Paco’s Tacos brings modern Mexican design to Eastland Colourful Mexican culture characterises the new Paco’s Tacos restaurant designed by hospitality design leaders, Technē Architecture and Interior Design. The MoVida-owned taqueria is part of Eastland Shopping Centre’s new ‘Town Square’ – Ringwood’s own open-air dual community and dining precinct. The design brief provided to Technē call for the inclusion of the original yellow, bright and fun aesthetic established at the founding CBD store, combined with the feeling of an authentic Mexican eatery.
Influences of the revered Mexican architect Luis Barragán are evident throughout the restaurant, which is designed to feel like an open-air piazza. The space is attractively divided by individual height large timber and reo mesh arches that play with the scale of the 200 square metre floor plan. Banquette seating runs the length of the dining area, with different seating configurations to suit small and large parties. Block shades of pink, blue and yellow have been used in each zone between the arches, referencing the vibrant, coloured facades commonly found in Mexican architecture.
“We used reo mesh and an abundance yellow in the space to tie to the original Paco’s Tacos site, but we have brought in an overtone of softness with the pink and blue,” says Jonny Mitchell, senior interior designer at Technē. “As with all of our projects, we have collaborated closely with the client, and the design was led by the food offering and original brand,” Mitchell says. Technē teamed up with landscape architects Ayus Bontanical for green space and planting, maximising the opportunity to create a courtyard-like ambience. “It’s our mission to create sustainable spaces that will stand test of time, so we’ve used extremely durable materials while still making the space comfortable for patrons,” Mitchell says. Fun touches - like a projector screening old Mexican movies - mirror the playful nature of Mexican dining.
