Mouth Market
The 4,000 m² space, designed by the architect Gustavo Penna's office in partnership with AR.Lo and Bloc, brings an air of a fair, a stall - the food village itself.
It was in the Minas Gerais way of living and eating that the architects sought inspiration for the details. There is a pot tower in the hall, stands with chimneys, indoor lights, vegetable garden stands. Elements that are born as a joke and represent the playful dimension of architecture.
It is in this search for the symbols that make up the universe of food and the market that GPA&A brought to the environments the color palette of the painting "The Last Supper", by Manuel da Costa Ataíde. Ataíde is a great baroque artist, contemporary of the master Aleijadinho and known for giving mixed-race features to characters, and can be considered one of the precursors of Brazilian art.
One detail draws attention: the 9-meter high tower, composed of a vertical sequence of pots, integrating the two floors. The tower was placed at the central point, an obelisk that generates convergences, attracts eyes and connects one floor to the other. It is a point of reference, where people arrange to meet.
The pots are a tribute to everything that Mercado da Boca offers: thousands of flavors, dishes and possibilities. To make the monument, 47 tools were needed. “Pot pan, pan, pan. All the pans in the world are there. The food we taste comes from her. This is where the alchemy of food is made, where the magic happens”, says Penna.
Crowning the tower of pots is the greatest of kitchen tools: a golden spoon. After all, cooking is an act of generosity, kindness to others”, he concludes.
Named by Gustavo Penna himself, the name Mercado da Boca is simple, direct and powerful and brings the word that sums it up: the mouth. This is where the food comes in and the conversation comes out. A name that is in gastronomy in a very natural way.
The identity and signage were created by designer Gustavo Greco. “For the identity of Mercado da Boca, we took the initials D and B (from the mouth) as a starting point. By joining one to the other, the mouth symbol of the market was created.”
The new market has large operations such as breweries, wine cellars with dozens of labels, restaurants with renowned chefs and much more. As a city of flavor, everyone is invited. The proposal is to offer a unique, democratic experience, with several options of food, drink and products in a comfortable and uncomplicated environment.
Architecture
Gustavo Penna, Norberto Bambozzi, Laura Penna, Alice Leite Flores, Fernanda Tolentino, Naiara Costa, Oded Stahl, Patrícia Gonçalves, Henrique Neves, Gabriel de Souza, Raquel de Resende, Eduardo Magalhães, Ivan Rimsa, Paula Sallum, Julia Salgado, Raquel Moura . Partnership with AR.Lo Arquitetos and Bloc Arquitetura.
Identity and Signage: Greco Design.
Lighting: Sonia Mendes
Management and Planning
Rísia Botrel, Isabela Tolentino, Taimara Araújo
Place
Nova Lima – Minas Gerais – Brazil
Technical Data
Project year: 2016
Year of completion of the work: 2018
Built area: 4,000 m²
Photos
Jomar Bragança
