Historically, markets have been among cities’ most vital civic institutions, serving as commercial hubs and essential social and gathering spaces. The architecture of markets—from the ancient Greek agora and medieval trade fairs to the covered markets of Armenian bazaars and the Roman forum—has consistently embodied a dual nature, functioning as spaces that foster social cohesion and as prominent public landmarks.
Synthesis as a Constant Process: Our design approach over the last months unfolded in two phases. First, we immersed ourselves in historical market typologies and their urban impact, alongside an in-depth exploration of Armenian materials, bazaars, and Gyumri’s rich history. Subsequently, we developed a toolkit to express our evolving intentions. We chose to communicate the project exclusively through mediums explored and synthesized during our design process: sketches, paintings, diagrams, texts, poems, and physical models in wood and marble (white marble, tuff limestone). These representational tools enabled us to examine a series of alterations, gradually shaping our approach and vision. We believe synthesis is a constantly evolving process, and through diverse tools, creators gain a more holistic perspective. Many final decisions remain open for further research and discussion during the Gyumri workshop. The Market as a Civic Institution: Historically, markets have been among cities’ most vital civic institutions, serving as commercial hubs and essential social and gathering spaces. The architecture of markets—from the ancient Greek agora and medieval trade fairs to the covered markets of Armenian bazaars and the Roman forum—has consistently embodied a dual nature, functioning as spaces that foster social cohesion and as prominent public landmarks. Reimagining the Agora: A Culinary and Social Hub: Our proposal aims to revitalize the historical tradition of the agora by integrating a contemporary market and culinary school into the urban fabric of Gyumri, Armenia. In Hellenistic cities, the agora was the vital core for commercial, political, and religious activities. Our design reinterprets this concept, combining market functions, a gastronomy school, and a recreational area around a central public space, creating a vibrant and dynamic plaza for the city. We envision this culinary agora as a social incubator, integrating with the existing informal market and attracting visitors through its diverse functions. It is designed to complement the surrounding organic markets, fostering a crucial coexistence that reinforces the cultural identity and impact of the proposed development. The envisioned agora embodies the duality essential to any successful market: it is both a landmark and a civic institution, a physical place and an evolving entity that reflects Gyumri’s rich cultural heritage while serving as a landmark for years to come.
Our vision for this culinary agora is articulated through six synthetic gestures:
- Expanded Threshold towards the informal Market: Where the plot meets the informal market along its southern and western boundaries, a generously shaded stoa is envisioned to create a welcoming entrance to the complex. This expanded stoa provides versatile spaces for informal market vendors who may need to relocate, fostering a harmonious integration between the informal and permanent markets. Our vision for this space is not to compete with the existing informal market but to invite local vendors to transition their operations to the market tables provided within the stoa, fostering a model of coexistence. These modular market tables are designed to be low, movable, and adaptable, constructed with a light steel frame and clad in local tuff limestone. This design facilitates flexible use and encourages a sense of temporary domestication within the stoa, allowing the informal market to expand and thrive. The ruins of the old market are meticulously preserved and thoughtfully incorporated into the stoa’s design, recognizing their profound significance as tangible remnants of Gyumri’s history. These preserved fragments serve as a reminder of the area’s past, carrying memories that have shaped and will continue to shape the city’s collective identity.
- Permanent Market: Along the northern and eastern boundaries, adjacent to other buildings, the permanent market is organized in an L-shape typology that complements the shaded stoa facing the informal market. The market’s layout now forms a complete rectangle, featuring a permanent market on two sides and a stoa on the other two, creating a fluid transition between the formal and informal market spaces. The permanent market features infrastructure designed to accommodate three parallel series of flexible market tables, enabling a virtually limitless number of configurations and ensuring adaptability to changing needs. Linear service volumes are strategically placed along the plot boundary to accommodate mechanical equipment, storage, and the necessary network for waste management within the complex.
- Public Plaza: A generous public plaza is envisioned at the core of the two proposed structures. It is designed to be a sheltered yet open space connected to the surrounding streets. This plaza will serve as the heart of the agora, a vibrant social incubator capable of hosting various events and functions. Its central location is crucial for controlling circulation within the complex and providing a sense of orientation for users while also allowing visual connections between the various functions of the agora. The plaza’s design also references the atrium typology, a feature commonly found in the Gyumri region, and the open-air central gathering spaces characteristic of ancient agoras throughout history. Elevated Gastronomy Ring: An elevated, orthogonal structure clad in limestone houses the gastronomy school and recreational spaces. Its design draws inspiration from educational buildings, with a circular arrangement around a central courtyard. Positioned above the bustling ground floor, this volume offers a quieter environment for culinary education while maintaining visual connections to the agora and public plaza below. The culinary ring comprises two L-shaped sections: one along the southern and western boundary houses the culinary school, while the other, situated above the permanent market, accommodates the restaurants and cafes. This strategic placement of the culinary school between the permanent and ephemeral markets symbolically underscores the agora’s dynamic role in food production and its importance as a cultural and economic hub.
- Radiant Timber Canopy: The public areas, service zones, and the public plaza are all sheltered by a unifying timber canopy, drawing inspiration from the archetypal tents at informal markets. This canopy is made from local timber, using 4-meter-long pieces to minimize waste and reduce construction costs. It consists of four long, perforated surfaces on the structure’s four sides to control sunlight, with the top gently sloping towards the center and the plaza. A generous circular opening at the canopy’s center dramatically illuminates the public plaza below. Inside the plaza, time is marked by the subtle shifts of light and shadow rather than by clocks, as a gentle reminder of our connection to the natural world.
- The Subterranean Realm: Below ground, a sustainable infrastructure with an expanded service zone quietly supports the life of the agora. The perimeter includes zones for waste collection, recycling, composting, and storage of solar panel batteries and water-saving tanks, complemented by a geothermal installation system. A discreet waste circulation network is designed to keep waste movement hidden from view within the basement’s perimeter service zone. The central basement area, illuminated by natural light through a skylight mirroring the circular opening above, is allocated for parking. Truck access is thoughtfully integrated into the basement design, ensuring that all supply, waste removal, and recycling processes occur away from the market’s users. This proposal explores the dualities that can compose a contemporary culinary agora, creating a place where the ephemeral and the permanent, the pragmatic and the poetic, coexist and intertwine. The harmonious co-existence of the informal and permanent markets embodies the idea of the market as a functional civic institution. Conversely, the circular opening towards the sky, the scale, and the uncanny ambiance of the plaza envision the agora as a city monument, a place of gathering and wonder. This proposal attempts to weave together the threads of gastronomy, community, and cultural celebration, adding a new layer to the rich palimpsest of Gyumri. It is not an end in itself but rather the beginning of a dialogue, an invitation to collectively shape the future of this vibrant space.
Architects: P4architecture
Design Team: Alkiviadis Pyliotis, Chara Kaika, Evangelos Fokialis, Konstantinos Pyliotis
Contributor: Glykeria Gkourbali
Marble Model: Dousis Marble (Konstantinos Dousis, Nikolaos Doulos)
Project Type: Research – Competition
Project Year: 2024
