Fish Market Revitalization, Frederiksted, St. Croix
To Be Done Studio led a 3-day community workshop to facilitate the design process of reimagining the Frederiksted Fish Market.
As design lead, TBD worked with design collaborator Ki Design Workshop, Clean Sweep Frederiksted, community members, the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources with the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) team to develop a design concept for a thriving outdoor fish and produce market and community gathering space, with the goal of driving economic opportunity for residents and revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood.
“I remember the fish market being a place to purchase fresh fish and also a vibrant community meeting space. I believe this fish market renovation will be a tipping point for the redevelopment up to the Fort and across Frederiksted.”
- Local Resident
A key initial step to the creative placemaking process is the site visit: to better understand the site context and history, and to have in-person conversations with community members and key stakeholders regarding the project goals, current assets, and potential challenges.
At the time of the workshop, it was evident that the existing fish market was no longer safe or usable for cleaning the day’s catch, with added concerns of illicit activity around the project site. In addition, the boat ramp was blocked by parking making access impossible. The project team's goal was to revitalize the fishmarket site, making it a safe, and vibrant amenity for the fishermen and the community.
To better understand what the future fish market might look like, the design team, TBD with design collaborator, Ki Design Workshop, created a range of possible massing studies for the workshop participants to respond to. While none of the proposals were meant to represent a finished design, the varying size, layout, and footprint of the studies helped define some of the differing priorities held by the many stakeholders.
From the engagement activities and conversations, a mission statement was co-created by local stakeholders and the design team to articulate the shared goals and communal aspirations of the fish market redevelopment project:
1. Commercial Fish Market that Promotes and Supports all Fishermen and the Fish Industry.
2. Support Individual and Community Rights that will Enhance and Grow the Fish Market as well as Reflect the Culture.
3. Support Food Security with a More Direct Link to Food Resources.
4. Beauty / Design that Reflects Cultural, Historical, and Architectural Aspects.
The design team then dove into creating several site studies to communicate the above priorities and explore the opportunities and limitations of the site.
The Proposed Fish Market Design.
As a multi-use space, the proposed Fish Market looks to strike a thoughtful balance between functional, cultural, and communal needs in its design. In the end, the concept reflects the unique identity of St. Croix, Frederiksted, and the people who offered their insights and experiences throughout the process.
- Roof Line: The market’s roof is carefully angled to maximize views towards the water for the second story spaces while lowering down to a more human scale along the road and walkway.
- Open Structure: The porous and patterned facade gives the market an open feeling while acting as a screen that keeps the interior protected from the sun, wind, or rain. Aesthetically, the design also reinterprets the traditional Caribbean styling through modern materials and construction.
- Shaded Pavilion: Behind the market sits a covered outdoor gathering area. The additional room holds space for other community functions and
helps relieve pressure from the competing uses that currently occupy the site. Structurally, the lattice structure allows wind to pass through relieving dangerous wind pressure if there is a hurricane or high winds.
Renderings of the Frederiksted Fish Market design concept
