It’s a restaurant that opens its doors in the Condesa neighborhood, designed by the Mexican firm WORC, whose concept arises from recreating the authentic flavors of Seoul’s street food in Mexico City. It is a space that serves as a stage for friends to share, immersing visitors in Korean culture through design and gastronomy.

Upon entering, a red neon sign welcomes diners with the inscription “KDMX AUTHENTIC STREET FOOD,” inviting them to experience a space where a small lobby, long tables, and a kitchen island and restrooms for the restaurant are located.

The main challenge of this project was to combine the Mexican context with the contemporary aesthetics of Seoul. The choice of materials played a crucial role in making this possible; the tones used tend towards the neutrality of the space but rather vibrant colors and textures.

At  CHINGU, the terrace becomes the true heart of the project: a space that not only complements the dining experience but amplifies it through its capacity for transformation. More than a shelter, it is a stage in a constant state of potential change.

The roof is composed of a pergola built from pine beams mounted on steel profiles. Due to the limited length of standard lumber, the beams are joined with screwed metal plates that, far from being hidden, become protagonists of the design. These plates serve a dual purpose: structurally,  by stiffening and extending the timber; and technically, by supporting the electrical conduits that run through the pergola and power the lighting system. Even the electrical box is concealed between plates, integrating seamlessly into the clean visual reading of the structure.

From the steel profiles hang cylindrical lamps suspended from movable hooks. This simple mechanism allows the lights to be repositioned anywhere along the structure, recalibrating the light cones according to the table layout. Lighting ceases to be a fixed element and becomes a flexible tool: a minimal gesture is enough to transform the terrace’s atmosphere.

The exposed concrete wall that encloses the space houses sliding planters and pots. Vegetation provides shade and helps regulate the microclimate, but it can also be rearranged to suit different uses. The lightweight roof, combined with these movable elements, reinforces the idea of a space that never settles into a single configuration.

The project’s material language supports this strategy of openness. Stainless steel defines the kitchen and extends into the dining area, unifying the visual identity; it is balanced by pine wood in chairs, benches, and tabletop surfaces, adding warmth. Polished concrete floors provide reflective surfaces that amplify the light, while the bar is clad in white tile, reinforcing a hygienic atmosphere. Vertical enclosures combine glass with translucent planes of reused polycarbonate sheets salvaged from another site which introduce circular economy principles and diffuse light evenly.

Here, every material and construction decision goes beyond ornament. The metal plates that stiffen the wood also conduct electricity; the hooks that hold the lamps enable an adaptable lighting system; the mobile planters turn vegetation into a flexible resource.

The result is a space that doesn’t rely on a fixed configuration, but on a constructive detail that enables reconfiguration. CHINGU’s terrace shows how technique can become language, and how material precision can open the door to change. It is in this open condition that its true strength lies.

ARCHITECTURE: WORC
ARCHITECTS: Ricardo Martínez + Camila Ureña
AREA: 247.5 m2
YEAR: 2023
LOCATION: Mexico City
FURNITURE: VETA
PHOTOGRAPHER: Zaickz Moz