El Kuvo was a project we took on in 2019Q4, during which it was in the middle of construction but the clients’ vision for their Food & Beverage venture was not being fulfilled with the way things were going. Work was halted and we were brought in to help them bring their vision to life. We devised a fresh & new tropical dining concept that was fun & vibrant to set them apart from the rest of the competition.

Firstly, we altered the existing layout to maximize the restaurant’s capacity and improve the space synergies. The new layout is split into 2 sections: a bamboo roof-covered dining area to the front flanked by the bar & kitchen, and an indoor dining area with function rooms on top. The property is situated on a corner lot; however, it is far from the main city center road and is in a quainter location. The original design of a low roof single level dining hall on the corner exacerbated this. Hence, we designed a massive pitched bamboo structure to make the restaurant interesting. For the interiors, we chose to use a lot of textural elements. A natural palette of wood, bamboo, rattan & plants dot the place while raw bricks, cement & stone was used to counteract the soft richness and complete the “off the beaten track” tropical setting that we wanted to impart.

In this project, we explored the usage of bamboo frame construction for three things: One, we wanted to utilize and promote this “lowly” material, two, we wanted an authentic tropical experience, and three, we wanted to do our part in building sustainably. The Philippines is no stranger to utilizing bamboo. Throughout its history, Filipinos have used bamboo for shelter and household items. The “kubo” being the perennial example for a bamboo house here. Still, we are limited to just small-scale bamboo structures here, until more recent developments. Bamboo is an inherently resilient material. With proper treatment and construction techniques similar to mature bamboo usage in other parts of the globe, bamboo structures can last for ages. Bamboo is also a very low embodied energy material that can act as a carbon sink. Having researched deeply into bamboo construction for his thesis work, Arch. Jeff was able to convince the client to use it for their project.

Although the project construction was hampered by the pandemic, El Kuvo was able to finally open by the end of 2022.

[ In partnership with IDr. Allison See for the Interior Design work ]