Located in the residential area of Polanco in Mexico City, the restaurant Tori-Tori, one of the city’s premier Japanese establishments, has invested on its success and moved into a larger building.
Courtesy of Rojkind Arquitectos. Image © Jaime Navarro
The architects Rojkind Arquitectos and Esrawe Studio observed that in this area, which is itself quickly transforming as zoning laws change, new establishments can be found to pop up with no more notice or advertisement than a small sign appearing one day over a door- the insides being completely altered, but from outside, the same buildings that had always been there, were still there. Wanting to avoid this, the remodel transformed not only the new building, but also its face to the outside world.
Courtesy of Rojkind Arquitectos. Image © Jaime Navarro
Wrapping the new building are two layers of self-supporting steel matrices which have been cut using CNC technology and hand formed to final, exact specifications. These steel ivy announce to the world that something new has replaced the old. At Rojkind Arquitectos we are very rigorous about experimenting with digital design as well as getting things built,’ says Michel Rojkind,
Courtesy of Rojkind Arquitectos. Image © Jaime Navarro
‘That’s why we have specially focused on how to translate complex geometries into very simple and understandable drawings that benefit from local manufacturing, as is the case of working in Mexico City.’ Inside the remodeled building, everything recognizable from the old residence has been stripped and replaced with a new conglomeration of open spaces, sake bar, terraces, even the restaurant’s own temple.
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Each room has its own individual character specifically designed to fit the room’s function. Similarly, all furniture and furnishings are inspired by Tori-Tori and unique to the establishment. Héctor Esrawe of ESRAWE Studio states that ‘We seek in the project a chance for the users to link with the different ambiances and choose their favorites. Each space’s materials, setup and characteristics towards the furniture generate a wide spectrum of options and sensations for its assiduous clients.
Courtesy of Rojkind Arquitectos & Esrawe Studio – Photography by Paúl Rivera