estudio atemporal adds a mystic spirit to xaman bar

estudio atemporal adds a mystic spirit to xaman bar
all images courtesy of luis gallardo / LGM studio

the ‘xaman bar‘ designed by estudio atemporal was a project that consisted in creating a high-end cocktail bar through the intervention of a basement in an inconspicuous building at colonia juarez in mexico city. the only sign that lets you know that there’s a bar on the area, are some signals on the floor that lead to a downward stairway that brings you to the front door. upon entrance, dimmed lighting creates a different atmosphere from that of the outdoors, helping the user to quickly forget the almost generic appearance of the building’s façade.

a wooden display cabinet filled with plans and shamanic elements welcomes you upon entrance

once inside, the user is received by a wooden display cabinet filled with carefully selected plants and objects curated with the shamanic concept of the bar. functioning as a first visual barrier, this cabinet also creates a hallway that leads to the bar — a monolithic and stony structure that is one of the main elements of the design. the landmark bar is complemented with a perforated wooden soffit through which light is filtered, illuminating a mural that covers the whole length of the wall and creates a nebulous landscape.

the cabinet also creates a visual barrier and a hallway that leads in the bar

space modulation was created parting from the pre-existing reticular structure: discovering it and ensuring its presence was a fundamental part of the project. in the same logic, the space can be modulated and sub-divided based on the specific user needs with the use of drapes that run all the structural grid. this element also creates a different levels of transparency in lighting that generates a warm and cozy ambiance.

a monolithic stone structure acts as the bar, becoming one of the main elements throughout the space

following the journey, some other different adjoining spaces can be found: two small private lounges and a secondary room for small groups in which graphical interventions, materials and textures create interesting variations in the overall experience. the last pathway reveals a staircase that leads to the services and to an open patio that brings contact with the exterior.

space modulation can be created thanks to the drapes that can be closed or open depending on the needs

the ‘xaman bar’ is one of those secret spaces that only a place like mexico city can offer you. its shamanic spirit is present in every corner, referencing its mystic and the desert. 

when closed, the drapes play with light and transparencies, generating a cozy ambiance

the material selection made sure every one of them could stand out without overshadowing the others

the marble bar resembles an apothecary with its back wall full of little jars

the lighting design made sure there’s enough light to see and to feel comfortable

the private small lounge is perfect for a small group 

the concrete structures defined the overall look 

in this secondary room, graphical interventions have been made that follow the bars iconography

project info:

location: copenhague 6, juárez, 06600, delegación cuauhtémoc, distrito federal, méxico

construction: april – june 2015

constructed are: 260m2

collaboration with: despacho durango, bi yuu,  taller nacional, christopher lagunes / raisa torres, vanessa ortega zazir

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: juliana neira | designboom