The Resiliency of MercaMadrid at 2021 Seoul BAU by Sharoni Urrutia + ImagenSubliminal

Titled “MercaMadrid Keeps Feeding 12 Million”, Sharoni Urrutia and ImagenSubliminal exhibited at the 2021 Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, an installation that explores the logistical, technological, and cultural implications of MercaMadrid, one of the biggest facilities of its kind in the world and one that is critical to the survival of Madrid.

The third edition of SBAU “CROSSROADS, Building the Resilient City” is curated by architect Dominique Perrault and opened on September 16th with a series of exhibitions, events and conferences that reflect on the future of urban environments and the architectural and planning strategies that foster resilience.

Room view. MercaMadrid Keeps Feeding 12 Million by Sharoni Urrutia + ImagenSubliminal

The proposal by Sharoni Urrutia and ImagenSubliminal is presented through a collection of short movies projected on a round two-meter diameter table divided into three thematic rings presenting a set of processes that shape and interweave different operations, innovative processes and communities linked to their activity. A fascinating logistics exercise, where food is processed and distributed in the city every 24 hours.

The installation invites guests to experience the feast of processes that ripen, preserve, and package food and produce, spotlighting how resources are matured, maintained, and prepared for distribution.

"MercaMadrid is a magnet, connected to the world and to Madrid as a conversion of cultures. It is a hyper-sensitive supply chain that provides daily sustenance to 12 million people; up to 70% of Madrid’s fruits and vegetables. Thanks to the diversity of the city, the food market is exposed to new demands—the shifting tastes creates a feedback loop with supply areas across the country and around the world. The ongoing research exhibits MercaMadrid through the architecture of logistics, technology, and culture, how they converge to influence and be influenced by Madrid and its people.

Guests are invited to explore this collection of stories about the intersection of food and logistics. Projected onto a familiar display -a round dining table- it creates diverse opportunities for engagement along the display’s circumference. It does so in a way that, as complex as all these processes happening within are, drafts a roadmap for understanding the impact of one facility on the life of Madrid."

The installation was on display at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul, from September 16th to October 31st, 2021.

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MercaMadrid Keeps Feeding 12 Million by Sharoni Urrutia + ImagenSubliminal

Rendering. MercaMadrid Keeps Feeding 12 Million by Sharoni Urrutia + ImagenSubliminal

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More information

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Design and Concept

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Sharoni Urrutia (Yaarit Sharoni, Juan Roque Urrutia) + ImagenSubliminal (Miguel de Guzman, Rocio Romero).

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Animations

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ÁNIMA Creative Studio (Maria Martinez, Henry Lopez).

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Fabrication

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AESCA Design (Jeffrey Jehwan Kim).

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Location/Venue

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Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Seoul, South Korea.

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Dates

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From September 16th to October 31st, 2021.

Yaarit Sharoni, Juan Roque Urrutia. Sharoni Urrutia

Sharoni Urrutia is a New York-based design practice founded in 2020, led by Yaarit Sharoni and Juan Roque Urrutia. Using design as a means of exploration across subjects, typologies, and scales, Sharoni Urrutia is committed to thoughtfully conceived and carefully detailed architecture, where each project is an opportunity to express optimistic, curious, and inclusive takes on life.

Yaarit Sharoni and Juan Roque Urrutia met in 2011 while working at ODA New York. As Associate Directors they led awarded projects, including the conversion of the Postkantoor in Rotterdam as well as Denizen Bushwick and 100 Norfolk in New York, and coauthored the firm’s first book, Unboxing New York.

Yaarit Sharoni has been practicing for more than 14 years, working on diverse projects in the US and Europe, ranging from the conversion of a distinguished landmark in The Netherlands, iconic high-rises in New York and Los Angeles, celebrated affordable housing projects, and uniquely tailored residences. As a cofounder of Sharoni Urrutia, Yaarit brings her strategic lead and sensitive design approach. She believes that architecture has the ability to trigger social benefits for communities and support their adaptability in pursuit of a more sustainable future. Yaarit graduated summa cum laude from the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at City College in New York.

Juan Roque Urrutia has practiced as a designer and creative director for more than nine years in New York. He graduated from the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de San Sebastián in Spain before completing his training in architecture in Delft and Berlin. Throughout his career, Juan has led teams on awarded competitions in Rotterdam, Moscow, and Detroit, displaying a broad vision to the challenges in play through a careful analysis of context and semiotics. As cofounder of Sharoni Urrutia, he brings a comprehensive approach to design. Juan Roque has been a guest academic critic at Columbia GSAPP, the School of Architecture at City College, the New York Institute of Technology, and Clemson School of Architecture, among others.

Miguel de Guzmán, Rocío Romero. ImagenSubliminal

ImagenSubliminal Architectural Photography + Film was founded by architect and architectural photographer Miguel de Guzmán. The firm, comprised of Miguel de Guzmán and Rocío Romero, is a New York and Madrid-based practice whose work is commissioned by internationally renowned architecture, construction, and real estate firms. Their work has been published in Architect, Dwell, El Croquis, METALOCUS, Arquitectura Viva, A+U Japan, Domus, Casabella, Mark, C3, Archdaily, Dezeen, Designboom, and Divisare.