“La Acuarima” is a restaurant immersed in a lake located in Rancho Avándaro, Valle de Bravo. The project is elevated by a concrete platform that hovers over the body of water. Its circular design allows for an almost 360 degree view that encourages a permanent relationship between diners and the landscape.
The main access is composed of a rectangular brick prism that creates a stark contrast with the circular shapes of the concrete platform and the wood cover. There’s also a secondary access that is diametrically opposite to the main one. Both access’s dispositions create a circulation axis.
The architectural program consists of a main saloon with a bar at its center, a perimetral terrace, a food preparation area, a warehouse and sanitary modules. The main saloon sports a semi-interior condition, while the terrace is in direct contact with the lake and its surrounding vegetation, separated from water level only by a concrete step. The difference between both areas is achieved by a slight change in levels, and by distinct floor finishes; the first is finished with concrete cobble, the second with a polished concrete slab. The privacy and solar incidence in the restaurant can be controlled through a system of sliding black Sunbrella curtains.
Concerning the central bar, this is the place where the structure for the cover rises. A wooden armor with steal connections and iron beams covered in wood, supports the clay block-covered reinforced concrete slab. The building’s foundation is composed of a circular concrete base.
The finishes, both on the building materials and the furnishings, where selected in different shades of red. This creates a warm, monochromatic atmosphere that contrasts with the deep green of the surrounding landscape. Red brick was chosen for the walls; natural wood was chosen for the main structural elements and the cover; different types and shades of wood were chosen for the tables and chairs; to tie it all together, textile raffia detailing was chosen for the chairs and lamps. The main lighting design consists of LED lights that stick to the red shading of the chromatic palette.
The space acquires an identity through its material properties. The use of wood and brick unify the environment and bring a sense of tranquility to it. The furnishings bring elegance and comfort. The lighting highlights the cover’s structure and the restaurant’s main access at night. The lake view consolidates an atmosphere that mimics the calmness of nature.
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