Market Value was an international competition set on two urban city blocks of downtown Charlottesville, VA. Teamed with the local architecture firm, Source Architects, the concept centered around the idea of exchange, whether it be elements, goods, currency, ideas or conversation. This idea is fundamental to the design of both the architecture and landscape in that it provides a platform from which different programs and spaces originate that facilitate various forms of exchange.

Programmatic elements include space for the existing farmer’s market, community meeting rooms, a research fellowship center, affordable residential units, sustainable technologies incubator and urban grocery store. The inner courtyard interprets the journey of goods and people during colonial times in Virginia as they travelled between Jamestown and the Shenandoah Valley via the Three Notch’d Road, an historical trade route along which Interstate 64 now lies. This idea helped to form the overall design, as a promenade walk is the main travel corridor with programmatic elements lining it - much the same way centers of exchange form along roadways today.

This project was selected in the top 20 out of nearly 80 international entries being displayed at the Charlottesville Community Design Center and competition website.