21/08/2026
We are excited to share that the Gugulethu Central Meat Market is featured in the Everyday Infrastructures exhibition by Yes& Studio at CIFA.
The market began as an informal trading space in the 1960s, established by women in Gugulethu who faced regular police raids and the confiscation of their goods.
In 1994, we began working with the traders and residents to transform the market into a permanent space. Through a participatory process, the traders helped shape the building and raise funds for its construction.
The first design was very Eurocentric, much like a typical Italian corner market, and evolved thanks to the input from the traders, who said they wanted a “petrol station” roof. The giant wave of the roof floats over the traders, providing identity and urban scale within its context.
An L-shaped row of shops, offices and public toilets provides security to the rear, while the market opens onto the streets. Built on a very small budget using blocks made on site, the building was constructed entirely by local people from Gugulethu with the assistance of a project manager.
At night, the illuminated roof appears to float above the market, creating a vibrant space for informal trading and African restaurants. The market remains one of the few formalised meat markets in the Western Cape.
We’re proud to be part of an exhibition that brings together a range of projects exploring Everyday Infrastructures. If you’re in Cape Town, go and have a look, there are many interesting projects to discover!
