Bar Céntrico 2012 - Yemail Arquitectura

Project Details

Centrico Bar 2012

DESCRIPTION

Céntrico is a restaurant located on the 42nd floor of the iconic Caja de Sueldos de Retiro de la Policía tower, later transformed into a hotel and originally designed by architect Fernando Martínez Sanabria around 1963. This floor was initially intended to house the hotel restaurant, conceived under the logic of a French Baroque-style dining room and later converted into a legendary electronic music nightclub that occupied the space by building upon the decadence of the original project.

Integrated Infrastructure

After five years of abandonment, we were commissioned to recover the space and adapt it to house a new restaurant and bar, with particular emphasis on views over the city and acoustic comfort. The project begins by recognizing its location at the very top of a tower and incorporating into the design the “infrastructure” that supports the building’s operation, including water tanks, freight elevators, and service ducts.

An Unexpected Space

The spatial structure prioritizes functionality, interaction with the views, and the possibility of creating different atmospheres that coexist within the same overall logic, offering more intimate rooms, lookout points, terraces, salons, and double-height spaces. The project incorporates an unexpected space into the existing structure through the recovery of the roof. Two glass volumes are inserted at either end, allowing access to and visual contact with the rooftop. There, the existing concrete structure is used to suspend furniture, an illuminated sign, and gardens.

Derived Technologies

The material palette was developed according to criteria of acoustic performance, long-term durability, and the reuse of existing elements through either contrast or continuity. Glazed clay tiles are combined with amber glass, while 10 × 10 cm tiles are paired with carpet mosaics made from offcuts. At the same time, materials originally developed for other technological contexts are reinterpreted for interior use. These include upholstery, carpets, and reflective lights from the automotive industry, as well as polystyrene seedling trays filled with polyurethane and adapted to form the acoustic ceiling of the main dining room.

DETAILS

Use

Bar + Restaurant traditional

Area

850 m²

Location

Bogotá D. C. – Colombia

Meters above the sea level

2625

Average annual temperature

13.1 °C

Year

2012

Client

Mauricio Guerrero + Juan Antonio Yepes

Design

Yemail Architecture (Oficina Informal) + Manuel Villa Arquitectos

Construction

Manuel Villa Arquitectos + Métrica Constructores

Project team

Antonio Yemail + Daniella Robledo + Jan Henao + Juan Pablo Gaitán
Manuel Villa + Santiago Buendía

Architectural Model

Manuel Villa Arquitectos

Structural design

CNI Ingenieros

Acoustic design

Acustec Ltda

Graphic system

Taller Estándar (Juan David Diez)

Photo Credits

Santiago Pinyol

Categories: Production