Brassa

Cafe-bar | Bangalore

An artisanal cafe-bar introducing adaptive dining experiences in Bangalore's urban landscape.

Client: AA Hospitality | Area (Built up): 2,200 sq ft | Status: Completed in 2022 | Team: Shruti Jaipuria, Roshni Ramnane, Poorvi Singh, Kiranpreet Kaur | Photographer: Ishita Sitwala | Collaborations: Handmade tiles with Kumbher potters in Kutch,Ikai Asai, Origami Installation with Adigami

Creating an environment that transitions with the course of the day, this space transforms from a cafe in the day to an evening bar with sophisticated energy. This duality is achieved through an interplay of light, materiality and spatial configurations adapting to needs of the occupants.

An artisanal cafe-bar introducing adaptive dining experiences in Bangalore's urban landscape.

The spatial journey is the out-turn of a bold gesture: the removal of an existing mezzanine to unite the entire volume allowing the creation of a vaulted ceiling. This central vault becomes the crowning glory of this space. Ceiling planes clad in birch plywood flank the vault while tempering its grandeur.

The furniture creates varying degrees of intimacy and interaction. Booth seating with inbuilt planters and brass table lamps define the central zone. The duo of hand-stitched textiles against sculptural branched chandeliers create a layered experience celebrating both craft traditions and contemporary design.

Materiality here becomes a tool for storytelling. Terracotta tiles hand-crafted by Kumbhar artisans from Kutch are used as murals. These tiles, made in collaboration with Ikai Asai imbue the space with cultural resonance.

In the lounge area towering Monstera plants breathe as living sculptures while creating intimate enclaves. Custom-striped seating and detailed white chairs with black edge piping, elevate functional elements into design expressions. Consciously positioned mirrors amplify light as floor lamps stage dramatic plays of light and shadow.

Collaborator

Bamboo Pecker

The bar area culminates the spatial journey with fabric origami installation; a collaborative artwork with Aditi Anuj of Adigami that transforms lighting into poetic sculpture. Suspended hand-folded cloth elements cast warm, diffused light over the plywood, creating an intimate counterpoint to the soaring ceiling beyond. Brass wall lights spotlight the display while rectangular mirror grids behind create infinite reflections. Upholstered stools continue the monochromatic narrative with their black and white geometry.

Throughout, the design demonstrates that restraint doesn’t translate to austerity. Rather, it opens room for the celebration of craftsmanship and creation of spaces that adapt to the rhythms of urban life.