Milwaukee Public Market

The Milwaukee Public Market is a dynamic community gathering place and visitor destination. The design takes traditional ideas and expresses them in contemporary form, using steel, glass and brick to honor the history of Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. The market relies heavily on daylighting and natural ventilation to reduce HVAC costs, and a combination of high-performance glass and sun louvers control heat gain.

It seemed only natural that a building dedicated to selling fresh food be designed with a sensitivity to the environment. The market relies on daylighting and natural ventilation to reduce artificial lighting and lower HVAC costs, and a combination of high-performance glass and sun louvers control heat gain.

LOCATION

Milwaukee, WI

SCALE

36,800 sf

STATUS

Completed 2005

In addition to a large open volume for local vendors to sell their goods, the Market features cafe seating, a bar, and a state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen popular for cooking classes and evening receptions.

The space around the building is just as important as the space inside. By maximizing opportunities for street life, an outdoor market could be stretched as a threshold between the downtown and the Third Ward. The large neon sign above the west entrance of the building has become a local landmark.