Via Mercato, the luxury food market in the upscale Via Riyadh Mall, is an exquisite gourmet designation unveiled in early May. Meticulously crafted by DTK Studio, Via Mercato presents a food hall parallel to the splendour of the renowned markets in New York and London.
Immersed in the opulent Japanese Art Deco design style seamlessly interwoven with the esteemed Salmani Architecture style, Via Mercato stands tall with its awe-inspiring 14-meter-high expanse. This architectural style, inspired by the 6 principles of authenticity, continuity, human centricity, livability, innovation and sustainability, blends with the Japanese design ethos of spaciousness, tranquility and stability.
Offering an array of artisanal and specialty food products like cheese, fresh baked goods and Japanese delicacies apart from a dozen culinary booths consisting of a caviar bar, pizzeria, and rotisserie, the marketplace caters to the discerning palates of epicurean aficionados. In both design and offerings, Via Mercado celebrates harmony in embracing diversity.
Concept:
DTK Studio has tailored the design as a symphony of Japanese Art Deco style and the captivating essence of Salmani Style, illustrating the embodiment of a modern lifestyle woven together with the vibrant tapestry of the region’s rich heritage and its contemporary lifestyle.
The design captures the story of the cultural and social metamorphosis currently occurring in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. With design entities that accentuate the vertical expanse of the space and harness the play of natural light, Via Mercato stands as a new signature for luxury retail in Riyadh.
Various design elements:
A visitor is greeted by the grandeur of the majestic Caviar Bar upon entering the market along with the view of its towering facade and the retail kiosks. Capitalising on the vast vertical volume, a mezzanine floor expands to the retail counters. Connected by the central attraction, the staircase adorned in the finest leather and marble effortlessly guides the visitor into a realm of retail counters. The mezzanine level also hosts a dining experience under the ethereal embrace of the iconic skylight with the pizzeria and cheese shop at the ground level.
Designed as a journey to ensure an ethereal viewpoint across the store, every booth is planned uniquely and well-detailed. Art Deco elements like skylights and marble floors come together with Japanese design entities of wooden lattices, skinny wall sconces and majestic columns to make Via Mercato a truly unparalleled luxury shopping experience.
About the execution:
The facade of the store is the only source of natural light, so the introduction of an Art Deco-inspired patterned skylight feature adds both aesthetic and functional value to the space in order to stimulate natural light.
Inspired by traditional Japanese Architecture, the central staircase emerges as a true masterpiece with its marble-clad steps and double-layered guardrails. The double-layered guardrails, adorned in an exquisite blend of leather upholstery and veneer, elevate the staircase to the status of a showstopper.
About the ambience:
Set to convey grandeur and opulence in daylight and an unrivalled sophistication and poise at night, Via Mercato is a contemporary harmony of design facets.
Embracing a colour palette dwelling in dark and opulent hues, the space exudes a sense of mystique and luxury. This meticulously curated canvas exudes an aura of luxury into the space creating a sophisticated experience for the visitor.
Challenges overcome:
Design and execution of a diverse artisanal food market has a few challenges in terms of timelines and procurement, especially when it is conditioned to be sustainable and conscious. DTK Studio’s biggest challenge was the timeline which required the design to be completed in a few weeks and the execution in a few months.
The team handled this with unwavering finesse by sourcing locally available material with immediate availability coupled with diligent planning and schedules.
Technical elements:
This contemporary space which is a blend of Art Deco-inspired elements, consists of the skylight, marble floors, and Japanese design language of wooden lattices, and skinny wall sconces on tall columns. The signature staircase connecting the mezzanine floor is supported by a series of arches which also differentiates each retail booth while also linking them together.
Unique/key features:
Via Mercato is a sanctuary of refined design which achieves to evoke a sense of elevated grandeur with attention to finer details along with evident design features like the splendorous staircase and the mesmerising skylight.
A few instances, like the continuous veins meandering across the stairs or the branching pattern of the skylight, like the diversity of the store’s offering, truly redefine luxury as a state beyond the conspicuous elements.
Each retail outlet is bestowed with its own eccentric character while harmoniously speaking the same design language. The black metal arches are another dominant feature in the store that is multifunctional to serve as visual separators of space along with their structural support function.
Material selection:
Materials that characterise luxury take precedence in Via Mercato. Dominated by a luxe dark colour palette, the flooring is of black, grey and white marble, while the wall coverings are from Arte and Mooi. A combination of antique and tinted mirrors elevates the aesthetics with dark wood, brass metals, reflexive metal ceilings, and ribbed and textured glass to infuse luxury into the space.
Furniture chosen:
From custom high chairs at the caviar bar to the banquet seating in the private dining to the cafe seaters, most of the furniture is manufactured by a Spanish Manufacturer, Simply. The upholstery, structure and form of the seats are a precise combination of plain, patterned and crafted to be in coherence with the Art Deco style of the space.
Team:
Architect: David T’ Kint
Contractor: Bonian Al Mustaqbal
Designers: Julie Blondeel; Adel Waslati; May Halabi; Majd Johar; Schwarz D’Souza; Sara Al Ameen; Eilyn Xin; Riham Farajy; David T’Kint
Photography: Wajd Ramadan
