Shiv Mishthan Bhandar
AREA: 900 sqft.
LOCATION: Chandni Chowk, New Delhi
The project was to create a space that would enhance the brand identity of a 74 year old prominent restaurant & sweet shop in Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi. The restaurant had gone through many minor changes every few years since its inception in the year 1950. They primarily identify themselves as a sweet shop which focuses on North Indian traditional food.
Connected by the main axis road and a busy alleyway, the corner property with 900 sqft. covered area was divided into 2 floors with a live kitchen and a sitting area on the ground floor and a service kitchen on the mezzanine floor. The process started by carefully analysing their current working cycle, methods and visitor movements since it is one of the busiest markets in whole of India. Also, the project was to be executed without hampering the everyday working of the shop. So, the execution would happen only during the night time and the shop resumes its functions back during the day.
The idea started with proposing to demolish about half of the mezzanine and move the main kitchen to another floor, thus creating a double height live kitchen area to increase the volume, visibility and attract more people passing by. This would also enhance the ability to bring more natural light and openness. The whole space was essentially divided into 5 zones, starting with the live kitchen at the front, a waiting area, a MS staircase that leads to the owner’s office at the mezzanine floor, followed by the dine-in area, and towards the rear end is the service kitchen.
Inspired by the prevailing architecture in the Haveli’s of Chandni chowk, materials such as the red stone and lakhori bricks, kadappa, lime plaster texture paint etc were chosen as the colour palette. The concept was to create a space which blends in the beauty of traditional materials, techniques, aesthetic elements with modern interpretation and lines of Architecture and Interiors.
Lakhori bricks from other 100+ year old dilapidated Havelis were extracted, refurbished and reused as a cladding material in the Façade and Interiors. Skilled craftsmen from around Rajasthan were involved in the development of the various Jharokhas in the interiors. The lime plaster texture paint & mortar between bricks were naturally pigmented into a light pink tone using crushed Lakhori brick powder. Certain colours like pastel blue and green are predominantly seen all around the old city because it represented cool sense and thus it has also been used in the interiors for various elements in the restaurant.
