Words Gabrielle de la Cruz
Images Studio Mara and Moon Café
“This outdoor area seems unfinished, don’t you think?” asked my friend as we stood in front of the new Moon Café in Pampanga, a size up from the approximately 70-square-meter space they first opened during the pandemic. It was admittedly a full circle moment to finally feature a café in my hometown and have a longtime friend tag along. “Could be. Or perhaps that’s the look they are going for,” I answered. We slowly made our way indoors, with the entrance characterized by a short ramp and a moon-shaped door handle. The raw feel of the exterior is carried over inside. Natural textures and neutral tones dominate the café, with almost every corner managing to have a distinct look while blending with the rest of the space.
We then met with co-owners Anna Lacson and Carl Tolentino, who led us to a sunken, enclosed area made for private meetings and intimate gatherings. Friendly introductions were made, with us discovering that we know a few same people given that we all grew up in Pampanga. Lacson and Tolentino are Accounting and Marketing graduates who decided to venture into business during the height of the pandemic. They welcomed us by sharing that Moon’s name was randomly chosen and comes with no attachment and that they went on with it the moment they found out that it was available. From then on, the sit-down interview slowly turned into a conversation with new friends over coffee and good food.
“Thank you so much for taking interest in the space, we honestly didn’t think many will appreciate it,” said the young couple, adding that their intention was to completely set their café’s look apart from all the Korean ones that continue to sprout in the area. The brief called for no wooden materials and tones, bigger bar and kitchen areas, and plenty of space for storage. Design-wise, Lacson and Tolentino literally wanted one thing: an experience of the moon here on Earth.
The alfresco or outdoor area of Moon Cafè. The entrance to the enclosed area is located in the inner right corner.
First Quarter
“This isn’t actually the location we wanted,” revealed Tolentino. The owners had their eyes set on another abandoned building just a few blocks away from Moon Café’s first site in December 2022, but fate had other plans. “We were ready for construction and thought we could begin by January. However, it was already March of this year when we officially received notice that the building was not being awarded to us,” Lacson narrated. Luckily, just a few days after the news, the owners discovered this new and bigger location. “Usually, we do the visits ourselves and ask Studio Mara for their input. For this one, we were fortunate to have them with us.” The couple shared that it was a blessing in disguise, as the current location allowed for the provision of an alfresco area, more parking space, and generally larger sections. This abandoned energy drink warehouse did not compromise on the aesthetic that they were going for as well, sharing that they tend to gravitate towards buildings that seem to be of no use. “We like strange places like this. To us, weird is charming.”
The turnover process was smooth and easy for this location. General cleaning, termite treatments, and pest control were all that had to be done upon awarding. Studio Mara performed design revisions within two weeks, adapting elements from the initial design plans while factoring in the new spatial considerations. Construction started in April and ended July of this year, with both owners and the studio having less to no troubles regarding changes. “We’ve worked with Studio Mara for smaller projects before, so we’ve already established a friendly client-designer relationship,” Tolentino said. In a separate interview, Studio Mara founder and principal Mara Manalo underscored that there is nothing more exciting than having a client let you play with their space. “Carl and Anna fully trusted us with the design direction. Knowing them quite well also made it easier and a lot more fun to think of a concept that they would love.”
The rippled water ceiling is Tolentino’s favorite part of the café. Manalo shared that one row of panels had to be changed into a silver sticker due to stock availability. “This was one of the things that helped us save on cost, and it actually turned out to be more interesting visually.”
Landing on Moon
Studio Mara opted to leave certain portions of the existing building untouched. “I personally love raw spaces,” shared Manalo. “We left a lot of raw surfaces and preserved the unfinished columns and beams in the alfresco area.” The original ramp leading to the main entrance was also retained, with the designers adding a few touches to improve the experience of going in. The ramp was placed in between two plant boxes, with the glass door standing next to a textured wall with a Moon Café signage. Manalo added that the location was definitely “a good shell to work with,” with the abandoned extension (now the alfresco area) even having a good amount of slab to cover a certain area in case of rain.
To breathe life into the space, the owners decided to randomly place flora throughout the café. Tolentino planted most of the seeds himself, sharing that the idea was to bring a sense of their previous space into the new one. “We had yucca plants in our first location, so we decided to place some here as well, along with other plants such as rubber tree, snake plant, and fiddle.”
A peak into Moon Cafè’s conference room and a closer look at one of its textured cement walls.
Inside Moon
What welcomes patrons upon entrance is a faux stone seating area customized for Moon Café. More of the space is revealed when one gazes to the left, with the bar and cashier placed right in the middle and more seating up to the opposite end. The abandoned warehouse had an entirely flat layout, so Studio Mara strategically dedicated spaces to maximize the 545-square-meter enclosed space. Sitting next to the conference room we stayed in is a sunken dining area, an extension that the studio incorporated to accommodate more guests.
Lacson’s favorite part of the café is the customized stone seating, as she believes that this area is inherent to their space. The sunken dining area is well-loved by patrons who just want to have a relaxing café experience.
Like its namesake, Moon boasts gray tones and natural textures that make it more eccentric. A current crowd favorite is the water projection with the café’s logo that seems to be making rounds online. “When guests take a few snaps or videos, some of them would even notify us or the staff the second it stops,” the owners shared. “This curved metal wall with a leather sofa appears to be a favorite corner for photos,” Tolentino says as he points to the area just a few steps away from where we were seated. He added that they used real metal for the wall and that bringing out the rusted look was intentional. “We were also very particular with the sofa to go with it, so we’re grateful that Mara found the perfect one. It’s also quite expensive, which explains why it doesn’t come with a table whatsoever,” he jested. Throughout the interiors, Studio Mara also placed mirrors to mimic a sense of fluidity and further bring out varying textures. A few pieces come in circular and crescent cuts as well, highlighting the literal inspiration for the café’s design.
The Next Phase
Moon Café opened during the last week of July 2023, a few days right after construction was completed. When asked whether there is anything they would want to change about the space, Lacson and Tolentino shared that they look forward to adding more seats in the alfresco area and improving their parking space. “We spent almost four times more than the initial amount we allotted for this café, so we did our best to make sure that we have everything we want and need for now. Working on the spaces we mentioned is something that we will plan and make time for.” The couple added that they are grateful for all the positive feedback they have been receiving regarding the space, especially when people say that they do get a sense of the “moon here on earth” experience that they want to deliver.
In its afterglow, it’s safe to say that Moon Café was successful in introducing an entirely new interior concept in an area where trendy spaces seem to have taken over. This new branch marks a new phase not just for the brand, but hopefully for the coffee-loving community in Pampanga and beyond. The design team of Studio Mara agrees and says that while minimal cost-cutting had to be done, they believe that all resources were maximized and that they are happy with the outcome. “We always try to build new experiences with every space we design—and we believe that we achieved that with Moon Café!” Manalo shared. “Perhaps a good lesson that we learned from this experience is that great work comes from good client-designer relationships. There is magic in having full trust, respect, and support for one another. Good energies always lead to good endings.” •
Project Team
Mara Manalo
Klieb Ferrer
Kyle Salao
Pauline Mundia
Rhyzz Bugarin
Collein Gonzales
Glenn Cultura
Gabrielle de la Cruz started writing about architecture and design in 2019. She previously wrote for BluPrint magazine and was trained under the leadership of then editor-in-chief Judith Torres and previous creative director Patrick Kasingsing. Read more of her work here and follow her on Instagram @gabbie.delacruz.
