incastasciato

AIC 2010 Interim Meeting “Color and Food: From the Farm to the Table”

Expresión cromática en la arquitectura comercial. Córdoba, Argentina

Chromatic Expressions in Commercial Architecture. Córdoba, Argentine

Adriana INCATASCIATO, María Inés GIRELLI, María Marta MARICONDE Ana Victoria ZUCARIA

Institute of Colour, Faculty of Architecture, Town Planning and Design, National University of Córdoba, Argentine Republic

Over recent years eating has turned from usual routine into art and social custom. Due to this new concept of eating and drinking, the food service

sector has become one of the most dynamic areas. Another factor, as the booming of tourism, has produced profound cultural changes and increased significantly the number of

clients who are accustomed to highclass cuisine and demand international standards from Argentinean restaurants.

Globalization and access to the diversity of media contents have encouraged new patterns of gourmet food consumption.

The booming of Argentinean food services occurred in Buenos Aires and it later spread to the rest of the country.

Within this context, there have been

a number of innovative undertakings in the city of C贸rdoba, emphasizing a new specialty

in Commercial Architecture

Gastronomy Architecture

In order to design a gastronomic place with distinctive architectural features, the spirit of the enterprise must be interpreted in a creative way. Among the principles on which this type of project is

based, the interaction of colors, forms, textures, shine, lattices and lighting design are basic elements to develop such characterdefining features, creating the atmosphere for the desired image.

The use of certain components that help to develop distinctive architectural features in commercial Architecture,

such as color, enables work to be done on the interaction of symbols and functions, conveys a distinct meaning to new uses of Architecture, gives new value to cultural heritage, and

enhances the quality of urban spaces and therefore, the quality of life.

Throughout history, traditional Architecture in C贸rdoba has undergone a transformation in the conception of bars and restaurants design.

In times of economic prosperity, in the 50s and later in the 70s and 80s,

these enterprises design was based on practical and luxurious premises, and large rooms were designed in order to see and be seen.

At present both the technological and the formal design have changed, and new concepts have emerged regarding the use of

these spaces, in which the lighting and color design play a central role, interacting constantly with people and influencing strongly their attitude and permanence in such places.

In Gastronomy Architecture design, the concept of space, the expression of its figurativeness and the design of an atmosphere or the creation of an image are essential aspects, as well as thorough planning of service areas, on which the quality of the service is founded.

The characteristic that these spaces have in common is the need to differentiate from competitors, through development of their own distinctive features.

The emerging character of Commercial Gastronomy Architecture in the neighborhoods studied needs to be

analyzed in particular from the sociological point of view, since in a few years paradigmatic situations have risen in the city as a consequence of the growing number of gastronomic places.

Paradigmatic Examples

“General Paz” neighborhood

“Nueva Córdoba” neighborhood

The neighborhoods are situated near the city center, situation that

generates a peculiar physiognomy in both sectors of the city.

These gastronomic enterprises have characteristics of the Mediterranean, Mexican and Gourmet Cuisine

profiles, among others.

Nevertheless, situations are different in each neighborhood; facades differ

in both areas from the perspective of expression, which confer distinctive features, providing partial syntaxes present in both sectors.

“General Paz� neighborhood

This neighborhood has the characteristics of an urban space, rooted in a specific time and architectural form of the city.

Its morphological features show thought-provoking expressions, holding significant symbolic value and syntactic and semantic codes that contribute to its

character-defining features and interpretation.

Nowadays, its urban landscape is being altered due to outstanding chromatic interventions on existing buildings that denote in the urban space a change in function, though there are fortunately some aesthetic exceptions.

This situation is characterized mainly by the installation of gastronomic places in mansions of the early 19th century, with an Italianate style, some of which were rationalist.

Most of these houses are situated on corners.

According to the different commercial concepts of their cuisine style, these mansions present a renewed external image and

improved interiors, through the restoration of texture and primitive materials colors.

“Nueva Córdoba” neighborhood

In this case, the transformation of the landscape results from the substitution of the typology of 19th century constructions for a denser,

residential area. This change allows the detection of periods in the history of Architecture.

Firstly, the influence of Architect JosĂŠ Ignacio DĂ­az can be appreciated in the extensive use of volume and bricks.

Secondly, elements of Postmodern

Architecture were incorporated, such as brick in the background, and glass and other finish details in

the foreground, to obtain dynamic chromatic compositions.

In recent years, architects have made use of colored plastering, colored glass and concrete walls in this neighborhood that concentrates the greater number of construction sites of the city.

The existing architectural typology has become a part of the construction of a new urban image, meeting the requirements of the global culture.

In this way a new language is generated, based on the requirements of new functions, becoming the support of corporate images rather than socio-cultural

constructions, altering living experiences and the construction of meaning in

the sector

The resulting Architecture clashes with its environment.

The new expression can be depicted as superficial, neutral and innovative in terms of technology because it presents itself as a large advertising support.

The central issue is the expression of these business premises, the brand colors,

image,

which

typographies

proposes and

the

presence of global icons in the traditional landscape of the city.

Color is the protagonist as it is associated with new meanings that arise from the appearance of global images that characterize this revamped expression of public spaces in the neighborhood.

DRAWING CONCLUSIONS The city should be considered as a historical, evolving and dynamic organism where past and present coexist, and continuity and change occur. Its deterioration through the use of images that are totally unrelated to it cannot be accepted, since such images destroy the community characteristic features and collective memory, which are

essential to the projection of the future. The challenge is to find what is the most appropriate for each circumstance.

Color, when coherent criteria are applied to its use, gives expressive value to different areas of culture and contributes with its presence to understanding and character building in Urbanism,

defining with its presence new central ambits in traditional neighborhoods of Latin American cities.