Project: Farzi Cafe Aerocity
Architects: Headlight Design
Location: New Delhi, India
Photographs by: Headlight Design and Raghav Sahni
The design conceived by Headlight Design was not only a part of a project but also addressed an important concern – of how this design can respond to the context and not be like a usual restaurant in any other part of the world.
The answer?
Being situated in the vicinity of India’s largest airport, the restaurant was designed as an ode to the most romanticized era of aviation. Every detail is befitting the style and panache of PanAm flyers and crew.
The double-storied restaurant has a jewel-like facade, a much welcome break from the clichéd metal and glass facades seen all around us, abstracted from aircraft window shapes. The facade is made with toughened clear glass and fluted glass to give it a graphical identity and an interesting perspective for people sitting inside.
The two floors are connected by a large double height atrium donning a beautiful atrium with origami staircase made by folded metal plate glowing under a stunning Art Deco skylight. Under that is the wooden wall with bespoke art work depicting all the airports of the world by a renowned illustrator, etched in gold.
A lot of research went into ensuring that every detail was the same as the ones used by the Wright brothers to build the first plane that gave human kind its wings. And it was only logical and apt that the bar counter be designed to bring back the nostalgia of old analogue airport time boards. The bar counter is actually a cut section of the jet engine.
And almost like a finishing touch, the lights, made in brass, have the same structure that helium balloon buses were made of.
All in all, it’s a walk down memory lane of the illustrious aviation industry.
A cut-out was made in the first floor slab to create visual connection. The cut-out features a huge 400 square foot skylight flooding the whole restaurant with natural light all day long. The form and curves of the skylight are derived from aerodynamic shell profile of flying machines with art-deco layering as an ode to the golden era of aviation.
The bar menu display touches upon and evokes the nostalgia of yester-years flipping information boards. The same magic and sense of excitement is felt with the ever changing Bar menu at Farzi. The 18 foot long island bar spans between two levels, as a result of which, becomes a dining bar at one end, wide enough for main courses.
The white Italian marble top rests on a base made by repeating fin profiles of the propeller.
Details, as used by Wright brothers in the first aeroplane that flew, was used to strengthen railing and space partitions. Light weight gliders and single engine planes still use these details for higher strength v/s weight ratio.
Riveting as details for creating the mirror and art work panel, in the same fashion as the panels on an aircraft body. Upholstery and soft furnishing is informed by the popular colors and materials used for the crew uniform.
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