Huerto Cafe

An outdoor café built from bamboo and tetrapak panels, located inside a community garden in Mexico City. 



Located in the northwest corner of a busy city block is the main entrance to the community garden Huerto Roma Verde.  To capture the pedestrian traffic of the entrance and the main street outside, a café with a terrace was created at this location.  In order to preserve the character of the space, none of the trees inside the site were cut down, allowing for the new structure to weave in between the existing plants. The main materials used in the construction of this new structure are bamboo, salvaged wood, and tetrapak panels which are composed of recycled cartons and aluminum.  With no doors or windows, the openness of the café allows for the customers to enjoy the nearby natural features within the garden such as water fountains, streams, and birds.                

The café structure expands in various directions allowing for multiple forms of circulation to take place within it.  In the front façade of the building, a staircase built entirely out of bamboo, allows for access to a large terrace above, with views of the surrounding city on all sides.  The café has 2 entry points for customers allowing for certain parts of it to enlarge during the daytime to attract more people. The interior counter bar is covered with salved wood pieces which have been cut and arranged in a geometric pattern.  The lightness and texture of the bamboo frame allows for the large structure to blend in with the surrounding area.  The large span roofs above protect the space from heavy rain and sun, allowing for the open-air café to exist below.  












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