HERITAGE ART CAFE

CASE STUDIES

Sreelekshmi .A. Pillai

S1 M. Arch
2019 - 2021
 THE HUT CAFÉ, CHENNAI
• Architects: Architecture plus
Value
• Location : Chennai, India
• Area: 1300 sq m / 14,000 sq ft
• Project Completion : 2016
• Material Specifications:
• Structure: Mild Steel Tubular
Sections; Roofing: Terracotta Tiles
& Translucent Polycarbonate Sheet
• Flooring: Rough Granite-Strips
(Quarry Waste)
• Walls: Terracotta tile cladding
• Furniture: Pre-cast Concrete
Furniture, Built-in Furniture with
Brick-work & Granite Topping.
 Design Approach
• The un-used piece of land provided
as the site, was documented in
detail to locate the existing trees.
• The design of this Hut cafe was
devised in such a manner to use the
site potential to the fullest.
• The design was conceived as
having three flexible components.
• Plinth has built-in seating and was
designed with the natural terrain of
the site.
• It was designed around the existing
trees and maintained the root
profile. The flooring is from
unfinished granite strips procured
from local quarry as waste by-
product.
Design Detail
 Design Approach

• The Pods (or Huts): Next the huts or the pods were located
in the spaces between the trees without disturbing them.
• These huts were built from structural steel with terracotta
tile roofing and also housed pre-cast concrete seaters.
• The Bridges : The spaces in-between the huts were
connected with metal pergolas covered by a translucent
polycarbonate sheet. These bridge the gap between the
huts.
• The pergolas are designed to accommodate the existing
trees which pierce through them, connecting nature with
the spaces.
• The kitchen areas were located near existing buildings
where there were no trees.
 Features
Sustainability :
• The Hut Cafe is completely sustainable.
• The building uses extremely low amounts of the energy and
is built to be naturally ventilated and lit.
• Low-energy fans and LED lights are provided at several
spaces.
• Trees are brought inside the building and due to this the
natural climate of the building remains cool during the entire
day.
• The materials used in the Hut Cafe are all sustainable and
locally produced.
• Maximum materials used were re-cycled the construction
costs were very low.
• The use of low-energy fittings ensure a low life-cycle cost also.
Design Detail