“Yolechang2020” Market / UAO Design

Architects: UAO Design
Area: 3195 m²
Year: 2020
Photographs: Ran Jia, Yilong Zhao
Architect In Charge: Tao Li
Design Team: Yu Fu, Kecheng Long
Plaza Landscape Design: Yueqin Zou, Jieming Zhang, Lixia Li, Fanyi Kong
Cooperation Unit: ANA Office, Cai Mengshi, Cai Mengshi
City: Wuhan
Country: China

“Yolechang2020” Market by UAO Design was created to help revitalize Wuhan’s historic “Pinghefang” neighborhood after the city reopened in 2020 following the epidemic lockdown. Located in a central square surrounded by century-old buildings, the market used scaffolding to create modular 2x2x2 meter shop units and larger “Kongming lantern” structures, contrasting modern elements with the classical setting. The design aimed to provide a durable, stable, and weather-resistant space, operational from September 19 to early October 2020. The layout featured shops and functional modules arranged in a three-vertical and three-horizontal pattern, with inner streets and a two-story “street art gallery,” emphasizing the project’s public welfare goal of boosting confidence in the city’s return to work and production.

At the beginning of 2020, a sudden epidemic led to the closure of Wuhan. After months of persistence from Wuhan’s residents and strong support from across the country, the city reopened, and life gradually returned to normal. In September, Mi Yangwen approached UAO Design, requesting help with the free design of a temporary market called “Yolechang2020.” The aim was to support a revitalization plan for an old neighborhood through this public welfare initiative and to boost confidence in resuming work and production. The firm readily agreed, as during the lockdown, they had considered using their design skills for charitable projects to help Wuhan and give back to society.

The temporary market is situated in the central square of “Pinghefang,” a century-old historic building cluster designed by UAO Design. This prominent site is surrounded by notable landmarks: the 115-year-old Pinghe Packing Factory to the south, the 127-year-old Orthodox Church to the north, and the 107-year-old Lutz’s house to the east. Beneath the central square lies the first highway tunnel crossing the Yangtze River, with the classical clock tower on the south side serving as the tunnel’s ventilation shaft.

The relatively newer buildings on the site were demolished during the construction of the tunnel from 2004 to 2008, and no new buildings are allowed directly above the tunnel. As a result, the area serves as an above-ground space supporting urban transportation, remaining passive and closed, and is not frequently used by the public. UAO Design’s initial landscape plan aimed to create a central square with enclosed corridors to connect buildings of various ages on the site and provide communal spaces. However, this plan was not realized; only the central hard plaza was retained, and alternative strategies, such as creating stepped green spaces, were adopted in the surrounding areas. The open central square was left as a flexible space for potential multi-functional uses in the future.

The predecessor of the Pinghe Packing Factory on the south side of the square was an industrial building in the English Concession of Hankou, originally built as a cotton packing warehouse by British businessmen, the Liddell brothers, in 1905. When UAO Design reimagined the indoor public space of the Pinghe Packing Factory two years ago, the goal was to enhance the area’s visibility. The client intended to transform the industrial building into a cultural and creative office space. To achieve this, modern blackened steel plates were used to wrap the walls of key public spaces, while the original materials and textures of the old building were retained, creating a juxtaposition of old and new elements within the same environment.

This “juxtaposition” continued into the market’s design. Considering the surrounding square, encircled by century-old buildings, the focus was on creating a “sense of the times.” A modern approach was chosen to heighten the contrast with the classical atmosphere, enhancing the site’s visual appeal. This blend of modern elements with historic architecture not only accentuates the differences but also contributes to a more open and multifunctional public space.

In selecting construction materials for the “Yolechang2020” market, outdoor durability and Wuhan’s rainy conditions were key considerations, leading to the exclusion of conventional wooden structures for individual shops. Since the market was intended to last longer than typical markets—operating from its opening on September 19 through three weekends until the National Day on October 1—it needed to be stable, anti-theft, and rain-proof, without requiring relocation on non-market days. Given the market’s temporary nature, scaffolding was chosen as the primary material due to its practicality for such a setting. After three weeks, the market was disbanded.

Scaffolding was chosen for its low rental cost and ease of construction. Three skilled workers completed all the structures on-site in just eight hours. The design featured 2x2x2 meter modules for each shop unit, along with 4 and 6-meter-high towers covered in translucent grid cloth to create eye-catching floating boxes at height, which workers affectionately referred to as “Kongming lanterns.” The design emphasized a floating effect through the use of transparent textures, similar to the floating red box UAO designed for the Hongfang ADC showroom.

For ease of construction and to minimize processing, the original individual rain tarpaulins for each unit were modified and combined into a single, long tarpaulin covering the tops of the entire longitudinal strip. The scaffolding steel pipes were secured using cloth strips made from the same material as the tarpaulin. This method was chosen for its convenience and because it highlighted the tension characteristics of the tarpaulin material.

The rain tarpaulin was made in blue, while the “Kongming lantern” tops and the scaffolding steel pipes were painted orange. The contrasting blue and orange colors created a strong visual impact, and pink neon lights were used to highlight the logo, adding to the overall aesthetic.

The top lighting used aluminum alloy ceiling keels commonly found in households, which conveniently fit standard fluorescent tubes. LED light strips were arranged in an uninterrupted “己” shape surround pattern, a practical on-site solution that reduced the workload for workers, sped up construction, and minimized the number of light joints needed.

The market layout follows a three-vertical and three-horizontal pattern, with the vertical bars designated for shops and the horizontal bars serving as functional connection modules, including entrances, exits, connection corridors, and stage VIP canopies. The inner street, enclosed by the shops, ranges from 4 to 6 meters wide, and its scale is further enhanced by the 4m and 6m high “Kongming Lanterns.”

A two-story “street art gallery” was constructed on the lawn of the large landscape steps using scaffolding and oriented strand board. The gallery measured 4.8 x 4.8 x 2.4 meters and featured a ladder leading to a roof platform, topped with a transparent “Kongming Lantern” box.

The Street Art Museum hosted small exhibitions on various themes for three consecutive weeks. According to the organizers, it was dubbed the Wuhan version of the “Snake Gallery.” Though modest in size, it embodied the market’s original intent: public welfare, aimed at boosting confidence in the city’s return to work and production.