Mercado do Bolhão

A perfect blend of architectural heritage and innovation

The Mercado do Bolhão, Porto's most famous food market, has been a vibrant hub of urban life since the early 20th century. This is where the local community meets, especially on weekends, to purchase fresh produce such as fruits, vegetables, meat and fish under the iconic wrought-iron roof. The market was built between 1914 and 1920 in the Beaux-Arts style and extensively restored in 2023 to both preserve its historic charm and meet modern requirements.

Since its classification as a ‘Monument of Public Interest’, the restoration of the Mercado do Bolhão has been a priority in order to reconcile the market's tangible and intangible heritage. A central aspect of the renovation was to meet legal requirements for protecting the fresh goods from direct sunlight. This challenge led to a collaboration between D+H Portugal and Nuno Valentim Architects.

As early as 2015, D+H Portugal developed an innovative system for the cast-iron louvres that automatically adjusts to the position of the sun. Despite the long planning phase and the start of construction not being until 2023, the architects stuck to the original, innovative solution.

The 252 weatherproof 230V rack and pinion drives from the ZA-K-BSY+ series were divided into 20 groups. The entire system is controlled by a central building management system (BMS) that monitors the position of the sun, clouds and fog. This means that the louvres are continuously aligned by four ventilation controls to ensure that no direct sunlight falls on the fresh goods, while at the same time maintaining the open, airy market experience.

With this special system, the Mercado do Bolhão combines tradition and functionality – a perfect balance between the preservation of a listed building and intelligent building automation that preserves the market's unique identity. With this outstanding project, D+H Portugal secured the ‘Special Mention Innovation’ award at the Atmosphere Award 2024.