As part of the Domesticidad Colectiva course by CÍVICO, for the second phase our intervention focused on the ground floor of the 20 de Noviembre building, a point of connection between the urban and the intimate. There, among everyday passages and thresholds, we imagined Alma de Maíz, a gastronomic proposal that celebrates the ordinary in Mexican cuisine: what is prepared daily, what tastes like home.

The concept is based on re-signifying the value of everyday foods—tortillas, stews, sweet breads—as an experience worthy of attention, care, and design. The commercial space was envisioned as a warm and contained place, where natural materials like clay, wood, and terracotta-toned stucco create a familiar and recognizable atmosphere. At the heart of the space, a central bar organizes functions and allows continuous flow between those who cook and those who inhabit the space.

Outside, facing the public space, we proposed a coffee kiosk: light, functional, and with a street-facing vocation. Designed as an extension of the main project, this painted steel module creates a meeting point, an urban pause for everyday passersby, reinforcing Alma de Maíz’s identity beyond the interior.

More than a business, this proposal is an interpretation of the collective in the commercial realm. A way to honor what is shared through design, cuisine, and space. A simple yet profound gesture to return a piece of its essence to the heart of the city.