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GARDEN CAFE ORGANIC-A kiosk design
- Rohini Gomez Braganza
- July 30, 2020
- 5:26 am
- No Comments
ARTICLE CONTENTS
PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS
Design Team: Baba Sashank, Vindhya Guduru
Architecture Firm: Spacefiction Studio
www.spacefictionstudio.com
Location: Hyderabad, India
Client: Apollo Hospital, India
Built up area: 112 sqft
Year of completion: 2017
Project Type: F&B Kiosk
Kiosks are a familiar setup in high footfall density establishments. They may be seen at airports, hospitals, shopping malls, convention centres, sports arenas, movie theatres etc. A kiosk may be set up for the purpose of purchase or a service for the masses. Although a kiosk may be of much smaller proportions relative to landed or anchor retail stores, the process of creating a lucrative and smart design is most challenging. A brand needs to make an instant visual impression with its spectators, within the confines of a miniature footprint and limited surface area that it possesses. The impact it visually creates, will in turn affect its catchment percentage from the floating pedestrian populus.
In short, the design scheme will indeed define the fate of a business.
What are the key elements that play a big role in kiosk design?
Some of the most important elements may be signage, merchandise displays, lighting, interaction spaces, decor etc. The language of composition of all these individual elements together along with a carefully selected palette of tones and textures, will define the way in which a brand wishes to be experienced.
Let us take a sneak-peek behind the scenes, and discover what it takes to execute an eye-catching kiosk design.
THE DESIGN
The Project Intent
The Apollo Hospital chain of India, approached the talented team of ‘Spacefiction Studio’, to design a unique F&B kiosk prototype that would represent an organic food chain. The design would have to be representative of the brand, self-sufficient in terms of functionality, and easily comprehensible to recreate across the Indian subcontinent.
The main challenge however was to create a statement for the brand, within a space constraint of 8×14 feet in layout.
The concept
Keeping the project’s pre-requisites in mind the designers took to the drawing board to workout a unique concept.
Inspired by the operation of unfolding a simple paper box, the designers chose to replicate its mechanism into their design scheme. The box prototype would have the ability to unfold into a new configuration, and unveil all of its contents in the process. On folding it back again, it would retain its original box-like profile, simultaneously taking all of its contents with it when closed shut.
This concept had the potential to create a self sufficient design that the client was looking for. The idea also breaks away from conventional kiosk designs that are inherently static, plain in form and unengaging with its clientele.
The Blueprint
The designers aligned their conceptual intent with a grid-network methodology that would make the prototype easy to replicate. Introducing the layout into the 3rd dimension, they chalked out grid-line subdivisions across the customer-facing surfaces of the kiosk. Each subsection of the grid, comprises either a 3x3ft square or 5x3ft rectangle shape, giving it a checkered like appeal similar to that of a rubik’s cube.
The quadrilateral subsections were then delegated to a function or form respectively, such as a food display, customer service interaction space, a menu display space, storage, decor etc. To enhance the 3-dimensional appeal of the cuboid, the designers then created a composition of surface variations with each of the quadrilaterals of the grid. This was done by either introducing a recess, a protrusion or elimination of a surface.
Recessed surfaces: were assigned to accommodate lit magazine displays, natural potted greens, menu displays. They were also used to conceal wall mounted drop leaf dining tables and pull out dining stools.
Protruded surfaces: were used to accentuate the 3-dimensional silhouette of the kiosk itself. Besides its shape, it was also used to highlight the brand name of the F&B. These features are elevated above the eye level for better client visibility.
Eliminated surfaces: were used to create room for food displays, and customer service interaction. These surfaces can be shut with sliding partitions.
The structural skeleton
To achieve a creative composition of quadrilateral surface variations, the structural framework had to be custom designed.
The primary structural system comprises of:-
- Horizontal framework of ISMB channels at the roof and base planes
- Four vertical box sections serve as columns at the corners and adhere the two planes together.
The secondary structural system comprises a metal grid latticework, that adheres in between the primary structure.
Aesthetic scheme
Since the popular health F&B brand represents an organic food chain, the designers chose to create a rustic and natural look with their carefully-selected palette of colors, textures and materials.
The kiosk is cladded with sheet wood on all four sides to create the natural appeal representative of the brand. Some of the quadrilateral surfaces comprise perforated sheet wood to add a bit of definition and break away from the monotony of plain surface treatment. The perforations make it apt for concealed illumination features in the background. The F&B branding also adheres to the same concept, consisting of laser cut sheet wood, backed with colored acrylic and concealed lighting. This adds quite a contemporary touch to the rustic finish.
Each recessed and protruded quadrilateral surface was then given a different finish with respect to its assigned function. The designers alternated between sheetwood itself, contrasting black slate boards to write on, and illuminated niches with potted greens. The method of alternating finishes manifests a playful checkered effect in elevation.
The neutral tones of the exterior skin and finishes theatrically contrast with sudden accents of red used for the tabletops laminates and interiors.
The final touch to the composition was given by a local artist who painted minimal but bold red graphics across some of the quadrilateral wood surfaces.The artwork is also representative of the brand itself.
A design that engages with its clientele
The kiosk design like no other, is quite engaging with its clientele. It enables the customer to independently set up their own dining station from the cleverly concealed surface features of the kiosk. By dropping down a wall mounted leaf table and by pulling out a built in high stool from the wall recess, the customer may indeed feel engaged with the design itself.
With a freshly brewed cup of coffee in hand, a customer can while away their time with a magazine from the book display, or maybe rest their eyes amid the calming potted greens perched into the illuminated niches of the cafe.
A SELF SUFFICIENT INNOVATION
The kiosk design makes for a naturally refreshing addition to any establishment that is of a cold and polished nature, such as corporate offices, retail or hospital settings. Although it may be completely contrasting with its surroundings, the strategic choice of materials makes it a welcoming contrast that is much sought after for those looking for a “change of scene”. The design is extremely unique in the way it enables the customer to be part of its dynamic configurations as well. It goes to show that numerous possibilities can indeed be explored to better improve customer-kiosk experiences and enable a business to thrive at the same time.
This remarkable manifestation of a kiosk, truly sets the stage for better engineered and eco-responsible design schemes. It certainly redefines the conventional kiosk, making it a system that wants to be experienced, rather than a mere monolithic pit-stop.
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Project drawings, specifications & Photography provided by the respective Project Architect
Analysis & Article written by Architect Rohini Gomez Braganza