The site for Makau Kitchen and Bar designed by 23 Degrees Design Shift, is located in the heart of the city. The land has 60′ high office buildings on either side, while a 65′ high metro station forms the backdrop. Owing to these tall built forms around the site, the only clear approach was from the inner side of the lane.
Taking advantage of Hyderabad’s temperature, the design explored ways to incorporate an outdoor seating restaurant while working within the site’s restrictions.
In doing so, the design redefines the indoor-outdoor experience, experimenting with out-of-the-box ideas to create a new standard.
The most important elements for a perfect outdoor ambience are natural light, air, greenery, and views. While the first three were relatively easy to achieve, the fourth was particularly challenging, given the site’s peculiarities. As a workaround, the design creates an outdoor atmosphere with views of the interior space.
To bring natural light indoors, polycarbonate sheets are used in the ceiling, along with perforated baskets to block the harsh sunlight. Besides being an outdoor element, natural air was put to the functional task of helping the outdoor indoor plants placed throughout the site flourish.
As air-conditioning strips the air of its inherent moisture, it can be ineffective for the growth of plants. As a solution, the design pays homage to old coolers that are long forgotten and antiquated in the day and age of modern technology. Ducts help to streamline the air from coolers, while open bricks create continuous circulation. The bricks also infuse a semi-open, outdoorsy vibe within the space, adding to its aesthetic charm.
Since the brief also mentioned a nightclub, a ‘space within a space’ concept was chosen as the ideal approach keeping in mind the user interaction with the area and the technicalities involved. This gave birth to the giant oval form, a closed-off entity within the overall space. While defining the difference between the indoors and the outdoors, the oval also gives the overall volume a visual break.
The columns and beams used in Makau are metal. Together with the concrete slabs, they become a composite structure. Concrete blocks used throughout the design are customized as per requirements, while the flooring flaunts a customized pigmented concrete slab. The intent behind these complementary elements was to give the space a tropical vibe. This is further accentuated by the wooden logged furniture, specially sourced from Bali.
Overall, the space feels like a sanctuary, as a bird’s nest is assembled from an assortment of elements that come together to create a rather unique, cosy nook. In the same way, Makau is reminiscent of a tropical getaway right in the heart of the city in the midst of an urban complex.
Fact File
PROJECT NAME – Makau
CLIENT – Adithya Thanoj, Raja Simha Reddy
BUILT-UP AREA – 18,516 sq. ft.
SITE AREA – 11,236.56 sq. ft.
LOCATION – Jubilee Hills
ARCHITECT – 23 Degrees Design Shift
Photographer: Rithika Jain