Cosme
San Isidro, Lima (2013-2014)
We were asked to design a trendy neighbourhood
restaurant with a casual but elaborated menu of comfort food. It’s name, Cosme, recalls the first barriada in Lima (Cerro San Cosme) that is symbolised by a Gallinazo (a black vulture).
This bird, abundant in Lima’s neighbourhoods, has been designed by nature to
ingest the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which is found in waste and dead
animals, and that would spread to people if it were not absorbed by these vultures. By eliminating carrion, the gallinazo becomes a purifying agent for
the environment and the preservation of ecosystems. We proceeded from this
concept to design the restaurant.
Located in what was formerly a heavily
decorated trattoria, we opted to clean the space by removing as much
unnecessary matter as possible (flooring, plastering, ceilings, etc.). We aimed
for a clean, tidy and fresh ambience, which was echoed in the sustainable
approach of the restaurant, who would use seasonal products and no plastic
straws or plastic bottles. Thus, we only added the necessary elements (acoustic/
lighting/ furniture), made from recycled materials. A colourful cloud of more
than 4000 plastic bottles hovers over the dinning room, each containing a
certain amount of liquid for it to work as a resonator and acoustically
neutralize noises from the street. Plastic bottle caps are used as wall cladding,
plastic straws for curtains and tables are made out of pressed chipboard scraps,
our own form of a ‘purifying agent’ for the environment.
DESIGN TEAM: César Becerra, Manuel de Rivero, Fernando Puente Arnao with Favio Chumpitaz, Mauricio Gilbonio, Karina Leon, Guiseli Huaripuma, Vanessa Leon
SURFACE: 250 m2 LOCATION: San Isidro, Lima
YEAR: 2013-2014
CONSTRUCTION: Raúl Godomar
ADVISORS: Claudia Paz (lighting), Carlos Jimenez (accoustics), Henry Pacheco (glassing & metal works), Gilberto Chiclote (wood work), Jean Pierre Castro (PET bottle ceiling)
CLIENT:Restaurante Cosme
PHOTOGRAPHY: PHOSS, 51-1
San Isidro, Lima (2013-2014)
We were asked to design a trendy neighbourhood restaurant with a casual but elaborated menu of comfort food. It’s name, Cosme, recalls the first barriada in Lima (Cerro San Cosme) that is symbolised by a Gallinazo (a black vulture). This bird, abundant in Lima’s neighbourhoods, has been designed by nature to ingest the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which is found in waste and dead animals, and that would spread to people if it were not absorbed by these vultures. By eliminating carrion, the gallinazo becomes a purifying agent for the environment and the preservation of ecosystems. We proceeded from this concept to design the restaurant.
Located in what was formerly a heavily decorated trattoria, we opted to clean the space by removing as much unnecessary matter as possible (flooring, plastering, ceilings, etc.). We aimed for a clean, tidy and fresh ambience, which was echoed in the sustainable approach of the restaurant, who would use seasonal products and no plastic straws or plastic bottles. Thus, we only added the necessary elements (acoustic/ lighting/ furniture), made from recycled materials. A colourful cloud of more than 4000 plastic bottles hovers over the dinning room, each containing a certain amount of liquid for it to work as a resonator and acoustically neutralize noises from the street. Plastic bottle caps are used as wall cladding, plastic straws for curtains and tables are made out of pressed chipboard scraps, our own form of a ‘purifying agent’ for the environment.