<h5-red>CLIENT:<h5-red> GODREJ PROPERTIES I <h5-red>AREA:<h5-red> 5,000 SQFT I <h5-red>STATUS:<h5-red> COMPLETED IN 2022 I <h5-red>TEAM:<h5-red> ANKUR CHOKSI, SUBRATA RAY, SHAMIK CHATTERJEE, SHARVANI UPADHYAY I <h5-red>PHOTOGRAPHER:<h5-red> AVESH GAUR
Building on the idea of place-making, the landscape extension for Imagine Studio becomes a Beer Garden. Nestled amongst other dynamic zones of the larger master plan, the space draws visitors as well as residents. <rt-red>A light pavilion, the built expression interspersed with deep verandahs offers welcome respite from the bustling pedestrian corridor beyond.<rt-red>
Twin courtyards form the nucleus of the design and enable a dialogue with nature. The first courtyard at the cafe’s entrance allows guests to transition into a calm green oasis while the second courtyard with its pergolas carves out a space that acts as sculptural backdrop, filling the cafe with natural light. The pergolas cast intriguing light and shadow patterns among the trees, enlivening the courtyard. The café also offers alfresco terrace seating which is equipped with movable landscape benches that are accessed by a metal spiral staircase set in the primary courtyard.
<rt-red>The design language for the architecture and interiors draws from the narrative of Imagine Studio which was a response to the existing structures and the industrial legacy of the site.<rt-red> As a natural extension to the neighboring spaces, the cafe works with a tight palette of red brick, grey granite, micro-concrete finishes and an exposed ceiling and structural system to accentuate its industrial expression.
An existing silo from the old masterplan has been repurposed to be used as part of the café’s kitchen and utility. This silo sits in stark contrast to the rectilinear form of the surrounding architecture, while new silos integrated into the design as washroom facilities appear as reminders of the site’s industrial past.
The existing grove of trees also allows for minimal heat load within the glazed interior spaces, as well as making the outdoors comfortable. <rt-red>The spaces on the ground and the terrace meander through the landscape, blending fluidly and pulling the greens inside. A gateway to the development, the cafe provides an evocative experience that builds on the microcosm of The Trees.<rt-red>
