Bipratip Dhar

Urban projects in India do come with its own share of challenges. Many parts of the city do not have great views to look out into, other than a very busy & chaotic road, and in most cases, the site would be framed by unpleasant, unplanned construction on both sides. In our case, an existing superstructure meant for residential use had to be converted to a 38 room hotel with similar constraints and design a facade that would somewhat gel and yet differ to stand out from its surroundings. Large gazed openings with sheer fabric characterizes the lower two floors that house the reception, restaurant, kitchen & service areas, allowing in abundance of natural light all throughout the day; The sheer fabric adding obscurity to the views from inside and out. Inspired from the peaceful look of the pristine white kaash phool, a kind of grass found growing all around this region, the interior tries to emulate the same experience by the use of overflowing white fabric, dark veneer paneling on walls and different planes on the ceiling, that flow seamlessly onto the beige marble flooring only to be accessorized by the white & yellow flowers a midst greenery.Thus, the peaceful, calm, serene & tranquil look prevails all throughout the space. A stainless steel jalli, inspired from the firangipani flower, envelopes the building second floor upwards that serves both as an aesthetic and a shading device. The overall design, along with the rooms and the rooftop terrace, tries to be clear & simple, following the functional requirements of the end users and the existing superstructure. The opulence and grandeur expressed with the simplicity of straight lines, devoid of any ornamentation or pretensions, ultimately fulfilling the requirement of functionality & good design.