The former central market is located on the border of the Old City and the newer districts of the Uruguayan capital. In its place, by the 2012 competition, it was proposed to create the headquarters for the Latin American Development Bank CAF (more precisely, for the division responsible for the South region), as well as to place the Uruguay Cinematheque, the Fun Fun bar, founded in 1895, a parking lot for 150 cars, public locker room and landscaping the adjacent space.
The key move of LAPS Arquitectos was the preservation of the market building, which was then closed and dilapidated: the bank is now located in it. A new wing attached to it has opened a cinematheque and bar. The old and new halves form a courtyard, a public space sheltered from the wind from the La Plata River - its bank is very close.
The architects preferred to make the building low, with a large building patch: for example, one of the facades reaches a length of 96 meters. Mesh screens made of stainless steel give the whole look: they "nuance" the relationship between the building and its surroundings and protect the interiors from the sun's rays.
The plinth platform with a garage inside creates a series of public and semi-public spaces that are used for film screenings, concerts and other events of the “inmates” institutions. They also create a spatial connection with the nearby
theater "Solis".
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zooming 1/6 Building of the Latin American Development Bank CAF Photo © Javier Agustín Rojas
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zooming 2/6 Building of the Latin American Development Bank CAF Photo © Javier Agustín Rojas
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zooming 3/6 Building of the Latin American Development Bank CAF Photo © Javier Agustín Rojas
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zooming 4/6 Building of the Latin American Development Bank CAF Photo © Javier Agustín Rojas
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zooming 5/6 Building of the Latin American Development Bank CAF Photo © Javier Agustín Rojas
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zooming 6/6 Building of the Latin American Development Bank CAF Photo © Javier Agustín Rojas
