All of us have experienced elements of surprise when strolling through forested acreages, hiking on a hilly trail, or exploring the green patches in our brick and concrete urbanscapes. Sometimes in the form of dried fruits and flowers, fossilised into objects fit for usage as decoration, sometimes as opportunities that trigger pareidolia, and at other times as framed vistas peeking through verdant landscapes, incredulous experiences are the norm when in the midst of nature. These elements of surprise, of encountering the unknown or unthought, are almost non-existent from modern establishments such as shopping malls, commercial centres, or even museums and experience centres. In an attempt to not interrupt the view of and interaction with objects laid down for users and visitors, the walls of such structures are often turned pallid, their edges usually stretched straight, with nearly no space for wonder.

A break from the monotonous and predictable design of such spaces is offered by Mezcalería Maguey, in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. The architect and designer, Daniela Bucio Sistos of Taller de Arquitectura y Diseño, shares, “Mezcalería Maguey is an intervention placed inside a commercial plaza. The first approach was to achieve an effect of dissociation for the user and to create an environment that is completely different from that of a commercial establishment. The intention of this project is to pursue an atmosphere of shadows.”

The site, rectangular in shape, came with a flat roof and exposed metal structure, and steel and aluminium windows and doors, much like the rest of the plaza that comprises cafeterias, restaurants and clothing stores. “We wanted to change the guiding axes of the site both horizontally and vertically, proposing a cross vault within the space and sectioning the place to have different areas and environments,” the Mexican architect shares.

The architect created the space as one that would not only serve as a surprising addition to the commercial plaza, but also extend as an homage to mezcal and its preparation, the making of which was handed down in the client’s family. “Knowing about the elaboration of mezcal, the formal and interior proposal is rooted in the feeling of being under the ground or buried, as they do with certain types of mezcals. This space has earthy tones,” the Mexican designer shares, describing the interiors that are built using polished cement coloured to resemble the deep burnt orange and brown of terracotta. In building a space that evinces images of caves and underground tunnels, the architect manages to create a haven worthy of the distillate. The entrance to the Mezcalería is through two sliding doors.

Although designed keeping in mind the special mezcal concoction, the space also offers other drinks from the region. “Maguey Mezcalería also offers a variety of cocktails made with mezcal from the region. As well as typical dishes from Michoacán. For example, sopes of charal, a fish found in Michoacán's lake region,” Sistos shares.

The defining feature of the space is the vaulted ceiling, built using a metallic structure which is then covered with panel and brick, and which sits on partition walls. It creates the impression of a monumental element hovering from above, just like one feels in a cavernous space. The soft-edged hand-built partition walls further enhance the interior design, layering the small space and fragmenting it into sections. The partition walls subtly cradle the central space housing the bar and seating. The wall behind the bar is dotted with cavities that appears like a surface dug up for mezcal. Behind the wall hides a kitchen.

“The vault that crosses diagonally to the store helped us propose three areas, making it vestibular and breaking with the monotony of the original place. The proposed lighting was fundamental to create a much more intimate and cozy space for the user. The idea was always not to show any hanging lamps, accentuating the vault and the grooves of the counter bar with indirect lighting,” the interior designer shares.

The furniture used in the space is also designed and built by Daniela Bucio Sistos, in collaboration with local artisans. While the hammered copper tables are made by artisans from Santa Clara del Cobre, the wooden chairs are made in Opopeo, Michoacán, a town known for its chairs.

Taller de Arquitectura y Diseño, in the coming months, intends to begin construction on a vineyard project—surrounded by three inactive volcanoes—in the outskirts of San Miguel de Allende. As with Mezcalería Maguey, the Mexican studio intends to look into the local materials and practices with this project, too. The architectural practice is also, meanwhile, working on the construction of apartments in the city of Morelia, where they are trying to reinterpret the pre-Columbian construction of the region. 

Project Details

Name: Mezcalería Maguey
Location: Plaza W, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
Area: 70 square metres
Year of completion: 2023
Architect: Daniela Bucio Sistos
Design team: Arq. Gonzalo Nares Vázquez, Jorge Alcalá Hope, Isabel Molina Plaza