The Charm of Open Air Markets 

When one lives in the city, burnout from seeing all the cars and traffic they produce can sometimes happen. With lives that go on a wild hustle and bustle, the weekends are the only times people are able to dive back into nature through various outdoor activities like hiking, citybreaks, camping, or simply going out to parks to enjoy the fresh air. After the pandemic rose and mall outings became a forbidden activity, open-air markets became one of the set-ups that regained the spotlight. From fresh produce to household items and antiques, open-air markets are a hub for purchasing some of the most authentic products everyday life could offer. Compared to shopping within four walls, shopping outside and in the open air can be just as refreshing as it sounds. Currently, one of the famous local open-air markets is the Legazpi Sunday Market in Makati. 

Held every Sunday along Legazpi and Rufino, this extensive market in Legazpi Village is a flea market that sells a variety of items extending from handicrafts like home goods, furniture and paintings, clothes, local produce, and street eats. With its wide range of organic vegetables, homemade fruit juices, and a lineup of international delicacies and dishes, it’s also a famous place for foodies to congregate and enjoy the summer breeze. Way over at Nueva Ecija is the Lumang Gapan night market. Dubbed “Little Vigan”, Lumang Gapan is a popular tourist site where ancestral homes line cobblestone streets and glow with vibrant night lights once evening comes. There’s also the Baguio night market which began in 2012 as the local government’s project to boost tourism and commerce, and the Valenzuela City Fatima Avenue food market which started in 2022 as a way to promote a more walkable and bike-friendly city.

Though these open markets have been around even before the pandemic started, they have regained fresh popularity due to their safer outdoor setting, the central location that’s easier for people to access, and a flexible floor plan that’s open to all kinds of vendors and people from different walks of life. 

Related Read: The Politics and Problems of Placemaking in the Philippines

Why are open-air markets good for the future?

 In this new normal circling around face masks and the still implemented physical distancing and crowd regulating, open-air markets present several advantages. Open-air markets show more potential and provide more options for entertainment and dining that more people can enjoy in a more laid-back manner. They are also more sustainable since they don’t require air-conditioning and minimize power consumption. With open-air markets being outdoors, customers also don’t have to venture indoors to see products and are provided with a more special outing experience that can up different kinds of unique moments.

Related read: A Street Park for Every Barangay

What makes a good market layout?

In a 2021 guide commissioned by the Welsh government is a compilation of notes drawn from the experiences of establishing and running successful street markets. According to this guide, a good local street market should be located in places where people usually and naturally come. (e.g., high streets, main access routes, streets near residential areas). These markets should also follow good urban design principles where stalls don’t block existing shops and are laid out in a block format that gives each stall sufficient circulation space that not only allows vendors to move freely but also allows customers to easily examine products. And of course, these markets should have adequate health and safety checks always at the ready. 

Ever since experiencing the pandemic, urban planners, architects, and designers alike have already come to see that open parks and basically walkable cities are important in maintaining a community with healthy minds and bodies. WTA Architecture and Design Studio for one is one of the leading local firms striving to create purposeful and practical structures like street parks. So far, the firm has envisioned a street park for every barangay.

Considering the new normal that the pandemic has created, open-air markets that line entire streets should be a more common set-up for all cities during the weekend. Aside from it being a healthier way to socialize more with the community and to gain more time within nature, the prohibition of cars can also be a great way to reduce carbon emissions spread by vehicles. With these street markets, cities can create communities that encourage better social interactions that can pull people away from their phones. Like landscape architect and urban planner Paulo Alcazaren said, a good city is one where a story is told and one where stories can be told.