Mussum's Bar

With the mission of bringing to life the imagination of one of the most charismatic characters in Brazilian culture, Superlimão was chosen to design the architecture of Bar do Mussum. Barra da Tijuca, in Rio de Janeiro (the hometown of Antônio Carlos Bernardes Gomes – the famous Mussum), is the address of the bar, and the entire ambiance refers to the various facets of a multi-talented artist: comedian, samba singer, musician, singer, composer and total bungler. Since it is a bar and considering its honoree, beer could not fail to be a striking element. Right at the entrance, Mussum welcomes visitors by handing out a bottle of his favorite drink, “suco de barbeque”, on a backlit ceiling with a fresco-like feel. To complete the access to Mussum’s paradise, the main counter was specially designed to resemble a large American glass filled with beer, complete with a head. The office team conducted studies and tests to ensure that the proportions were identical to those of the glass, a classic in bars. The shade applied to the glass was the result of studies by Atelie Benini, which studied Cerveja Cacildis, a brand that also pays homage to Mussum, to arrive at the ideal color. LED lighting highlights the bubbles, further enhancing the sensation of a freshly poured glass. The “mé”, another affectionate nickname for the Trapalhão for beer, is represented throughout the space. This is because a “mé tree”, an old dream of the character, has become a reality - at least in the bar. Stems and trunks embrace the entire store, spreading their fruits throughout the space. In this case, beer cans. The color chosen has a reason: it recalls the large copper tap seen in “Mágico de Oróz”, a classic film by the Trapalhões. The reference also appears in the beer tap. Other memories displayed throughout the room make the bar a kind of Mussum museum. His family provided original material from the past, while old TV sets show excerpts from episodes and films of Trapalhões and performances by Originais do Samba, a traditional samba group that Mussum was a member of as Carlinhos da Mangueira. “Instagrammable” points complete the ambiance, such as the sheep applied in profile to the mirrors. The reflection duplicates the image and completes the body of the animal, which says in neon: “mé!”. To enhance the bar atmosphere that Bar do Mussum needed, an outdoor area was essential. Located in an open-air shopping mall, the bar’s façade faces a boulevard. There, visitors enjoy the outdoors, especially during samba sessions. Beer crates were used as furniture, with tables and light chairs, which make it easy to adapt the bar to the dynamics of each day.