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Sequel,
by United Coffee House is located in a busy market square in the heart
of the one of the up market colonies of New Delhi. United Coffee House
is one of the old restaurants of Delhi and has deep-rooted memories for
most Delhiites who frequented the restaurant over decades. Fitted within
an extremely linear plot of size, it was a huge challenge to accommodate
a fine dining restaurant and lounge within the tight setting of the
site.
The market square is extremely busy and an identity for the restaurant
was a part of the design brief- both for the passers-by and for the
restaurant customers. The brief also required a sense of privacy and
pampering transporting the food aficionado away from the clutter and
noise of the street to a calm, serene and sophisticated Zen-like
ambience. The interior theme was derived from two main notions; one, the
idea of a [Box] 2 - A Box within a Box. This would help to provide
Individuality and Identity within the cluttered visual of the narrow
side-by-side high street buildings. Secondly, the use of a modern
version of the 'harshingaar' motif signifies the contemporary, yet
traditional nature of the space.
To blend in the contemporary nature and
function of the new fine dining/ lounge with the traditional paradigm of
a family restaurant that United Coffee House stands for, this
time-honored motif of 'Harshingaar' has been used symbolically as an
integral part of the design theme.
The restaurant space is conceived as a
discreet high design space, strung along an almost sculpture like
staircase moving over three floors. The staircase epitomizes the
entrance and creates an impact at the heart of the building. The 'Harshingaar'
is cut in wood and used in multiple configurations as a part of the
staircase railing. A bamboo lamp installation over this triple height
space created by the staircase visually creates an impact by means of
its exceptional sculptural identity. A traditional skin- 'jaali' is
wrapped all over the exterior façade using lights and voids as a
pattern-making tool. The pattern is abstracted from the 'Harshingaar'
and is used to create dramatic and dynamic light changes through the day
and over seasons. At night, the light changes can be programmed for
festivities.
The pattern is used in the form of both
reliefs and perforations that abstract the theme in an extremely
contemporary manner. Once inside the building, a wooden 'jaali' with the
'harshingaar' pattern demarcates the seating areas. The pattern also
finds place on the furniture- the back of the chairs, the table tops and
even the appliqué work on the walls of the lounge areas. The false
ceiling and the AC ducts are also clad in wood with the 'harshingaar'
motif cut out to bring in light into the restaurant space, almost making
it glow in light. It is this pattern and the vocabulary of the furniture
that connects all the three floors of the restaurant- the booth areas,
the communal table areas and the Lounge area. A limited palette of
colours and materials is used - Beige, Wooden floors and Red is used to
highlight the features.
What is unique to the high design nature of the restaurant is that the
entire design was treated as a high design hand-crafted product. The
final outcome is exclusive, memorable and will probably age well; from
engaging and stimulating the old customers, to welcoming the new, the
Sequel is more than just an experience.
Address of the Sequel Restaurant -
35,Defence Colony Market, New Delhi-24

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