patterns of escalante marketplace in costa rica represent the journey of the sun

the escalante marketplace is a gastronomic market located in barrio escalante, san josé, costa rica, built on an abandoned parking lot with approximately 126 linear meters of unused space in front of a public roadway. conceived by architecture studio gussa as an outdoor dining area that would be located in parallel to the railway, the project was carried out in two stages — the first stage focused on the food and dining area (750 sqm), while the second — on the areas designated for recreation (550 sqm).

main entrance aerial view

kiosks were specifically arranged in relation to the time of day in which the product sold is typically consumed, for example, breakfast and brunch kiosks are the first to open and are generally located as close as possible to the public roadway, next to a small designer store and a coffee shop. this served as the architects’ inspiration for painting these kiosks in a shade of yellow to represent the light of dawn. the sun’s journey is depicted throughout the market — from the welcoming shades of yellow of the brunch and breakfast kiosks, to the warm hues of orange and pink, and ending with the blue of the outdoor grilling kiosk, which represents the sunset and the beginning of the night.

central kitchen & administrative areas

one of the challenges the architects faced was the need for easy relocation of the market. this meant that the main structure had to be portable yet strong and stable enough to withstand the climate and provide the facilities of any other given city marketplace.

stairs to the administrative area

two types of kiosks with different modular structures were custom designed – one of 2.5 meters and another of 3.5 meters – to optimize the input of the primary square-tube structure in its most commercial presentation (6 meters). the connectors, which were cut in sheet metal through plasma cutting, allowed the modular structures to be made with the smallest error margin possible. seen from above, the kiosks have a rectangular shape. columns in each corner allow for a free transit, while 2-meter overhang eaves offer shade and protect the perimeter from the sun and rain, and the roll-up textile curtains close the perimeter in the event of windy rain. 

common dinning area

brunch kiosk

braseria kiosk and open dinning space

eaw bar kiosk

transition between kiosks

cocktails kiosks

metal joints

street food kiosks

functional diagram

project info:

name: escalante marketplace

architects: gussa

location: barrio escalante, san josé, costa rica

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edited by: maria erman | designboom