With several years of path and delighting the most demanding palates in Yucatan, GLaR decided to start a new gastronomic adventure, on the same steaky line but this time with a new approach, resulting from traveling and the enthusiasm for Texan cooking.
The first step was finding the perfect place, so after months of search, it was found, a little jewel in a quiet area in the north of the city. It was suspended on time; the past owner was an old lady with a particular taste in gardening. This was the triggering point: the lush vegetation.
During the initial designing meetings on the site, for Hogsons Smoke House, we declared a guiding principle: Celebrate Green. Transform a space originally designed for housing to a commercial use represented a challenge, but the house actually helped in a big way, the distribution in the spaces were very simple so there were a few subtle interventions necessary in the layout.
Two levels were proposed for the commensal area, because of the volume needed, in the main room a space with double – height in the middle was possible thanks to the demolition of a part from the mezzanine, in the second floor some walls were demolished too so we can make room to create small areas more private and exclusive. This action accomplishes the main idea of connecting visually both levels, filling of light the inside and framing the exterior in a way that you can see vegetation from every single angle.
The old kitchen is now replaced with a new one, bigger and elaborated, the garage and the service area in the old house were demolished and create instead a concept of Bar with a wet bar that has a full view to the inside and the outside. The back of the house had some rooms outside that were cleaned and now are enabled as warehouse and secret recipes lab and flavor conspiracy. The original stairs still remain, now having a metal foil cover, the wall that was confining it was removed so they become part of the lobby. Next to this principal area are located restrooms for women and men, confined behind a wood shell, an expressive element that works as a backdrop for the upgoing movement.
Hereafter, some elements from the original house were restored so they can last long time. There is a sense of a big mass floating over the arches in the frontal view, these ones are connected to each other creating a platform for this floating volume. The arches are framed with corten steel lattice, these vertical elements like a marimba, composed with different measures of tracks generates a rhythm and a texture that makes us think in a really big grill. The original house floor (red paste tiles) were selected, renewed, polished and put it back taking a form like a mat surrounded with burnished concrete in beige, we can find these in the lobby and private rooms. There are brick walls painted, this to make more obvious the decorative intentions. If we look up to the ceiling, we will be founding acoustic panels with several textures, that helps not only for the noise control, but to catch the eye. The wood also has different looks in the atmosphere, the color changes also the pattern and the textures so it can blend perfectly with glass and steel.
The vegetation was also used as a tool in design. For a tropical welcome beside the lobby there is a Mango tree, located also as a statement in urban way. Flor de Mayo, Palmas Chit, Avocado Tree, Mamey, Pepino Kat, Tulipan, Crotos and Palm trees are some of the pre-existent vegetations found in the garden of the house. Now we added Jabin Trees, Jicaritos, Palmas Viajeras, Helechos, Arbustos and different species of vines, giving a complete and diverse green view for commensals. Lightning, atmosphere and furniture complete the whole experience: undirect lightning, pendant lights, copper and wood covered tables, corten steel, wood and granite counters. Chairs in black brass with wood details, wood chairs with gray or beige fabric.
An industrial atmosphere, decorated with objects from several places in United States of America and some of the essential details from the BBQ Industry like the gigantic horns lamp which stand out in the main room, the pendant lamps dressing the wet bar or the deer head as a visual point of the stairs, every single element together achieve a perfect harmony with all the dishes offered, where the Costillas and Pulled Pork are a MUST HAVE.
Material Used :
1. Ladrillera Mecanizada - Facade Cladding- Brick
2. Corev- Exterior Walls – Lisso L502
3. Acoustic Sonic Inc- Ceiling - Acoustic Foam Wedge
