- What was the brief from the client? And how did you achieve the same intertwining of your style?
Initially the plan was to just renovate London Taxi. It had been a while and the client wanted to breathe some fresh air into it. However along the way as things got moving – we agreed with the client when they suggested that this evolve into something new. The brief was to now create a space which felt casual enough to hang through the day yet with a playful energy that made evenings a little more upbeat and fun.
We loved the way the sunglight came in through the glass facade. It made the space feel alive. We decided on lighter tones for the space to enhance the light. Due to the length of the space we went with arched ceilings to emulate a corridor. Light furniture is easy on the eyes as well as doesn’t make the narrow space too cluttered. All of it can be easily moved to make space for a dance floor. We redesigned the ground and first floors of the building.
- What were the inspirations and key concepts for the development of the project?​
The inspiration came from big city clutter that Kamala Mills really espouses. The over arching glass structures around in their solid forms and the corner plot this building is in made us want to build a sort of indoor garden of sorts. Something that feels fresher than being out stuck in the long corridor streets that connect these jenga blocks.
- What is the thumb rule that you follow while designing a restaurant?
Our motto – firmitas, utilitas, venustas – durability, utility and beauty. We work purely on commercial projects. We understand that thousands of people are going to occupy the space we build and while it has to appeal to all, it has to most of all be efficient, productive and have longevity. Movement of guests, staff, objects – all need to be considered and streamlined. Proportion and scale are two things we focus on a lot as well.
- How does one pick the right décor/installations for their restaurant project?
The decor/installations/drama – that you add to a space is what ends up breathing life and soul into the structure. It adds the one thing that defines the space – the character. The elements are what drive home your vibe. If you get them wrong, you land up with a confused space with a diluted or ambiguous identity.
- How does lighting play a vital aspect in the ambience and design of a restaurant?
There’s natural light and then there’s artificial light. Natural light and how it’s channelled plays a key role in our design. It’s what we try and highlight the most. Whether it’s cleverly using mirrors, glass, lighter or darker tones depending on the requirement. Like at Demy we took off all tinted film from the glass to allow a more natural light to come through. At night, its the light that defines the mood. The way you light the restaurant decides what your guest sees first or most prominently and then depending on what you want them to focus on or notice, you arrange the lights. You need just the right amount of light on the table for a food centric space while for a bar, you need indirect lighting as much as possible. Tech these days is super advanced and what was once a manual luminence based affair is now completely digital.
- How different is it to design a restaurant as compared to other commercial spaces?
Restaurants are a representation of the culture of an era. They define the sub-culture of a city, its corners and streets. Restaurants are where memories are made or celebrated as well. Unlike commercial spaces, a lot of these spaces even come to define the cities they are in and become a benchmark of judgements. They define food trends as well. When you want a space to become a part of a cities culture, you really have to think hard of where you’re located, how to make this space be interesting yet comfortable enough for people to come to year after year. At restaurants the expectations these days of being blown away by both, f&b as well as design is extremely high.
- What were the difficulties, or first setbacks encountered?​
As is with old structures – there was a lot of repair and maintenance work that needed to be done. It really changed the time scale and scope of the project. The rains under such circumstances don’t make life any easier.
- If you had to name the design style used, what would it be?
SoBoHo
- What is your favourite element of design in the project?
The upper deck area.
- If you had to describe the project in 2-3 words what would it be?
Everyday neighbourhood bar
- Explain the use of colours and/or other details to add value to the design.
We wanted to amplify the sun light and totally steer clear of darker dinghy spaces as most of the spaces around felt like that. So we used an extremely light palette of white and beige tones for the walls as well as the fabrics. With the wood we stuck to as natural a colour as possible.
- One learning you’d like to take on to your next project?
It’s easier to demolish and rebuild than repair sometimes.