Rooted in tradition and reaching for the future, 'The Sun in the Ground' celebrates Armenia’s culinary heritage, blending the warmth of ancient methods with the innovation of modern design to nurture a thriving culture from land to table.

‍

Responding to the competition brief that asked to revitalise the historic food market of the city and establish a unique culinary school in the heart of it, our design combines an old market with a culinary school, representing the journey of food from the land to the table. It draws inspiration from the ancient Armenian tradition of cooking in an underground tonir, emphasizing the connection between traditional cooking methods and contemporary culinary education. The “Sun in the Ground” design uses a powerful metaphor: the ground-floor market serves as the sun, radiating life through its vibrant array of local ingredients, which fuel the culinary school below. This seamless connection provides chefs and students with direct access to fresh ingredients, fostering a symbiotic relationship where collaboration among vendors, students, and faculty drives daily operations. This dynamic bond will nurture the future of Armenian cuisine, allowing Gyumri’s rich culinary traditions, rooted in its identity as “the city of crafts and arts,” to thrive and evolve. The proposal blends vernacular and contemporary materials, combining the solidity of local pink tuff stone with the transparency of glass. This design accommodates the varied needs of the school, market, and public spaces like cafés and restaurants.  This unique project, which combines a farmers’ market, a culinary educational institute and several recreational facilities and restaurants, aims to revitalize Gyumri’s historic area by thoughtfully integrating existing architecture, creating a vibrant space that honors tradition while embracing modernity.

‍