In the district of Miraflores, the tourist heart of Lima, the San Ramon Gastronomic Market was inaugurated in December 2021. It is located on the Boulevard under the same name, on the well-known former Calle de las Pizzas in the picturesque district. Open to the public, the work of the studio “Arquitectura Verde” aims to promote the enjoyment and knowledge of the great variety and richness of Peruvian gastronomy.
As the studio architects mention, “Peruvian gastronomy is internationally known for its variety and quality. We have designed a Gastronomic Market that reflects Peruvian diversity and can accommodate 25 food stalls with different seasonings from Peru: Creole, marine, jungle, chifa, Peruvian-Japanese, international, among others”
The 1,500-square-meter project emerges as a new local proposal, which seeks to encourage users from the area and tourists to participate in the culinary traditions of today’s Peru. The gastronomic market seeks to provide a different environment from specialized restaurants, where the enjoyment and celebration of the great diversity of Peruvian flavors and aromas takes place through large common spaces.
Food market architecture
The architecture of the San Ramon market, as described by the study, arises from the context. “The proposal takes the traditional values of republican architecture and reinterprets them through a modern language, creating a space with its own identity, but at the same time ordered and functional.” The building interacts with the surrounding boulevard and invites users to enter and participate in the facilities. One of the strategies used is the implementation of a commercial plinth with access to the street, where users can interact with locals both outside and inside the project. On the other hand, the connection with the exterior is emphasized through the stairs, which function as visual axes and interaction with the market.
The project is made up of a two-story building, which is characterized by having a permeable façade, wide entrance stairs, interior bridges, double heights and a large curved ceiling. The interior spatial configuration is similar to that of food courts, due to the ease that users have of combining dishes from various gastronomic venues and enjoying them in one place.
On the first level, the food stalls are located within the perimeter of the project. Going up to the second level, the bar organizes the central space, which links the islands of tables and the terrace through bridges. When touring the spaces, a playful, vibrant environment with diverse atmospheres is generated. The protagonist of the project is the colorful ceiling, which due to its concave shape embraces the interior space. On the other hand, the permeable facade has a composition of ropes and tassels, which resemble the quipus (abacuses) used by the Inca culture. This design brings color and cultural identity to the market.