A new wine shop in Buenos Aires called Enofilo demonstrates how thoughtful architecture can respond to complex urban environments through innovative material choices and spatial organization. Designed by local studio Juan Campanini and Josefina Sposito, the 175-square-meter shop opened in 2025 on Avenida Juramento in the rapidly densifying Bajo Belgrano neighborhood. The project's most striking feature is its metallic mesh facade, which creates a shimmering, semi-transparent screen between street and interior. According to the architects, the design was inspired by the challenge of working within Buenos Aires's fragmented urban landscape. They aimed to add "one more layer that could resonate with the city's texture."
The facade consists of silver-colored metallic mesh panels that stretch across the existing brick wall like woven fabric. While the surface appears smooth and continuous from a distance, it is actually composed of individual panels whose proportions gradually increase from bottom to top. The mesh is cut to follow the building's existing features, including its steps, door, and window. It is attached to a hidden frame behind the brick wall. This precise intervention stands apart from its context while acknowledging the shop's role as a fragment in the larger urban realm. The facade filters light and air while providing a degree of privacy.
Inside, a blue metallic staircase serves as the organizing element of the spatial sequence. It stands where the original patio once was and connects the building's urban front to its domestic rear. The staircase's vaulted awning and distinctive color create a strong visual anchor that draws visitors deeper into the space. The lower half of the walls and counters is painted a soft blue that connects the interior to the staircase. This strategic use of color and form transforms ordinary architectural elements into special features. The staircase becomes a sculptural element that defines the character of the wine shop.
Visitors enter into a communal tasting area that functions as both a retail space and a wine library. Built-in iron shelving displays bottles like books in a literary collection, and the shelving is clad in the same metallic mesh used on the facade. A dark granite surface serves as the main counter, set under rough, sand-colored plaster ceilings. A large, white-painted structural column rises from the polished concrete flooring. It marks the ground-level hallway where auxiliary rooms such as restrooms are located off to one side. The material palette creates a sophisticated yet welcoming atmosphere.
The building extends deep into the plot, with the staircase bridging the front retail area to a courtyard in the back. On the second floor, private offices feature a long table and large windows that open to views of the city skyline. The architects noted that the mesh scheme helped draw focus to the most important elements in the project. They learned that "understanding how to focus energy—deciding which elements of a project will carry the greatest relevance" is key to successful design. In this case, the facade and staircase become special through their form and material treatment.
The photography of the project is by Javier Agustín Rojas, who captured how the design responds to its context. The project team included Valentina Lucardi, Valentina Bauger, Martina Pera, and Emilia Conde. Enofilo joins a growing number of thoughtfully designed wine shops worldwide, including a burgundy leather-wrapped showroom in Milan by Eligo Studio and a cave-like interior in Valladolid, Spain by Zooco Estudio. Each demonstrates how specialized retail environments can elevate everyday experiences through architectural innovation. The project shows how focusing on a few key elements can create a memorable and meaningful space.
