Mestiza Studio Designs Canica Play Cafe Identity in Mexico City

Mestiza Studio has created the visual identity for Canica, a Mexico City cafe that includes a dedicated play space for children and a food area for adults. The studio's founders, Ruben and Carolina, sought a design that would appeal to both children and adults without alienating either group. The identity combines a constructivist geometric wordmark with hand-drawn, expressive animal characters. Lead designer Maia Loucif developed the wordmark by experimenting with reduced alphabets from simple geometric shapes, inspired by Fanette Mellier's activity books. In-house illustrator Francesca Albergo created fluid, inky characters that are applied across menus, products, signage, and other materials. Monica of Mestiza Studio explains that the goal was to find a visual language and tone of voice where both audiences could meet without compromise. The contrast between the geometric logo and the tactile illustrations is central to the identity's success. The project follows Mestiza Studio's recent launch of Mess, a publishing offshoot, and its work on place branding for culinary projects such as London's Cremer. The Canica identity is copyrighted 2026.