Mexican Architecture studio, Oficina de Práctica Arquitectónica has completed Plumbago, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and cultural venue located in the vibrant Cuauhtémoc neighborhood of Mexico City.

Set in a compact infill plot within one of the capital’s most vibrant culinary districts, Plumbago’s minimalist design uses a carefully curated selection of raw materials and precise construction techniques to bring texture and invite natural light into a simple and welcoming open space.

The small, former derelict site sits in between two high rise buildings just feet away from busy Reforma Avenue, the city’s financial district. The new venue provides a human scale, contrasting with the adjacent corporate feel of the nearby buildings and is composed of two main spaces enclosed by parallel pitched-roof volumes that vary in size and materiality. The larger, transparent structure made from corrugated polycarbonate sheet contains the main dining area and bar, which can accommodate up to 70 guests, while the smaller enclosed shed houses the private kitchen and service areas is made from Pintro sheet.

Plumbago provides an understated yet sophisticated backdrop for the restaurant’s Mediterranean-inspired menu, which prioritises the use of fresh, locally sourced produce.

La entrada Plumbago se publicó primero en Global Spaces.

Located in the historic center of the city of Querétaro, the museum seeks to bring art closer to the general population, where an interesting sample of works that illustrate the career of the famous painter Santiago Carbonell is exhibited. In a house dating from 1760, it is the materialization of a project with more than a decade of planning, whose central objective is the cultural development of the city.

The reuse strategy of the existing building starts from recovering the original structure and making minor modifications that would allow the property to be adapted to its new use and optimize the operation of the museum. What used to be rooms are now galleries that house important works of art. The main gallery is created thanks to the steel elements that support the new roof, a light structure that does not affect the integrity of the original structure. A patio, distinctive of the Queretaro houses of the time; connect and illuminate all the galleries. Art, architecture and history interact, combining everything in a timeless atmosphere. Part of the artist’s work and personal collection has been transferred to the museum facilities, where people can have free access to the exhibitions and programs offered by the foundation, opening the possibility of another way of occupying this space.

La entrada Santiago Carbonell Museum se publicó primero en Global Spaces.