The project is co-designed with Studio Vikhroli. The location is within a 34-acre mixed-use development called The Trees, which has undergone ongoing revitalization efforts for many years. Within the master plan, Imagine Studio was envisioned as a form of public art. Taking over the area of an industrial precinct, the original intervention drew from the history of the site to reimagine space as an anchor for communal activities in our ever-evolving urban landscape, which is increasingly becoming homogeneous.
▼ Project Overview
▼ Entrance
Adding to the concept of place-making and renewal, the proposed landscape extension for Imagine Studio has become the Beer Garden. The built structure, designed as a light pavilion that extends into the landscape of the site, attempts to blur the boundaries between the outdoors and the indoors, seamlessly blending into its surroundings.
▼ The Trees Development
▼ Corridor Opened To The Garden Courtyard
▼ Lavish Green Landscape
Nestled amongst other dynamic zones of the larger master plan such as the retail corridor, the residential clubhouse, Imagine Studio and the erstwhile Boiler café that is now Vikhroli.Social through adaptive reuse, the space aims to create an inviting hospitality experience that draws visitors and residents of the development, offering a welcome respite from the bustling pedestrian corridor beyond.
▼ A Respite From Bustling Pedestrian
▼ Pathway To The Beer Garden
Most of the ground level seating area connects to an intimate garden setting in one of two courtyards, separated only by glazed walls. Since the requisite by-laws of the city required a defined enclosed area for a café serving alcohol, the primary court is edged with a visibly porous peripheral fence, enveloping the space. A barbeque and the extensive bar form the fulcrum of the interior seating area, which has been strategically planned so that the café can open out to the landscaping at the heart of the development.
▼ Interior Seating And Bar Area Overview
▼ Seating Area Connects To The Core Landscape
▼ Seating Area Connects To An Intimate Garden
▼ Spiral Staircase
▼ Corridor Sseating Area
The twin courtyards form the core of the design and facilitate further interaction with nature. The first courtyard at the entrance of the cafe provides guests with a peaceful green oasis, while the second courtyard with its pergolas creates a sculptural backdrop, filling the cafe with natural light. The pergolas cast intriguing shadows and light patterns among the trees, enhancing the courtyard. The café also offers alfresco terrace seating which is equipped with movable landscape benches that are accessed by a metal spiral staircase set in the primary courtyard.
▼ Spiral Staircase Detail
▼ Pergolas Area In The Second Courtyard
The design language for the architecture and interiors draws inspiration from the Imagine Studio narrative, which was a response to the existing structures and the industrial legacy of the site. As a continuation of the neighboring spaces, the cafe features a tight palette of red brick, grey granite, micro-concrete finishes, and an exposed ceiling and structural system to enhance its industrial expression. An existing silo from the old masterplan was repurposed to be used as part of the café’s kitchen and utility. This silo sits in contrast to the rectilinear form of the surrounding architecture, while new silos integrated into the design as washroom facilities serve as reminders of the site’s industrial past.
▼ New Silos Used As Washroom
▼ Pergolas Cast Intriguing Light And Shadow Patterns
The cafe creates an uninterrupted nature experience around the site while ensuring protection from the elements, taking advantage of the surrounding landscape and the site’s strategic location within canopies. The grove of trees also provides minimal heat load in the glazed interior spaces and makes the outdoors comfortable. The spaces on the ground and terrace meander through the landscape, blending seamlessly and bringing the greens inside. A gateway to development, the cafe provides an evocative experience that builds on the microcosm of The Trees. It draws from its context to create a cohesive visual experience but also stands apart, adding to the original intervention as a space for recreation, relaxation, and interaction.
▼ Night View Of The Project
▼ Plan
▼ Sections
