Rusted chairs, naked brick walls, exposed pipes... A matte finish here and a hint of patina there. All this may sound outlandish, but in reality it is very much around. Think of our favourite weekend haunts in Bengaluru and the above mentioned look will pop up in front of your eyes. You will be amazed to realise the number of such restaurants. Industrial décor is a big trend internationally and has caught on to Bengaluru’s eateries big time. Monkey Bar, Prost, Social, Plan B, The Open Box, Russh, Big Brewsky, The Humming Tree, Nasi and Mee…the list is long and growing.
Monkey Bar’s first branch that opened in 2012 on Wood Street could arguably be described as a trendsetter in this regard. Jatin Hukkeri of WAD (Workroom for Architecture + Design) tried to create a warehouse look using naked brick walls, port-hole sized windows and a high ceiling etc. Jatin says the look in the first one wasn’t as pronounced as in the second one which came up in Indiranagar in 2014. Now the second Playboy Beer Garden (The international men’s magazine launched its first beer garden in Pune) scheduled to open in Bengaluru sometime this year is also going to sport an edgy look.
“I think a lot of restaurateurs are opting for this decor because it works out cheaper for them. If a formal dining restaurant would cost you 5 crore, a restaurant with industrial decor would only cost 2.5 crore,” says Jatin. The architect who is now working on the upcoming Beer Garden adds that another reason behind the explosion of this design is the casual ambience it offers to a crowd which doesn’t want to spare much time and thought to dressing up. “For a Shiro or a Yauatcha, you will have to think what to wear but for a Monkey Bar or Plan B, you can be casually dressed,” notes Jatin.
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For Ravi Nahappan of not-so-old Nasi and Mee in Koramangala, the industrial design done by Singapore-based designers Refuge works as it gels with the casual dining nature of the eatery. “Long wooden tables and benches reflect that. Personally, I love the use of mixed materials of metal and wood so that was included in the remit to the designers. Our design is a far cry from table cloths, red hues and Buddhas that adorn most Asian diners. We just wanted something fun!,” says Ravi.
But architects being a creative lot, are infusing the industrial look with different elements. At The Humming Tree, a performance space and a restaurant, Farah and Dhawal Design Studio has infused the grungy look brought in by the use of suspended industrial chains, exposed AC ducts, distressed furniture with an earthiness.
Another restaurant with a pronounced industrial decor is The Big Brewsky on Sarjapur Road. High ceilings, exposed cement, pipes and beams render the space a coldness which is countered cleverly with brass wall scones for lighting, iron serving trays, an ambassador car as bar counter. Water bodies in the space also add to the warmth. Designer Anshu Arora who is behind its decor remembers sourcing old furniture for the space which was envisioned as a basic space by the architect. The designer feels that there is a connection between the sizeable young population in the city and more restaurants opting for the warehouse look.
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