project is very deserving of the highest honor. It is remarkable for a professional studio, let alone a student effort."
-AIA Honor Awards 2022 Jury
Arch. Jacqueline González Touzet, AIA, LEED AP;
Arch. Jason Pugh, AIA; Arch. Juan Gabriel Moreno & Arch. Kim Yao, FAIA
"You merged climate change, disappearing communities, and new economies so beautifully. What you’ve done really well is that you’ve accepted that hospitality, if treated in certain ways, can add to the livelihood of those communities. We have this multipurpose, part-submerged, infrastructure of seas, that redefines what ‘Villas Pesqueras’ are, extending their program in a way that I’m not sure it exists in the context of the Caribbean."
-Arch. Kleanthis Kyriakou
"She shows a program that is super complex... balanced, elegant, and poise. It’s about storytelling and how passionate you were about this project. You even thought about the drinks menu! In terms of branding, you actually thought about how to sell this project to an audience, to a local fisherman, to communities, to tourists. Architecture should tap into other ways to sell a project."
-Arch. Fabiola Guzmán
Awarded by:
