HUDDERSFIELD’S Queensgate Market is set to go global.

And a Huddersfield man has landed a trip to talk about its unique architecture. In Acapulco!

Chris Marsden will present a paper on the Grade II listed building at a four-day international conference being held in the glamorous Mexican city next month.

Hundreds of delegates from more than 30 countries are expected to gather at the conference of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures, starting on October 27.

Mr Marsden’s paper is entitled The Engineering and Construction of a Roof of 21 Asymmetric Free-standing Hyperbolic Paraboloid Umbrella Concrete Shells.

It describes the market’s design, engineering, building and significance.

The paper was written over five years as Mr Marsden, of the Huddersfield Gem pressure group, traced and interviewed the people involved in creating the building.

He said: “Cultural tourism to Huddersfield has been given a boost by publicity about Queensgate Market over the past four years.

“News of my Acapulco paper in the engineering world has already brought people to Huddersfield to see the building.

“We can expect many more coming to Huddersfield to discover our unique cultural heritage.”

Mr Marsden’s trip is being sponsored by Huddersfield Civic Society.

Its chairman, Prof Cedric Cullingford, said: “The society has supported Mr Marsden’s visit to give the paper.

“The society appreciates not only the scholarship involved and the international interest but the significance to Huddersfield itself.

“Such a concern for local buildings of quality is something to be strongly supported wherever possible.”

The market hall received its listed status in 1995 and last November was awarded the Concrete Society’s Certificate of Excellence for a mature structure.

The iconic building was opened in 1970 and features an unusual roof structure based on 21 asymmetric curved shells designed to allow maximum light into the market.

The imaginative structure combined innovative technology to produce a dramatic space with the striking focal point of the roof.

The roof sections of the hall are of differing heights that appear to float above the ceiling while the external wall, visible from the ring road, features panels of abstract art.

Mr Marsden said there was a special significance in the conference being held in Mexico.

He said: “Mexico was important in the development of concrete shell technology.

“Spanish-born architect Felix Candela made great advances in the design and construction of hyperbolic parabaloid shells when he lived and worked in Mexico from the 1940s to the 60s.

“Candela’s work was inspiring to the designers of Queensgate Market who further developed his pioneering work.”

Huddersfield Gem, of which Mr Marsden is a founding member, is a community group working to ensure the future of the market hall.

The group hit the headlines this year when it said that £200m plans to regenerate the town centre would result in part of the listed building being knocked down.

Member Adrian Evans said: “It is terrifically exciting that the market hall is to be the subject of a paper to be presented to an international conference in Mexico. This makes the significance of the building very clear.

“I am delighted the market hall is at last getting the recognition it deserves.”