Urban Foundry: A Rustic Industrial Revolution in Restaurant Design

Designer Ketan Jawdekar's Award-Winning Creation: A Unique Blend of Raw Aesthetics and Modern Functionality

Urban Foundry, a restaurant and bar designed by Ketan Jawdekar, is a testament to the power of innovative design. Inspired by the raw, unfinished state of its location in an IT park, Jawdekar has created a space that is both rustic and modern, recycling construction material to create a unique industrial aesthetic. This article explores the design process, unique features, and the recognition this project has received.

The Urban Foundry, located in Pune's upcoming IT and automobile hub, stands out with its stark contrast to the modern architecture surrounding it. Jawdekar has cleverly recycled most of the construction material to create a masculine, raw, and minimalistic ambiance. The restaurant's design is a perfect blend of form and function, serving as a co-working space, meeting place, restaurant, and high tea joint throughout the day, and transforming into a celebration place in the evenings.

The design process was inspired by the site itself, which was still under construction when Jawdekar first visited. The contrast between the modern architecture of the IT park and the raw feel of the unfinished premises appealed to him, leading to the decision to create interiors around the unfinished site. The result is a rustic, raw, and casual yet comfortable ambiance that is truly unique.

Key features of the design include exposed bricks and half-plastered walls, metal bracings added to existing columns, and a ceiling designed with MS trusses and metal mesh to hide services and create the feel of an industrial shed. The flooring is designed in concrete finish vitrified tiles with a break of decorative tiles, and the bar features a container. Decorative elements such as Edison bulbs, old switches, industrial gears, and blueprints of the project adorn the walls, adding to the industrial aesthetic.

The design project started in 2015, with construction beginning in October 2015 and finishing in February 2016. The total area of the restaurant, including the kitchen, is 270 square meters with a height of 5.5 meters. Despite the challenges of using the existing site in its unfinished state and creating an ambiance that suits different needs of the patrons, Jawdekar and his associate designer, Elham Mirza, were able to create a design that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

The Urban Foundry's unique design has not gone unnoticed. In 2017, it was awarded Silver in the A' Hospitality, Recreation, Travel and Tourism Design Award. This prestigious award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. The Urban Foundry is indeed a testament to Jawdekar's remarkable skill and innovative approach to design.