President Bill Clinton opened the Iron Market on Tuesday 11th January 2011, breathing new life into one of Haiti’s most important cultural and economic landmarks. The structure was destroyed  by fire in 2008 and then by the catastrophic earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010; John McAslan + Partners (JMP) has been  restoring the market for the last 10 months.

1500 people gathered in the market to watch President Clinton, entrepreneur Denis O’Brien (who funded the project), and the Mayor of Port-au-Prince unveil a commemorative plaque to mark the opening. When addressing the crowd, Clinton discussed the importance of the Iron Market as an architectural icon and how it has served the local community for over a century, referring to the completed market as a “bright beacon” of hope in the rebuilding of Haiti. The President also thanked John McAslan and the JMP team on the project for their role in driving the scheme forward.

The event was celebrated on the surrounding streets in downtown Port-au-Prince with thousands of people gathering to watch the ceremony.