Gutiérrez Café by toro arquitectos

Coffee culture has increasingly manifested across the planet by way of design-led coffee parlours in leading cities across the planet, including Montevideo. Since a few months, the leafy seaside neighbourhood of Nuevo Pocitos is home to a Brutalist-style café which pairs good quality coffee with matching lunch bites, tasty dishes and pastries. Called Gutiérrez Café, the venue is designed by local architecture and design practice toro arquitectos, and occupies a 72 sqm. (772 sq.ft.) space in an entirely redeveloped annex of a residential building. The structure has been given a new façade, and it’s one that’s not only clad in concrete sidewalk tiles, but it also embeds seating and a takeaway counter. Interestingly, the sidewalk tiles extends inside, covering the open kitchen’s elongated service counter with a stainless steel top which occupies one side of the café.

The austere material palette is complemented by encaustic tiles covering the floor, in addition to sand-coloured walls, adorned with backlit circular stone wall sconces, and an unapologetic spackled ceiling which balances out the smooth surfaces below, is. An elongated cushioned bench runs along the window and side wall, and is paired with steel tables with tops consisting of the similar tiles as the floor, and matching chairs of steel and timber, in addition to circular tables and cushioned stools. Additional seating can be found outside when weather permits, featuring similar circular tables with matching stools. Gutiérrez Café is an urban café with a distinctive soul which aims to preserve the neighbourhood spirit while it also elevates any visit with its many delectable offerings. © superfuture