Joshua
Snyman

BArch (Hons)
Unit 21

Project Unveiled:

The phantom market

The Phantom Market, a colourful monument to Johannesburg’s rich tapestry that skillfully weaves the threads of its past and present, is tucked away in the heart of Beyers Naude Square. This innovative project honours the vibrant history of Market Square by presenting a temporary market decorated with a mosaic made of recycled materials, which serves as a metaphor for the tenacity and resilience of the city. Grown on repurposed mining dumps, bamboo represents rebirth and sustainability and the city’s dedication to a prosperous future.

Explore both physical and temporal domains in this dynamic marketplace as you go on an exciting voyage. The patient foundations are cleverly hidden in plain sight, waiting for their cue to come into play so they can support a life-changing event that goes beyond their seemingly static existence. The market honours the city’s legendary past and its goals for a sustainable future by skillfully fusing structural bamboo with reused materials. This transformational journey turns into an ode to ageing, with every building leaving an everlasting imprint on Johannesburg’s socioeconomic landscape like a phantom. “The Phantom Market,” which has its roots in Beyers Naude Square, is a tribute to both history and modernity. It is more than just a transient intervention; it is an event that unveils the city’s soul and profoundly alters the socioeconomic landscape. In this context, growing older is not a sign of decline but rather of transformation—a life-altering experience characterised by resiliency, sustainability, and the vibrant community of Johannesburg’s empowerment.

Mapping the movement of pedestrians through the city
Analysing Johannesburg’s formal economy from the lens of a plastic crate
Analysing Johannesburg’s informal economy from the lens of a plastic crate
Breaking down the environments found around informal traders to get a sense of the conditions that surround their stalls, which either contribute to their success or negatively affect them.
Visualizing the connections that informal traders have with the infrastructures they use to curate their stalls along with the connections that the traders have with their customers
Visualizing the connections that informal traders have with the infrastructures they use to curate their stalls along with the connections that the traders have with their customers
The Phantom Market, a small glimpse into the possibilities of combined strengths and human ingenuity.
Sectional Detail displaying the link between the permanent and the impermanent.(Foundations connected to phantom infrastructures)