Few design-led coffee parlours are as inextricably linked to architecture as the expanding Madcoffee chain in Monterrey. How so? Well, it’s an affiliated enterprise of local design, architecture and branding studio Madarq. Following an initial café at Nuevo Sur, a second outpost has been inaugurated at Plaza Áuriga, another popular shopping centre. Occupying a ground floor unit measuring 130 sqm. (1,399 sq.ft.) set across two levels, this branch innovatively blends in Madarq‘s design studio with the objective to better connect with the local community. The design makes clever use of the existing architectural elements, most notably three concrete columns, and is inspired by the concept of ‘showroom and café’. This notion has resulted in immaculate white architectural forms and yellowish-brown wood that highlights the natural beauty of espresso crema.
Additionally, locally sourced grey natural stones and crystals make up the setting and allow natural light to permeate the premises. Upon entering, visitors find a fully equipped service counter right next to the entrance, and directly opposite, a seating section lines the wall all the way to the back. Additional seating can be found next to the staircase. One floor up, the design studio and a meeting space are situated—both are encased in glass, creating privacy, yet optically, they’re integrated in the public space. A third seating area is situated near the façade. As Madcoffee is both a coffee parlour and a bakery – we haven’t mentioned the ground floor kitchen yet, have we? – the menu lists not only a wide range of hot and cold coffee concoctions, but also an abundance of pastries, cookies, sandwiches and bowls.
Madcoffee
Plaza Áuriga, Avenida Real de San Agustín (San Pedro)
66278 Monterrey
Daily 7.3am-10.30pm
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
