The water's edge: a point of termination, a point of continuation, a point of generation

Abstract

The design of a mixed-use market, three axes of influence was studied on a site at the end of King Street in Alexandria, VA.

A semicircular form was developed that terminated the main circulation axis down King Street, continued the free form edge of the Potomac, and acted as a visual beginning to the "new world" of Washington, DC across the river.

While the marketplace still remains as an enduring and appealing image of the city, it has diminished in recent years. Climate controlled indoor malls and shopping centers sprawl across the . country, and many of the real marketplaces have fallen into disrepair, physically and symbolically losing their traditional role as a forum for the people.

There has, however, been a resurgence of interest in the markets in the past decade. As people grow tired of impersonal service, the poor quality of goods and produce, and the often nondescript atmosphere, many of the older markets are being re-inhabited by farmers, artists and others seeking to sell their products. Around many urban centers, people are rediscovering the simple premise of the market which serves as a canvas for the explosion of colors, sights, sounds and smells it contains.