Tacos El Unico

This project brings a contemporary aesthetic and spatial richness to a new location of a Southern California-based quick-service Mexican restaurant chain. The design aims to elevate the dine-in experience while maintaining a clear connection to the brand's cultural and architectural history.

The concept was shaped by two perspectives: the fast-moving gaze of drivers passing along the adjacent thoroughfare, and the slower, more immersive experience of the diner. From the street, the building presents a strong, legible form that communicates quickly and clearly. For those inside, the space unfolds gradually—through layered materiality, varied atmospheres, and shifting views—encouraging repeated visits and new associations with the restaurant and its brand.

Site constraints defined a compact, L-shaped footprint, prompting a careful organization of service functions and dining zones. Breezeblock walls mediate between interior and exterior, filtering light and movement while creating a porous edge to the open-air dining room. The architecture balances mass and lightness—solid volumes anchor the space while lighter partitions animate it.

Formal cues are drawn from both Mies's Barcelona Pavilion and the informal architecture of Southern California taco stands. Curved wall tops gently meet a flat roof plane, referencing the mission-style language familiar to the brand's other locations. A warm palette of cream stucco and terracotta ties the architectural expression to the culinary one.

Developed through a combination of physical and digital models, the design captures the interplay of permanence and lightness. Cast plaster forms express mass and structure, while cardboard and basswood elements test transparency and proportion. The resulting composition is both direct and nuanced—resolving into a clear presence from afar while offering complexity and openness as one approaches.

Location Santa Ana, CA Size 2,500 SF Budget 1.2 Million Status Concept Design