2. Project Brief
Seque ,
Sequel, by United Coffee House is located in a busy market square in the
U te Co ee ouse s ocate a et squa e t e
heart of the one of the up market colonies of New Delhi. United Coffee
House is one of the old and renowned restaurants of Delhi that has deep-
rooted memories for most Delhiites who frequented the restaurant over
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decades. It is a new venture by the people who own United Coffee House;
almost a sequel to the existing legend in Connaught Place. The brief also
required a sense of privacy and pampering- transporting the food
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aficionado away from the clutter and noise of the street to a calm, serene,
and sophisticated Zen-like ambience.
3. Context
The market square is extremely busy and an identity for the restaurant was a
part of th d i
t f the design b i f b th f
brief- both for th passers-by and f
the b d for th restaurant
the t t
customers. The Defence Colony market is a 50’s-60’s Indian modern format of
High Street shopping, catering to the needs of the local residents. Hence, the
shop sizes were narrow 10 ft wide and initially were only for local trade Over
narrow-10 initially, trade.
a period of time, the market was over taken by the pressures of Modernization
and hence, most of the shops there are a patch-fit story. The existing situation is
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of clutter and all that one sees while walking around is a mess of wires signages
wires, signages,
services and air-conditioning. There is no attention that is paid to the exterior
and it is almost impossible to recognize one single building by itself. There was
an opportunity to do an insertion to lay the seeds of an urban renewal, and as a
challenge to establish an identity for Sequel through this opportunity. Although
initially commissioned as an interior design project by a client who luckily
owned almost this entire building, the project was seen as a possibility to create
g, p j p y
an identity within this urban spread and move away from the disorder. Hence,
the approach was outward-in. Owing to the narrow depth of the shops which
were dark, dingy and damp, the design was conceptualized with interplay of light
gy p g p p y g
and shadow as an architectural feature by means of a ‘jaali’.
4. Design Concept
The interior theme was derived from two main notions; one, the idea of a
[Box]
[B ] 2 – A B Box within a B
ithi Box. Thi would h l t provide I di id lit and
This ld help to id Individuality d
Identity within the cluttered visual of the narrow side-by-side high street
buildings. Secondly, the use of a modern version of the ‘harshingaar’ motif
signifies the contemporary yet traditional nature of the space To blend in the
contemporary, space.
contemporary nature and function of the new fine dining/ lounge with the
traditional paradigm of a family restaurant that United Coffee House stands for,
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this time-honored motif of ‘Harshingaar’ has been used symbolically as an
Harshingaar
integral part of the design theme. (The Harshingaar is also called Night Jasmine
or Tree of Sorrow).
Fitted within an extremely linear plot in the market, it was a huge challenge to
accommodate a fine dining restaurant and lounge within the tight setting of the
site. Th li
i The linearity of the site was very d
i f h i demanding, and i was a task to
di d it k
accommodate the number of people that could be eventually seated within the
site. Since there is so much new insertion going around the market, the intent
was to exploit this opportunity to create a magic that was constantly changing
and attempt to ensure that the restaurant does not become dated.
5. Design Concept
The restaurant space is conceived as a discreet high design space, strung along
an almost sculpture like staircase moving over three floors. The staircase
epitomizes the entrance and creates an impact at the heart of the building. The
‘Harshingaar’ is cut in wood and used in multiple configurations as a part of the
staircase railing. A bamboo lamp installation over this triple height space created
by the staircase visually creates an impact by means of its exceptional sculptural
identity. A traditional skin- ‘jaali’ is wrapped all over the exterior façade using
lights and voids as a pattern-making tool. The pattern is abstracted from the
‘Harshingaar’ and is used to create dramatic and dynamic light changes through
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the day and over seasons At night the light changes can be programmed for
seasons. night,
festivities.
An urban seed has been used as an insertion into the existing traditional Indian
modernist market streetscape. Sequel is an attempt to break away from the
typical clutter, through a simplistic alternative rooted in the evolution of the
jaali. The intent is to encourage design and materiality that is deeply rooted
within the region What is unique to the high design nature of the restaurant is
region.
that the entire design was treated as a high design handcrafted product. The
final outcome is exclusive, memorable and will probably age well; from engaging
and stimulating the old customers, to welcoming the new, the Sequel is more
than just an experience
experience.
6. Ground Level First Level
20 seats 28 seats
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Floor Plans : Furniture Layout
7. Second Level Terrace Level
13 seats
Service Area
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Floor Plans : Furniture Layout
24. United Coffee House - New Delhi
First Floor
PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATE ON 23.10.08 a Tables (845X950mm) 3 20000.0 60000.0
b Tables (980X600mm) 4 18000.0 72000.0
Item Area Unit Rate Amount c Cashier Tables (850X600mm) 1 14500.0 14500.0
SqFt Nos. Rs. Rs. d Banquettes Sitting 18 5500.0 99000.0
e Chairs (Benches) 16 5000.0 80000.0
f Service Counter 1 16000.0 16000.0
1 Flooring
Second Floor
Wooden Flooring a Tables (1200X900mm) 1 20000.0 20000.0
(Ground,
(Ground First and Second Floors) b Tables (1700X800mm)
( ) 1 25000.0 25000.0
a 600.0
600 0 270.0
270 0 162000.0
162000 0
c Banquettes Sitting 11 6000.0 66000.0
Stone Flooring (Entry Foyer,Support Area,
d Chairs 4 6000.0 24000.0
b Office and Main Staircase) 775.0 400.0 310000.0 e Service Counter 1 8000.0 8000.0
c Tiles (Kitchen,Staff Toilet and Service Areas) 400.0 165.0 66000.0
d Tiles (Washroom Areas) 215.0 250.0 53750.0 6 Toilet Fixtures
2 Ceiling a WC, Health Faucet and Flushing Cistern 2 20000.0 40000.0
b Corien Wash Basin Bottle Trap
Basin, 2 15000.0
15000 0 30000.0
30000 0
Wooden Ceiling with Harsigar Pattern as/ Design. c Wooden Counter 2 6000.0 12000.0
a (Ground and First Floor) 430.0 615.0 264450.0 d Basin Mixer 2 8000.0 16000.0
b POP 1100.0 120.0 132000.0
7 Façade
3 Wall Finishes
a External Glazing 250000.0
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a Texture Paint (Groundand First Floor) 5500.0
5500 0 60.0
60 0 330000.0
330000 0 b GRC Jali 850 550 467500.0
b Paint ( Service Areas) 2500.0 15.0 37500.0
c Fabric Paneling( Second Floor) 230.0 800.0 184000.0 8 Railing
d Wooden Paneling Box for AC Units 100.0 615.0 61500.0
SS Railing with Wooden Panels
a (Harsigar Pattern) Rmt 10 12000 120000.0
4 Wooden Screens
Wooden Screens with Harsigar Pattern
Grand Total 3328150.0
on Ground and First Floor 225.0 750.0 168750.0
5 Furniture List Of Exclusion
Ground Floor 1 Plumbing Works (High and Low Side)
a Tables (1200X600mm) 2 18000.0 36000.0 2 Electrical Works (High and Low Side)
b Tables (1800X600mm) 1 25000.0 25000.0 3 DG and Panels
c Tables (600X600mm) 3 10000.0 30000.0 4 HVAC Works (High and Low Side)
( g )
d Banquettes Sitting 10 5500.0 55000.0 5 External and Internal Light Fixture
e Chairs 13 7400.0 96200.0 6 Kitchen Equipments
f Service Counter 1 16000.0 16000.0 7 Structural and Civil Works
Estimate
