Studio recognised for generating design and architecture congruent with the moment (economic, political, social and environmental) that we are living in. They work with three main elements: the object (what they design), the user (for whom they design) and the context (where what they design is inserted) giving the same value or level of importance to each of them. It is in the clash between these three elements of such a different nature that their designs and architecture are generated. The studio's intervention in this project is based on a deep understanding of the culinary concept of NINYAS and the social dynamics that characterise the restaurant.

Ignacio Urquiza Arquitectos

NINYAS was born from the desire of a father and his son to share their passion for the culinary gatherings that used to take place in their house, where there were several rooms with tables, more like bars, always equipped with a plancha. This restaurant is inspired by those gatherings where, between chats, they perfected their famous rib eye taco in a flour tortilla. With NINYAS, they ‘open the doors of their home’ to anyone who wants to experience it.

The 100 square metre premises, located on the ground floor of a 1950s building in Colonia Juárez, Mexico, had to reflect the essence of the restaurant through its design. The architectural proposal sought to synthesise the elements that link Mexican and Japanese gastronomy. A shared bar distribution was chosen, reinforcing the idea of food as a collective act. Materiality was a key aspect, combining cold, reflective surfaces with warm elements that bring contrast and balance to the space.

Stainless steel was established as the predominant material for the project. Its reflective properties help to generate a sense of amplitude and dynamism, capturing the movements and activity within the restaurant. Curiously, the neutral and cold finish becomes the element which fills the space with colour and life. It was used to cover the perimeter walls with 1x3 metre panels, to design the kitchen furniture and equipment, to build the bars where diners are served and to cover the bridge that connects the stairs to the mezzanine.