Epicenter is conceived as a gastronomic laboratory at the center of the world—a place where food, culture, and public life converge. The project explores new typologies of public space by drawing inspiration from the urban configuration of small villages, where streets, courtyards, and thresholds create spontaneous encounters and shared experiences.

Rather than functioning as a single enclosed restaurant, Epicenter operates as a micro-urban ecosystem. Circulation is treated as an active spatial element, generating a sequence of plazas, interior streets, and gathering nodes that blur the boundary between dining, commerce, and public life. This layered spatial organization allows multiple programs to coexist while maintaining a strong sense of collective identity.

The architecture emphasizes permeability and flexibility, encouraging movement, interaction, and discovery. Interior and exterior spaces interlock to create an environment that is both intimate and communal, positioning gastronomy as a cultural act and the building itself as a catalyst for social exchange.

Project Name: Epicenter

Type: Restaurant / Commercial

Location: Cumbayá, Ecuador

Area: 2,000 m²

Year: 2022

Status: Design

Client: Private

Architecture: Estudio Felipe Escudero

Interiors: Estudio Felipe Escudero