Towards the western area of capital city Muscat, on the Coast of Oman Sea, next to Port Sultan Qaboos, a new fish market has come up as an emerging landmark along the lively corniche in Mutrah. This market is designed by Snohetta, based in Oslo, Norway. After 8 long years of construction, this market was inaugurated in September 2017.

Other than the fish market, this building includes a fruit and vegetable section, a coffee shop and a seafood restaurant. Due to its uniqueness in the country, this market is boosting local, national as well as international trade and tourism in the area. In this market, buyers, locals, expats and tourists converge on 136 selling platforms, 36 cutting platforms, 48 platforms for selling fruit and veg and eight meat and poultry shops. It also has facilities for fish landing, refrigeration, preparation and packaging. There are also few coffee shops, cafes, and a roof top restaurant.

Design, Interiors and Architecture of the Building 

Merging tradition with innovation, this 4,000 square meter fish market is designed with the concept to express the fusion of old and the new. The ample space creates a public meeting area where local fishermen and tourist from all over the world and other parts of the country meet under the same roof.

The architectural and design concept of the building is inspired by the playful qualities of light and shadow through the shape of a double radial wall defining the spine of the building.

Canopy of Fish Market

At the street level, this market forms a shaded canopy with organised spaces below it. With a design based on the flow of Arabic calligraphy, the built canopy has been constructed from aluminium fins in order to provide shade, natural ventilation and a modern appearance.

Arabic calligraphy reflection in canopy

The bird’s eye view of the marketplace highlights the modern architecture of the market, especially its airy top floor with curved roof, and its prime waterfront location in the historical area of Mutrah. Seen from afar, one can easily observe how the curved wall of the building relates to the radial shape of the corniche and the wider bay area.

Bird's eye vie of the Market

In addition to the form and impressive building architecture, one of the unique feature is the roof of this building, which is a perfectly symbiosis of light and shadow. The roof is made with 180 tons of built-in aluminium slats, which provide shade, light and ventilation through a precisely calculated distance and angularity by the architects. The design of this canopy represents the nature and tradition of Oman.

Play of Light and Shadows in the Building

The complex canopy roof contrasts the simple and solid concrete structure below it. Apart from all these facilities in the building, this fish market is also built keeping in mind about public health and high standards of hygiene. 

The market compound also has large parking facilities to accommodate more than 100 vehicles. Below given are few more pictures showcasing, the unique blend of Omani traditions with modern architecture. 

Dynamic shaded canopy

Dynamic shaded canopy

Merging tradition with Innovation, Fish Landing Area

Picture inside the Fish Market

Situated close to Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat, which is declared as a tourism port by the government, the well-planned new fish market is also attracting tourists visiting Oman from cruise ships. In a short span of one year, this unique fish market is emerging as one of the iconic landmarks of Muscat.

All images © Firas Al Raisi, Luminosity Productions

> via Snohetta and Lonelyplanet