Dezeen · Creativity & design

Formant Studio Reimagines Chicago Taverns in Mexico City Restaurant

Formant Studio has designed Nota Tavern, a new Italian-American restaurant in Mexico City, drawing inspiration from classic Chicago taverns. The design incorporates custom furniture and fixtures within a space that was once part of a historic residence.

Located in Escandón I, Nota Tavern occupies a preserved section of a former hacienda-style residence. Formant Studio aimed to translate the familiar, non-spectacle-driven character of Chicago neighborhood taverns into a contemporary architectural language.

The studio integrated influences from Chicago architects like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright, applying clean minimalism and warmer modernism to the design.

Formant Studio created most of the furniture, including black-stained oak tables, steel bar stools, and metal sconces, adhering to the tradition of 20th-century modern architects.

The interior features Mexican rosewood panels on the walls and for custom banquette seating upholstered in black Kvadrat textiles. Original ornate stone pillars from the former residence were restored and serve as a centerpiece.

The layout was dictated by the existing space, with built-in booths along longer walls to create a spatial rhythm and a flexible central area. A spiral staircase leads to a private dining room upstairs.

The bar area includes a mirror backsplash and rosewood millwork. Tables are set with sheer white cloths, contrasting with stained-black chairs and terrazzo flooring. Art and antiques were curated by Galería Córdoba.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.