Unlocked Cafe
Located at the newly renovated 32nd avenue, the space plays host to a restaurant and an escape room unlocking a variable experience that includes the visitor from the very start. The restaurant is accessed through a door fronted with simple glass panels hinting at the hues of spaces that follow inside.
Upon entering, the visitor is instantly transported to an uncertain realm, characterized by geometric shapes that reflect a modern intake on traditional Indian architecture. The consistency in applying successive regular geometries on different scales of design collaborates with a clear color palette of warm and vibrant materials.
The core idea is an amalgamation of principles that takes its aesthetic inspiration from elements of Jantar Mantar in Delhi and Jaipur as well as from an indie puzzle game- monument valley. The concept was to manipulate the space in order to create multiple pockets that arise from an array of lines and shapes. The result of which is a design that entails arched openings accentuated by the different tonal values and the purity of shapes used.
Evoking the sensation of being on a journey the visitors get an idea of being connected but remain fragmented for intimacy creating a “dynamic yet cosy atmosphere”.
The variation in color and materiality forms these partitioned masses that govern the grouping of distinct but interconnected volumes, each with a particular function. These colored partitions are offset against exposed concrete walls. One of the main walls also feature niches in the shape of semicircular and pointed arches.
Providing a pleasant meeting and social interaction area, each dining area is defined and unified with exposed concrete flooring highlighting either the geometry or the mix of heterogeneous colors.
A playfulness continues in the surfaces, fixtures and furniture across the restaurant.Distinct sculptural lighting design chosen for the project serves to distinguish the different volumes- cove lights light the walls of the cafe, while pendant lights and floor lamps in a rose gold scheme further add to the character and cast interesting shadows in the space. Thus, the interiors have been deliberately altered in order to match the mood of the place.
These elements are born out of an interest in creating a distinctive design through a simple language that puts this restaurant as a unique addition to this area. A part of a loose, cross-referential design and in collaboration with the branding team, Studio Renesa aimed at a strategy from a design standpoint where the architecture does the work.
