Project Description
Buena Onda is a bright, modern Acapulco-inspired dining and bar restaurant. When customers en-ter Buena Onda, they will immediately notice the tropical teal bar that is sheltered beneath a modern “palapa,” featuring CORE’s signature light and dark wood-slat design.
A palapa is a grass-thatch hut that you might find on a beach in Mexico. CORE reinterpreted the straw grassy materiality of the hut by using white washed wood slats, supported by a darker wood lattice beyond. Adjacent to the bar is the Point of Sale. With having two different program elements in such close usage to each other – the Point of Sale and Bar, Chef Garces wanted each piece to have its own unique materiality and design, so that the bar could stand out within the space, and customers ordering of the Point of Sale experienced the space differently than guests at the bar. The execution of different materials at each of the elements also aids in their distinction – the Point of Sale is comprised of white decorative concrete block, a primitive and inexpensive building material, which adds subtle pattern and reinforces the unpretentious atmosphere.
CORE gathered inspiration by looking at the architecture of Luis Barragan and how he created volumes through color blocking. Not only did he use bright, distinctive colors to create his massing – but the surfaces themselves contain texture and slight variation. The spaces of Buena Onda are defined by these volumes and their different materials – the “X” or lattice pattern of the Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU), wood slats, periwinkle furniture, citrus yellow and turquoise stacked tile, and a bright white raked plaster texture. Acapulco chairs were also studied, and they take form in the shape of custom feature pendant lights that cascade throughout the dining space. The delicate black metal framework pops against the lighter teal and wood tones. Since the existing ceiling is over 15 feet tall, lowering these light fixtures provide a canopy to the guests while they are eating.
Buena Onda’s coastal menu and décor – with its subtle play of wall textures, color blocking, and warm natural materials – will transport customers to the relaxing and vibrant beach towns of Mexico.