For some years now, Fuensanta Nieto and Enrique Sobejano have stood out among Spanish contemporary architects for their ability to create completely modern structures that yet respect their historical, urban and human context. Their new design for the Barceló market hall in Madrid, part of a larger scheme to revitalize the area around the Plaza de Santa Barbara, is no exception. The 111 market stalls have been rehoused in a cluster of six pentagonal buildings, whose varying heights and volumes harmonize with the surrounding buildings and create an intriguing interplay with one another. Inside, the translucent white polycarbonate walls and ceilings make the most of the daylight (and provide lantern-like illumination at night); curving spaces and bold splashes of colour keep the luminous space fun, friendly and easy to navigate (stalls are grouped within this scheme according to speciality). Future plans for the area mean the market is a temporary structure: in years to come, it can be dismantled easily and used elsewhere if desired.