The Largo do Antigo Mercado redevelopment project stems from the desire to reclaim the memory of the traditional commerce of Gaeiras – a space for meeting, exchange, and conviviality that has lost its vitality over the years. The old square, now paved with asphalt and occupied by car parking, is reinterpreted as a vibrant public space for pedestrians, recovering its original role in the daily life of the village.

The proposal focuses on the reconfiguration of the urban space through the use of Portuguese pavement and white limestone, restoring identity and material coherence to the whole. The project preserves and requalifies six of the eight original stalls, adapting them to contemporary requirements, and reintroduces water as a central element, with a reflecting pool that marks the heart of the square.

In the side wings, two new functional modules – a bakery/cafeteria and a bandstand reinterpreted as a contemporary stage – expand the experience of the space, accommodating daily uses and festive events. The intervention thus seeks to restore the dignity and social function of the square, transforming it once again into a place of encounter and belonging.