Rehabilitación y Transformación Urbana del Mercado del Río de Quevedo, De Vestigio a Referente Arquitectónico para las bases de la nueva Estructura Comercial Urbana

Abstract

The transformation of public markets transcends functional needs, also reflecting social and cultural changes. For years, these spaces were displaced by mass consumption models, losing their essence as key points of collective identity. However, recent initiatives in several cities have demonstrated their capacity to be reborn as engines of social cohesion and urban revitalization. In this context, the architectural proposal must adapt to social and urban changes, reinterpreting public space as a dynamic scenario that connects people with their environment and their history. In Quevedo, Los Ríos, Ecuador, the comprehensive rehabilitation of the Mercado del Río is proposed as a node of collective identity and urban development. This market will not only recover its commercial function, but will also reinforce the continuous link between the river, the boardwalk, the infrastructure and the city, giving a new symbolic value to the place. The Mercado del Río is projected as an example of how architecture can respond to current needs, transforming spaces into references that promote change and strengthen the intrinsic ties of the context, to the benefit of the communityuite