A-nrd designs Mayfair restaurant as showroom for Mexican craft

Design studio A-nrd has created soft and textural interiors for the Fonda restaurant in London, which showcases a changing collection of Mexican design curated by Fernando Laposse.

A-nrd's aim for the Fonda restaurant was to "bring to London the colours and cooking of the restaurants, markets and homes that represent Mexico".

They hope that the Mayfair location will become a showroom for the country's craftsmanship, with an ever-changing display of craft and collectible design curated by Mexican designer Fernando Laposse.

With the design A-nrd aimed "to capture the essence of Mexico rather than replicate its aesthetic tropes".

"It was important to avoid pastiche," A-nrd founder Alessio Nardi told Dezeen.

"Instead, we embraced a spirit of 'Mexican humbleness' – simple yet soulful – by working with tactile materials, honest finishes, and a contemporary lens on traditional craftsmanship."

The challenge was to make the space feel "authentic to its Mexican roots and totally at home in London," Nardi said.

That meant being selective with references and "avoiding anything too thematically obvious".

The interior combines numerous materials including glass, wood, fabric upholstery, rough render and tile work.

"Juxtaposition was a driving force – we paired earthy, tactile surfaces like rough render and concrete with soft woven fabrics and ethereal elements to create depth and sensory contrast," A-nrd's Lukas Persakovas told Dezeen.

Glossy details like glazed tiles and seeded glass add a layer of lightness and reflection.

The soft yellow and pink tones used on the walls act as a quiet backdrop for more expressive furniture, fixtures, tiles and the design that is on display.

"This let us respond sensitively to the building's existing character without overwhelming it," Persakovas explained.

In Mexico, a fonda is a family-owned eatery serving traditional dishes in an informal setting cooked in central clay comals, which are traditional griddles for cooking corn masa or tortillas. A bespoke clay comal was imported from Mexico for the kitchen at Fonda.

Around the comal are a number of clay ceramics from Mexico City-born, London-based ceramicist Lucia Ocejo.

Hanging as pendants next to the comal pans, Ocejo's pieces draw inspiration from indigenous homewares and aim to symbolise the use of heat, smoke and ashes to create new art forms.

Dishes from the kitchen are presented in bespoke stoneware by Mexican designers Duplo. The tiered serviceware keeps tortillas warm in a volcanic stone base, fitted with a wooden lid, and further stackable layers.

As part of the collection of crafts, Aa giant pink sloth made by Laposse out of agave sisal fibres hangs over the restaurant's stairwell.

Another of Laposse's works hangs along the feature wall.

Consisting of three patchwork panels of diaphanous fabric that have been dyed with natural pigments, the translucent hanging is in gentle, constant motion, creating "a dynamic feature that interacts with the room".

M.A Estudio have crafted a number of unique stand-alone tiered ornaments, each telling the story of indigenous communities and wood carving practices.

At the entrance, visitors are greeted by the a mask from Los Otros, which is a collective based in Mexico who bring together collections of folkloric masks, representing characters from traditional tales or dances.

Other recent A-nrd projects featured on Dezeen include a restaurant on the banks of the Grand Union Canal in west London and the transformation of a former Shoreditch bank into a pasta restaurant.

The photography is by David Cleveland

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