Location- Jayanagar, Bangalore | Area - 6000 sqft | Year - 2022
 

The site is located in south Bangalore, it was an existing bungalow which had to be converted into a restaurant. The villa was about 25-30 years old and it was extremely compartmentalised with small rooms & living areas. The existing structure was a G+1 with  a common staircase. The structure was a conventional grid system with slabs & beams and thick brick walls. The villa had quite a large front yard and there were good setbacks all around the building. The villa was set in residential area that is slowly converting into a commercial street and shared compound walls with another residence & a commercial building which was quite dilapidated.

 

The inspiration was from Geoffrey Bawa’s architecture and design sense. The intent was to maximise the usability of the space after studying the existing structure in depth with its limitations. Minimal details which would create a larger impact in the overall aesthetics & feel of the space were added. The idea was to create spaces which were lit only through indirect lighting, a contrast between the floor & the ceiling, and spaces where the artworks would stand out the most with a few vernacular details added on to bring out the tropical vernacular character & vibe.

 

There was major intervention in the structure since it was an existing building. Firstly, smaller rooms were completely knocked off to create larger open spaces.A whole new extension on the first floor was added which acted as a semi outdoor seating area which was made up of a decking slab and new metal columns to support it. A new metal service staircase was added at the rear, connecting the kitchen with all the service areas in all the floors right up till the terrace. A dumbwaiter was added connecting the kitchen with all the floors. A new flight of staircase was added to connect the existing staircase to the terrace floor. A Mangalore tiled sloped roof was added to the terrace to create a covered area for the seating and create a courtyard effect. We had to strengthen the existing slab and beams by anchoring ISMB’s from beam to beam wherever required.

 

The Majority of the ground floor was used for kitchen and other utilities, a nice double height area with long chandeliers made up of Cane with the forms inspired from Buddhist stupas stood at the entrance of the ground floor. Right below the double height was the entrance to the art gallery and the staircase which leads to the main dining area.

The first floor consisted of an indoor & semi outdoor seating area. The indoor Seating area had a mix of Booth seating, 4 seaters and a Cocktail/Mocktail Bar Counter. All the service areas, office & dumbwaiter were located at the rear connected by a service staircase, this arrangement ensured the services had a separate circulation.

 

When you move onto the second floor you’re welcomed by a courtyard with a lotus pond at the centre, the remainder of the area is covered with sloped mangalore tiled roof creating a covered semi outdoor seating area, we have different kinds of seating arrangements to accommodate the guests. We created a booth seating with masonry & a concrete finish with a planter box. A private dining area has also been incorporated which has the provisions to host workshops & other events as well. The outer boundaries of the restaurant was covered due to the presence of a dilapidated structure on one side and a private residence on the other. We created provisions planted creepers at the top which would eventually grow and create a green wall.

 

The wood for the doors and windows are polished in a dark walnut colour that builds a contrast with the white walls. As we move up to the first floor the terracotta floor tiles are used across the entire floor and warm cotton black and white printed fabrics are used for the upholstery. The bar has a bit of wood and cane depicting a pattern of a traditional saree on the façade.

 

The furniture was also one of the highlights. They were designed to be simple and sturdy, mostly in wood and wicker to merge in with the aesthetic of the space created. Earthy tones of fabric was used along with wood polished in a walnut finish. The fabric used for the upholstery were mainly black and white patterned prints.

 

The third floor is mainly the outdoor/ courtyard vibe of the entire restaurant. The central area works as a courtyard with printed tiles and a lily pond at the centre along with seating on three sides. The general lighting are focus lights that are used to accentuate the Mangalore tiled roof along with decorative lights are mainly bamboo lights. Cane furniture is used as the main element on this floor and wooden table tops along with a few green Jaipur marble tops.