Babylon Bar and Kitchen / 23 Degrees Design Shift

closed

Spatial planning lies at the core of this project’s design, divided into four distinct zones: Services, Indoor, Semi-open, and Brewery. The service block occupies the Southern quadrant, strategically placed to act as an acoustic buffer from the neighboring residential plots. Meanwhile, the indoor zone finds its home in the Eastern quadrant, ensuring an immersive and uninterrupted experience. The semi-open zone is thoughtfully designed around the existing trees, harnessing their shade to create serene seating areas. This layout also leads to the creation of a captivating courtyard where the brewery takes center stage.Text description provided by the architects.The bar project resides in the bustling neighborhood of Jubilee Hills,Hyderabad, amidst a dense urban setting. Surrounded by residential plots on the South and East sides and approach roads on the North and West sides, the site gently slopes from the southwest to the northeast, descending by 6 feet. Notably, the Southern and Eastern plots are elevated by 20 feet with the aid of retaining walls.The brewery slab is meticulously coffered to support the brew tanks effectively. Circular columns, segmented into smaller circular columns, create an illusion of weightlessness, seeking visual lightness. Organic curves in flooring patterns and wall designs offer respite from dominant geometric shapes while establishing visual coherence. The removal of walls between the brewery and indoor bar areas blurs the boundary between columns, making them appear as a single entity, with slabs seemingly floating within them. Perimeter beams incorporate integrated R.C.C. gutters doubling as planters for vibrant creepers, introducing greenery to the surroundings. The entrance structure, in the form of a suspended composite slab, appears visually seamless and detached from any structural element, thanks to the clever use of cables.The design embraces a rustic material palette that adds character to the space. Dholpur sandstone clads the compound wall, providing strength and unifying the site. Finished concrete showcases the natural beauty of the slabs. Washed concrete with black and red stone chips dominates the flooring, creating a monolithic presence. The indoor bar is enclosed by DGU frames with a Corten metal finish, lending it a distinct visual identity.The architecture seamlessly integrates glass across the ground floor, facilitating visual connections across all zones. The brewery, deliberately elevated, offers visibility to the brew tanks from the approach road, enhancing the site's allure. The indoor bar, designed as a double-height volume, harmoniously connects with the brewery's slab.  A notable feature awaits visitors on the first floor, where access to the mezzanine in the indoor bar is granted through the floating concrete staircase near the brew tanks, adding an element of surprise and curiosity. To balance the scale of the indoor bar, a dynamic kinetic sculpture graces the area, infusing movement and visual interest.  The service block spans three levels, housing toilets on the ground floor, a kitchen on the first floor, and a bakery and administration area on the second floor. The composite structure combines metal columns and R.C.C. beams and slabs, ensuring structural integrity.