A brutalist concept with an urban style using raw and exposed materials, with touches of color inspired by the streets and corners of the Brooklyn neighborhood in NY, materializes in the amenity areas that we designed and constructed for Barrio W, a mixed-use complex in the city center of Monterrey, Mexico.

The project consists of two levels, the seventh and eighth floors of the building, which contain the common areas of one of the residential towers in the complex, including a culinary laboratory, game room, gym, cinema, coworking space, playroom, entertainment area, and the terrace with a swimming pool. For the distribution of certain spaces, we took as a guide the original conceptual project carried out by another local firm, while also respecting some elements of that proposal that were requested by the client. In the lobby area of each amenity level, we included a series of racks to create a space that generates the concept of a neighborhood, where tower residents can exhibit their own artwork and hold cultural events to build community.

On the first level of amenities, you'll find the culinary laboratory, game room, and gym, which directly connect to the terrace. The culinary laboratory is one of the spaces that excited the client the most due to a personal experience they had during a trip and wanted to share with the tower's residents. It includes a kitchen and bar made of cement tiles with blue accents, referencing the Talavera ceramic from the original conceptual proposal. The game room features a TV lounge, video games, foosball table, and poker table, and connects to the cinema and gym at the back. On the terrace area, custom-made BBQ grills are located, designed with brick windows and a terrazzo bar. Each grill is complemented by outdoor dining areas, children's games that function as a fun recreational circuit, a relaxation space with sofas and swings, a pet area, and the swimming pool.

The second level opens to an informal area that connects to the other common spaces: the playroom, where we designed and manufactured all the furniture, including the playhouse with a slide, stands, a small library, and spaces for educational games. The cinema is structured as a large staircase with colorful cushions surrounded by acoustic panels. The entertainment area features board games and a spectacular library space with a custom-designed bookshelf made of exposed corrugated rebar, framing the city views. The coworking space, where we also designed and manufactured all the furniture, is equipped with shared desks, telephone booths with acoustic panels, and a small meeting room.

For each of the spaces in these amenities, we based our solutions on the needs of the residents, focusing on creating areas for socializing and connecting with neighbors that are safe for children and, above all, functional.

Project: Barrio W 

Office Scope: Interior design and architecture, furniture manufacturing in 11 amenity areas:

• Gym 

• Game Room 

• Hall 

• Terrace: BBQ area, swimming pool, and children's area.

• Culinary laboratory 

• Playroom 

• Living room 

• Hobby room 

• Coworking space 

• Cinema

Location: Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico

Built area: 1060m2

Year: 2023 

Photographs: Dove Dope