Recently designed by New Dehli-based Renesa Studio in Kanpur, India, the Pink Zebra aka Feast India Co. (FIC) restaurant drew from the client’s love of Wes Anderson movies to the bygone days of the British Empire.
With the extravagance of the European Grandeur, not many know how important the city of Cawnpore (now Kanpur) was to the British Corporation of India. The design story initiates the change over time by re-writing an architectural essay through this space amalgamation of old with the quirkiness of Art Nouveau glitz (which can be seen throughout the city).
Described as a ‘concoction of design theories’, the scheme responds to the complex and contradictory architecture that populates the city. “The core idea was to create a hybrid rather than pure, compromising rather than clean and leave the visitor hanging in the middle of an artistic sea,” explains the design team.
The interior references the American filmmaker’s use of symmetry and restricted color palettes, which often give the expression of a surreal, self-contained world. However, in order to break this rigorous spatial ideology, the architects added black and white zebra stripes to the pinkish tones often associated with the British Raj.
“The simple idea was to create a distinct aesthetic architectural style that connects to the city people and poses its stand by the use of a striking color palette,” says RENESA. “The Pink Zebra with its unique facade design creates an everlasting effect on the passersby and invites them into a magical , expertly crafted world whose spaces are framed to treat the eyes.”
all images © Saurabh Suryan – Lokesh Dang