Idea 22
Opening the hall in several directions
This idea is part of a series of three proposals dedicated to the market hall. Three complementary ideas, all aiming to make better use of the hall and turn it into a livelier, more accessible space, more closely integrated with the market.
Today, we continue with Idea 22 – a proposal to open the hall in several directions and help it shift from the edge to the centre of the market.
Opening the hall in several directions – from the edge to the centre
At present, the hall is only open on one side facing the market.
Our proposal is to create additional openings – doors or passageways – in the other exterior façades.
The hall would no longer be open in just one direction, but in several.
This would offer several benefits:
- The space behind the hall would become part of the market.
Areas that currently look like backyards, storage zones or forgotten corners would suddenly become vibrant, cleaner, more attractive – true market spaces. - The hall would shift from the edge to the centre.
It would no longer be a building “on the side” but a true focal point – a place that connects rather than divides. - Traders would benefit.
Shops and stalls that are currently “at the back” would suddenly be at the heart of the activity – meaning more visitors, more visibility, more vibrancy. - The market would become larger, more open and more welcoming.
Movement would be smoother, routes more natural. Visitors could enter, exit and pass through from several sides, discover more and stay longer.
We could also imagine some indoor stalls moving slightly outward and opening up. This would link the inside and outside, turning the hall into a vibrant place of passage – not a closed space.
Building together – benefiting together
As with all our ideas, this project must be developed not by a few people, but collectively.
This is why it is essential to involve not only the market vendors, but also the permanent shopkeepers around the market. They, too, are part of the market’s life and would be directly affected by this transformation – positively, but also logistically.
The goal is to find a solution:
- discussed together,
- supported together,
- and implemented together,
so that in the end, everyone benefits – vendors, local businesses, visitors, and all of Montalivet.
This way, the hall could finally become what it was meant to be: the true beating heart of the Médoc’s largest market.