Sights, Sounds, and Smells of the Countryside: How Organic Markets Shape the Temporarily Sensory Landscape in Vitória, Brazil

This paper examines how organic markets in Vitória, Brazil, act as temporary sensory bridges between rural and urban life, bringing the sights, sounds, and smells of the countryside into the city. These ephemeral markets—of which there are over 20 across Greater Vitória, according to municipal data—transform public spaces into hubs of social and commercial exchange. This study focuses on the market stalls as symbols of rural-urban connection, blending the practical needs of rural farmers with urban aesthetic expectations, creating spaces that evoke Pathos, a powerful emotional response. Pathos, in this context, reflects the sensory experiences within the market, such as the smell of fresh produce and the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables, which bring elements of rural life into the urban environment. The architecture of the stalls, although temporary and simple, plays a critical role in shaping these emotional connections, reflecting rural simplicity while also addressing the complexity of its production process but also of meeting urban design expectations. Sensory mapping techniques are employed to demonstrate how these markets temporarily transform the sensory landscape of Vitória, merging rural and urban elements. Beyond commerce, the markets serve as communal spaces for social interaction and cultural exchange, where ideas about sustainability, health, and organic lifestyles are shared. They also mediate cultural identities, allowing rural traditions and urban consumer trends to coexist. The study highlights how these markets reconfigure urban public spaces, temporarily transforming them into hybrid zones where rural and urban practices intersect. The study utilizes sketches and diagrams to illustrate the markets’ architectural and social dynamics, offering a graphic anthropology of Vitória’s organic markets as sites of rural-urban convergence. Finally, it confirms that architecture, when analyzed through a sociological lens, is a relevant practice for revealing how people express their choices and histories.