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Architects: CORE architecture + design
- Area: 2400 ft²
- Year: 2015
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Photographs:Michael Moran
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Manufacturers: Emeco, Siesta, Woodgoods
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Lead Architects: Allison Cooke, Hilary Miners
Text description provided by the architects. James Beard award-winning Chef Jose Garces wants guests to feel as though they have traveled to the relaxing and vibrant beach towns of coastal Mexico while dining at Buena Onda, a taqueria and margarita bar. Inspired by the ambiance of Acapulco and color blocking of Luis Barragan, CORE worked closely with Chef Garces to find the right balance of color and texture for each of the restaurant’s distinct elements.
The spaces of Buena Onda are defined by volumes and their different materials – the “X” or lattice pattern of the Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU), wood slats, stacked tile, and a raked plaster texture. The distinctive colors of cool blues and warm whites with a pop of citrus yellow create differentiation amongst the surfaces, in addition to their varied textures.
The wood canopy volume above the bar references a “palapa,” a traditional grass-thatch hut found on the beaches of Mexico. Acapulco chairs were also studied, and take form in the shape of custom feature pendant lights cascading throughout the dining space.
The playful yet calming palette, the reinterpretation of Acapulco chairs as custom light pendants, and elevation of humble materials found in Mexico were developed as a signature kit of parts for future restaurant roll out application.
