2 Architecture 0 Interior 1 9 Product
SITE
Location: Dubai Mall, Ghaziabad Site Area: 40,000 sqft Project Area: 8,850 sqft Market: Food and Beverages Service: Architecture, Interior Design Project Team: Siddharth Agarwal, Akash Garg
I
n an attempt to celebrate the tradition of Nathu’s Sweetshop, a premier restaurant
in the area, Builten envisioned a space that is a marriage of tradition with the more modern cafes of today’s age. The design was conceptualised keeping in mind the traditional significance of an establishment of such vivid history, with modern and sleek design elements. In addition, on the behest of the client, Builten attempted to transform the immediate area around Nathu’s and the atrium within the mall with minimal interventions so as to make environment welcoming and responsive ultimately to increase the mall footall. The project in totality comprised the design of the sweet shop on the ground floor with a kitchenette, the restaurant on the first floor, a bridge to connect the mall elevators, and a design intervention involving the beams of the atrium within the mall.
“The design of
Nathu’s sweetshop was an opportunity for us to play with circulation and visual connections, a modern take on smoke and mirrors! - Builten
”
Minute attention is paid to the route of movement of the patrons entering the mall. The establishment comprises of two floors, flanking an atrium that soars 5 storeys high. The transparency within the design leads to unique interactions at various levels of the establishment. For instance, when one enters the atrium of the mall, the eye spans the ground floor counters, up a curving staircase, and catches a glimpse of the intricately design ceiling of the first floor, onto planters artfully hung within the atrium beams. The curved staircase from the atrium to the first floor allows for many vantage points into the restaurant, while connecting the two disparate levels. It also anchors the two floors, creating a delicate connection between the two halves of the restaurant. The structural beams of the atrium also allow for punctures, alternatively filled with green, thereby enhancing the breath-taking verticality of the space.
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The wide range of material palette
Special attention was paid to the lighting design, with custom designed curved,
Lighting : Rolif & NIEO lighting
convex mirror work on the ceiling with concealed lighting. The circular lighting design on the first floor breaks the rigidity of the space, allowing for playfulness in the design. This whole space then receives natural light in the form of windows punctured in the walls, and in some places accentuated with accent lighting.
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The ground floor of the establishment has an open counter for chaat and sweets and has smaller, casual seating spaces. The ground floor is designed minimally, with the exception of large custom made laser cut false ceiling, fabricated to be economical and rhythmic. This detail designed by Builten, polished and hanged artfully from the ceiling, is one of the major design elements that define the space of this establishment. It performs a dual function of concealing the service pipes; i.e. the HVAC piping, fire and electricals; while also having perforations such that a partially open ceiling is created, embellished with lights at regular periods to introduce a rhythm to the design.
The curved staircase leads to the first floor of the restaurant. The first floor is a sit down restaurant, comprising of private booths and seating for larger families and groups, along with a live kitchen. The first floor differs from the ground floor, in terms of its materiality and custom lighting design, but is tied together with a uniform colour palette and materiality. The traditional approach informed the colour choice for the establishment, in shades of muted beige and brown punctured by pops of colour in yellow and red on the wooden panelling over the seating booths on the first floor to bring about a welcome respite to the eyes.
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A view of ground floor sweet shop
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Accented lighting on cave panelling
Accented lighting on cave panelling
Semi
Private seating was designed
on the first floor. The private booths on the first floor restaurant were fashioned by creating an alcove between two columns, shielded partially by a wood panel feature made to resemble an opening to a cave. It is an effective way to create a semi private enclosure and to conceal plumbing pipes running behind the columns, while creating its own microcosmic atmosphere.
A view of group cave seating
thought, how can “ We we achieve privacy for the customers, almost resembling a cave? - Builten
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4 1
2 3
1. Existing Columns 2. MDF Board 3. Laminates 4. Concealed Pipes 5. Window for lighting
Exploded axonometric view showing formation of cave seatings.
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A view of first floor restaurant area
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Builten attempted to play with surfaces to create a sense of vastness within the limited space. The glass surfaces flanking the
atrium
attempted
to
maximise
the visibility of the patron within the establishment. the day and turning into reflective surfaces during the night, creating an illusion of maximising space.
“ We wanted to
achieve connectivity and visibility throughout the premises.
”
- Builten
The first floor also boasts a partial glass ceiling, creating views of the green ceiling of the atrium, and ensuring visibility throughout the atrium. The windows on the first floor are expansive, allowing for natural light during the day and turning into reflective surfaces during the night, creating an illusion of maximising space.
glass ceiling “ The allowed for a space that almost felt like a glass box, allowing for direct views of the atrium ceiling.
- Builten
”
A view of first floor restaurant area
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Partial glass ceiling having views of the atrium green roof
Bridge connecting two elevators on the first floor, designed by Builten
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GREEN ROOF
The seating on the first floor further overlooks the Atrium, creating a confluence of space with the view of the green roof. Furthermore, the green roof is another design element that was incorporated just above first floor. Initially, the atrium had a series of structural beams with voids within them. To increase the footfall of the mall, Builten pitched the client to transform the voids within the structural grids which were designed with artificial planters. Stepped up metal mesh boxes were fixed into the voids, and artificial creepers were fixed to those. This was done in order to break the rigidity and over bearing structural grid and create a lightness within the atrium.
“ The stepped boxes of green foliage added drama and changed the ambience of the atrium. It changed the environment of the atrium to one of warmth. - Builten
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MDF Lasercut false ceiling conceals the services running across the ceiling
View from bridge overlooking restaurant area
The establishment was designed to be cost effective and functional, but also hospitable and welcoming. The warmth of the design of this restaurant is reflected in the studio’s vision to create a design that is a blend of the traditional sensibilities of the owners with the simplicity and sleekness of modern design.
Curved Staircase : Connection between two halves of restaurant space
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