This award-winning restaurant in Calicut, India underwent a refurbishment led by architects Mujib Ahmed and Lalita Tharani of Collaborative Architecture. They employed a minimalist design with grey and white tones, custom lighting, and transparent glazing to divide spaces while maintaining visual connections. Their use of poetic minimalism and dramatic lighting transformed the space and enhanced the dining experience. This progressive design approach increased customer traffic by 85% and received several national and international design awards.

1. Talk of the town
These pages:Architects Lalita Dining out is about an experience and a progressive. From being something that would
Tharani and Mujib Ahmed of restaurant’s ambience plays a pivotal part in be unaccepted in a place like Calicut, this project
Collaborative Architecture enhancing this experience. When Mumbai-based helped create a whole lot of awareness on what
worked on the refurbishement
This award-winning Calicut restaurant by Collaborative Architecture employs poetic minimalism as a design architects Mujib Ahmed and Lalita Tharani of architecture and design could do to enhance busi-
of this 3000 sq ft international
tool to upgrade its client profile cuisine restaurant, Mezban, in Collaborative Architecture were assigned to refur- ness and lifestyle,” states Ahmed.
Calicut. The waiting area, non- bish the international cuisine restaurant Mezban, Spread across 3000 sq ft, the restaurant took
existent in the earlier layout of they decided to incorporate restrained minimalism. six months to complete its refurbishment process.
the restaurant was crafted from What made this project significant was the location; It accommodates a waiting lounge, the restau-
the existing space. Transparent
situated in a business hotel in Calicut, one of the rant seating area, a buffet area, a live-counter,
glazing divides the waiting area
with the restaurant seating space smaller cities in India, a restaurant with this design restrooms and the main kitchen. A dual-colour
establishing a visual connection. tone was unexpected. tone of grey and white is used. To keep the decor
“The poetic minimalism as a strategy for design low on maintenance, the architects have primarily
could have worked well in a metro. However, used Corian and upholstered the seating pods in
bringing this design thought to a tier-three city was faux-leather.
64 MORE projects at trendsideas.com Home trends vol 3 no 1 2012 Home trends vol 3 no 1 2012 MORE projects at trendsideas.com 67

2. Architectural lighting plays a critical role in this project. The external facade of the restaurant with
space. Manipulating the architectonics of the ‘Thousand Moons’ projects the character of the
restaurant, the architect-duo created an undulating space transforming it into a passive billboard for the
topography with the ceiling lights, giving the project restaurant,” says Tharani.
its name, Inverted Topography. Custom-made The seating capacity was reduced from 120 pax
fabric lights combined with LED lights creates a soft to 89 pax. After understanding the demographics
allure. This ceiling design flows through the waiting of the restaurant’s clientele, the architects realised
lounge, the restaurant area and the restrooms. that the establishment primarily receives smaller
“The space is about delivering finest dining expe- groups of two and four rather than larger groups.
rience combined with quality food and ambience. This prompted them to renovate smaller seating
As architects we brought about the sensuality of capacities with furniture that can also be combined
space with dramatic lighting,” adds Tharani. as per requirement to accommodate larger groups.
Besides the ceiling lights, the architects designed The minimalist style soon made the restaurant
‘Thousand Moons’, an undulating composition of a destination dining spot, bringing about a seis-
lights on the external facade. Created using mirror mic shift in the customer profile with an 85 per
polished aluminium composite panels (ACP), these cent increase in the clientele. The project has also
lights makes the restaurant’s interiors visible from received three national recognitions including IIID
the outside. Design Practice of the Year 2012 and one inter-
“The architectural intent of the restaurant is national accolade, Illumination 2012 award by the
achieved if the design proactively delineates the Illumination Engineering Society of North America.
Facing page:The undulated
ceiling displaying Inverted
Topography is the highlight of the
seating area. Corian table-tops
ensure the surface is low on
maintenance. The Thousand
Moons concept covers the wall
on the right.
Right The ceiling design extends
to the bathroom as well. Fabrics
have been used in the lights to
create an alluring effect.
Location: Calicut, Kerela Lighting: Deepam, The Contractor
Architect: Mujib Ahmed, Lalita Tharani; Collaborative Bathroom fittings: Toto
Architecture
Client: Mohamed, Hotel Asma Tower, Calicut Story by Dheera Majumder – Mitra
Ceilings: India gypsum Photography by Lalita Tharani and Manish
Flooring: Kajaria, RAK Ceramics
Air conditioning: Bluestar Share this story online at
Paints: Asian Paints Trendsideas.com/go/36779
Home trends vol 3 no 1 2012 MORE projects at trendsideas.com 67