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Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof

Chybik + Kristof builds Prague food market in shiny metal cabins

A temporary cluster of corrugated metal-covered units surround a shallow pool at Manifesto Market in Prague's historic Smichov district, designed by architects Chybik + Kristof.

Located in a former parking lot sandwiched between the 20th-century National House of Smichov and a former market hall, the food market is intended to reinvigorate a neglected area of the city with new activity.

Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof

Chybik + Kristof designed the modular market for hospitality platform Manifesto.

Interspersed with trees and planting, Manifesto Market's 11 units provide spaces for various restaurants and bars, surrounded by outdoor furniture designed by David Karasek.

Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof

Hanging lamps, made by Brno-based designers NAHAKU, are made from old prosecco kegs.

Designed to are reminiscent of the Art Deco fittings inside the National House, they illuminate the marketplace at night suspended between the containers and above the seating areas.

Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof

Arranged around the central pool, the metal cabins sit atop a raised wooden deck and create a street-like network of spaces.

"The project builds on local historical layers present on site but forgotten several generations ago," explained the studio. "The idea was to create a lush green space, while learning from the intimate scale and proportions of public passages typical to Prague's street level."

Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof

The concept of reflection was realised through cladding the temporary structures in shiny metal panels, which reflect the facade of the historical building next door.

"The reflective facade serves as a metaphor to reflect past and present, and picks up warm colours from the adjacent building. The motif of reflection reappears on the ripples of water in the small pool," said the studio.

Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof

The raised wooden deck doubles as a concealed service area for the market, allowing for increased accessibility and for the easy installation of additional elements, such as a projector during summer.

Simple openings in the metal containers create serving areas for the restaurants.

Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof

Minimal neon signage created by graphic design studio FunkFu sits above the pool, reflected in the water.

The space was designed to run entirely off renewable energy sources, provided by Nano Energies, in order to minimise its impact during the duration of its stay in the city.

Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof

Chybik + Kristof was founded in 2010 and has offices in Prague, Brno and Bratislava.

Previous projects by the practice include a furniture shop entirely covered in used black plastic chairs.

Photography is by Alex Shoots Buildings.


Project credits:

Original concept and creative leadership: Martin Barry
Architects: Chybik+Kristof.
Design team: Ondřej Chybík, Michal Krištof, Ivo Stejskal, Ondřej Mundl, Martin Holý, Tomáš Babka, Francisco Javier Gomariz Moreno, Antonio Seghini, Gabrielle Coudert
Brand ID: FunkFu (graphic design), Radka Ondrackova (copywriting)
Furniture design: mmcité, David Karásek
Lighting: NAHAKU Studio
Containers fabricator: Koma Modular
Owner: Martin Barry, Founder and CEO, Manifesto Market, Founder and Chairman, reSITE

More images and plans

Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof
Site plan
Manifesto Market in Prague by Chybik + Kristof
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