In the third of the Indigo Deli projects designed by sP+a in Mumbai, the studio responded to the fact that most casual dining spaces in Mumbai along their timelines incorporate events as a means to supplement the dining experience and augment footfalls.
In the Indigo Deli at R City in Mumbai this was done through reinforcing the edge of the space by building a multilevel seating section which binds a courtyard like space in its centre. This space which can be emptied out to allow for a makeshift performance space when a need arises. The stepping up of the booths highlights the full height of the original space while adding a dimension of intimacy to its large format. The dense nature of the boundary is further accentuated by a ‘veneer cloud’ weaving through the existing columns within the space enforcing the definition of this edge while concealing the air conditioning infrastructure. The veneer cloud is a hybrid of tessellated veneer panels and fabric, in an attempt to add a kinetic dimension to the static boundary while contrasting with the solidity of the booths below. The veneer cloud’s surface undulates based on the size of the tessellation of each of the components i.e. smaller the tessellation greater the deviation and vice versa.
The design intent and construction of the ‘veneer cloud’ is an attempt to harness both the technologies available in fast urbanizing countries like India while working with carpenters pushing beyond their traditional skills. In this case the labour intensive cutting process is mechanized while the carpenters use their expertise in joinery and assemblage
