OchoTac: Lucha Libre-Inspired Green-Lit Bar in Athens
Studiomateriality designed OchoTac in Athens, Greece, blending Mexican wrestling culture and the concept of eight through stainless steel and green lighting.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- OchoTac is a new Mexican-inspired bar in Athens designed by Studiomateriality.
- The concept revolves around the number eight, featuring eight tacos and eight wrestling moves.
- Materials include raw concrete, stainless steel, and green glazed tiles.
- The basement restroom zone resembles an unexpected butcher shop cold-storage unit.
OchoTac is a Mexican-inspired bar in Athens, Greece, bringing together food culture, spatial architecture, and graphic identity through a bold visual language. Designed by local practice Studiomateriality, the project takes its cue from its core offering of eight tacos alongside a drink menu, centering its entire concept around the number eight. Rather than resorting to literal clichés of Mexican aesthetics, the design translates references to Mexican wrestling, or lucha libre, into a contemporary spatial experience.
Wrestling serves as the conceptual thread connecting the interior design, branding, and customer experience. Studiomateriality developed a distinct graphic system based on eight wrestling movements and eight unique masks, directly corresponding to the eight tacos on the menu. These playful masks, poses, and ring graphics are integrated across the branding and interior spaces, establishing a dialogue between food, movement, and popular culture.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The material palette is raw and industrial, featuring concrete, stainless steel, white tiles, and green glazed tiles, complemented by mirrors for added depth. Green and white dominate the visual identity, with green illumination extending beyond surfaces into the lighting fixtures. This green glow gives the bar a theatrical atmosphere that reinforces its connection to the dramatic world of lucha libre. The coldness of stainless steel and white ceramics is balanced by saturated green tones, while concrete adds a tactile, rugged quality to the interior.
A distinctive feature of the venue is located downstairs: the restroom area, conceived as an immersive spatial experience rather than a standard utility zone. The basement features white flooring and wall tiles, paired with heavy stainless-steel doors that mimic commercial refrigeration units. Entering a cubicle feels akin to opening a butcher’s cold-storage fridge, lined with green tiles and stainless-steel shelves holding sculptural meat representations. Outside the stalls, a large stainless-steel island with four sinks, a sofa, and artworks transforms the bathroom into a social extension of the bar.
This project exemplifies the growing trend of experiential design in hospitality spaces, where storytelling extends into every nook of the venue—including unconventional areas like restrooms. By utilizing industrial materials and unexpected thematic narratives, designers can craft deeply memorable environments that engage visitors beyond traditional dining and drinking experiences.
Created by Athens-based Studiomateriality, OchoTac stands as a unified identity system where architecture and branding remain inseparable. From the eight tacos and wrestling masks to the green illumination and refrigerator-style doors, every element contributes to a cohesive narrative, delivering a contemporary Mexican bar defined as much by its atmosphere as its menu.
Source: designboom
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