• Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

  • Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

    Suryan and Dang | suryan//dang

of

Car showroom pivots into traditional Indian restaurant

Haldiram’s collaborated with groupDCA to create their newest venue in Rajouri Garden, New Delhi, seeking an overhaul of its identity in the form of an elevated spatial narrative

by Hannah Holt 18 May 2022 Furniture

groupDCA’s primary design intention was to remain honest to the ethos and lineage of tradition that Haldiram’s has embodied for over 80 years while patenting a new,  contemporary design language.

The site, a former car showroom, already had a bare shell with a capacious floorplate and appreciable internal heights. 

The elevation dons a minimalist yet classic demeanour with its trademark scarlet signage, which establishes the primary connection with the patrons who resonate with the brand’s persona. 

The layout has been envisioned as three core zones that have been pragmatically designed while balancing function and aesthetics. Over 50% of the floorplan hosts the kitchen, service areas, and display counters with the brand’s products.

The first segment comprises the café and retail sections. The former is to encourage patrons to visit the venue across the day while utilising the space for collaborative meetings or discussions.

Modelled on a similar principle of that of a duty-free retail zone in airports, the newly introduced retail segment at the forefront hosts packaged goods and merchandise from the house of Haldiram’s.

A larger family dining space is the second zone that can anchor groups of people who visit the venue. The third zone consists of an expansive banquet area for larger congregations; this portion has organised auxiliary wet service areas like drinking water facilities, washrooms, and segregated garbage disposal sections to ensure smooth hosting and back-end functioning.

Materiality at the Haldiram’s restaurant assumes a pivotal and impactful role in shaping the milieu - the overarching intent of the space has been kept upscale and muted while creating a sensorial experience that also demands reduced maintenance.

The flooring is a composite of three tones of terrazzo ranging shades of white, light grey, and dark grey which make their way into the seating areas and circulation spaces. The walls have been finished in textured shades of grey and black tile signages have been suspended suavely across zones to demarcate the flow of spaces.

The ceiling has been layered with a grid of wood-finish aluminium louvres that conceal services and air conditioning ducts have been inconspicuously camouflaged under white false ceilings over service counters. 

Lighting elements at the restaurant have been curated painstakingly to ensure an uplifting ambience. Customised suspended track lights are dotted with brushed brass spotlights which warmly illuminate tables and diffuse the light into the surroundings. Hints of brushed brass are further witnessed across skirtings and furniture finishes, creating a sense of understated luxury.

The furniture at Haldiram’s has a soothing palette of beige, deep blue, and blush pink. The studio has also conceptualised the interiors to bear an immersive and biophilic character.

Group DCA
India

Want to submit your project to World Architecture News?

Contact The Team