MALIX
MALIX
CDMX, Mexico, 2021
Restaurant
Polanco, Mexico City
2021
SERVICES
ARCHITECTURE/INTERIOR
PRODUCT/INDUSTRIAL/FURNITURE
VISUAL IDENTITY
STORYTELLING
Taking inspiration from the intermixing of dog breeds, the new MYT+GLVDK project pays tribute to the diversity, fusion and exploration of Mexico’s biocultural wealth.
Located in the heart of Polanco, in Mexico City, Malix celebrates the richness that results from the fusion and intermingling of culinary traditions, while seeking to bring the community together, providing a casual shared dining space that enhances the flavors of Mexico, enriched with influences from different latitudes of the globe.
Designed by MYT+GLVDK, headed up by Andrés Mier y Terán and Regina Galvanduque, the architecture, furnishings and visual identity reflect diversity through a reinterpretation of everyday elements of the metropolitan landscape.
The word “Malix”—meaning “mongrel” in Maya—alludes to the term people use for street dogs in the Yucatán peninsula and describes the essence of the project: not being tied to any specific heritage. Taking dog breeds as an inspiration in this way, Malix evokes an eclectic combination of elements and hues such as concrete and urban signage.
With the aim of creating a culinary workshop for chef Alonso Madrigal—where different worlds converge in a cosmopolitan atmosphere to bring into being previously unheard-of and experimental dishes—MYT+GLVDK designed a gourmet wine bar and café-bar that reflects the dynamism of the project, crafting a versatile space where diners can witness, in an accessible and fun way, the processes that bring these contemporary flavors to life.
The distribution of the spaces is divided into four areas: a kitchen focused around the grill and the comal, complemented with latest-generation culinary devices; a carefully curated store with the best deli goods specializing in wines, beers and fresh sausages, combined with an innovative delivery and takeaway concept; a bar serving a simple breakfast menu that in the evening becomes a space offering eclectic dishes to complement the range of drinks on offer; and a private room to celebrate intimate dinners with guest chefs.
Architects Andrés Mier y Terán and Regina Galvanduque designed the interior environment based on a combination of basic materials—such as cement and rebar—with the organic texture of pine wood and artisan ceramics, as well as natural fabrics present in some pieces of furniture, such as the wool upholstery, which recalls sheep’s pelts to the touch.
The chromatic range takes in shades of gray accented with the characteristic yellow of sidewalks. Individual details are key to defining the ambiance, such as the unique floor pattern formed by a collage of marble and decorative plaques that allude to the permanent footprints left by dogs on sidewalks when they accidentally walk over fresh concrete.
For the visual identity, MYT+GLVDK incorporated drawings of dogs by illustrator Marina Corach to add light-hearted visual elements to the menus, tableware and packaging of the delicatessen products, which include artisan sausages, sauces, preserves, natural wines, beers and Mexican spirits.
For Mier y Terán and Galvanduque, this project represents an opportunity to create an experience that pays tribute to the diversity, fusion and exploration of Mexico’s biocultural wealth.
