Mbare Musika Temporary Traders Market Redevelopment

The project arose from an acute national crisis. On 8 October 2024, a major fire engulfed the Mbare Traders Market, destroying thousands of trading stalls and merchandise and affecting approximately 4,695 traders, with estimated economic losses exceeding USD 2 million.

The market needed to be operational within one to three months to support trader recovery ahead of the festive trading period

UIP Africa adopted a fast-track, design-led delivery approach, combining technical rigor with proactive project management to meet the exceptional demands of the assignment. Our focus was on constructability, speed, durability, and compliance, ensuring rapid delivery without compromising engineering standards.

• Delivery under a nationally declared disaster, requiring sensitivity, urgency, and decisive coordination
• Accommodating thousands of traders and customers safely within a constrained urban environment
• Addressing historical deficiencies in fire safety, drainage, access, and service coordination
• Coordinating government agencies, municipal authorities, contractors, and trader representatives under compressed timelines
• Designed a rapidly constructible portal-frame structural system spanning approximately 6,000 m², optimised for speed of erection and long-term performance
• Delivered comprehensive civil engineering designs, including bulk earthworks, heavy-duty pavements, service lanes, customer parking areas, and delivery bays

UIP Africa was appointed to deliver end-to-end civil and structural engineering design alongside full project management services, ensuring the facility was delivered at unprecedented speed while maintaining structural integrity, functionality, and public safety.