French cuisine, cocktails and music have joined the values of upcycling and sustainable design for Saint-Jacques Bistrot, the latest project by the Mexican firm led by Regina Galvanduque and Andrés Mier y Terán.
MYT+GLVDK's design proposal for Saint-Jacques Bistrot fuses contemporary aesthetic trends with the essence of Mexico, forging a sustainable project that seeks to revitalize an iconic site of encounter in the city. With a vinyl bar and an innovative fusion of marine and countryside elements in gastronomy and design, it also invokes the concept of a comptoir—drinks and appetizers served informally at a counter—to make this street corner a vibrant and attractive site once again for new generations, while celebrating tradition.
For this new culinary space by chefs Israel Montero and Karina Mejía, the starting point was upcycling, understood as the process of elevating disused elements to new forms, to be put back into value through creative evolution. The design team—led by Regina Galvanduque and Andrés Mier y Terán— breathed new life into this Polanco location (previously occupied by a traditional oyster bar), recovering its structure and recycling certain components, endowing it with a classic, laid-back atmosphere, and establishing a comprehensive design that ranges from the visual identity to the interior architecture.
The design of the spaces began with the clearing and cleaning of the original structure, starting out with the recycling of the materials found in the construction process. A terrazzo floor was discovered, which was preserved and restored, as well as different finishes, ironwork and carpentry pieces that had been covered over by successive previous remodeling works. It was also decided to recycle the existing large solid oak bar, with a firm eye on the premise of creating new design elements from the components that the space itself provided.
The chosen materiality is characterized by its sustainability, with a play of contrasts between the old and the modern, as well as a successful balance between different textures, selected shades and noble materials. Denim textiles are the confirmed protagonists of the space: made in collaboration with ⅛ Takamura, their presence in tapestries and uniforms reinforces the young and casual character of the new design. Complementing the recovered elements, stained poplar wood and bejuco have been used for the new furniture, functional lighting was made in resin and metal, and formica tops for the tables and comptoir, establishing a link with the history of the space, without abandoning the informal character of the bistrot.
The comptoir is also a way to honor tradition while appealing to current tastes and sensibilities. Music, mixology and French cuisine are the pillars of Saint-Jacques Bistrot, and form an essential part of the iconography selected for its brand image: illustrations that are incorporated in a versatile way in the form of murals, decorative accents—on tableware, patches or uniforms—or as part of the various forms of graphic communication. The chromatic palette is inspired by the menu, made up of French dishes that combine the countryside and the sea. Different shades of brown coexist with two tones of blue (evoking stonewashed and original denim), complemented with black and an off-white hue, giving warmth and structure to a traditional but playful image.
Complementary details maintain this same concept, expressed through timeless designs with a contemporary twist. The dining room wainscoting has brown leather applications, in dialogue with the original denim curtains and the new light blue denim upholstered seating, with lines that evoke the Nordic cabinetmaking tradition; on the terrace, the Thonet chairs and classic bistro tables are rejuvenated with aluminum edges and color accents and other French-influenced utilitarian elements— such as the copper pots, the Laguiole cutlery, or the tableware created in conjunction with Taller Ánfora—which communicate the informal essence of this space.
Saint-Jacques Bistrot joins the large family of gastronomic and hospitality projects that have emerged from the creative talent of MYT+GLVDK. With a totally contemporary stamp, each of their proposals highlights the value of local components, artisan crafts and traditions, promoting the reuse of materials and international admiration for the work of this interdisciplinary group of Mexican professionals.
Team:
Architects: MYT+GLVDK
Photo credits: ©Paola Patricia López y Alfredo Parker
