Its layered glaze gives the building a shifting appearance that changes with the weather. The depth of colour and form adds an artistic dimension, referencing both the richness of Groningen’s historic buildings and the expressive rawness of post-war architecture. Designed with sustainability in mind, Mercado has a future-proof ground floor. By positioning stairs and elevators at the sides, a large, open central space is created—flexible enough to accommodate public events and other uses. Below ground, thermal energy storage (TES) wells, combined with heat pumps, ensure the building operates entirely without natural gas.

Mercado also enhances local biodiversity. A vertical garden on the façade contains 3,800 climate-appropriate plants, while climbing greenery on the south façade creates natural privacy screens across balconies. The building’s stepped profile provides space for rooftop terraces, where vibrant plantings and trees enrich the environment. Custom-designed round planters, finished in a bespoke colour scheme that matches the architecture, further reinforce the building’s identity. Both the rooftop and façade gardens are irrigated by a computerized system and maintained regularly by a dedicated gardener.