Tulum - Jungle Rooftop Restaurant

Tulum is an experimental paradox in the brutalist context of Chandigarh. It is a rooftop restaurant
that offers panoramic views of the city skyline. Drawing its inspiration from the Mexican getaway
destination by the same name, Tulum is curated as a superfluous, green and vernacular oasis. The
design reflects a natural and an earthy undertone that comes together in a systematic fashion
using natural stone, bamboo, terrazzo, wood, cane, plaster and greens. The story starts unfolding
from the entrance atrium adorned by bamboo wainscotting and ethnic abstract ornamentation.
A shower of cane light fixtures from the ceiling creates a surreal vibe as one moves closer to the
restaurant. The entrance axis is a sensory and an experiential bliss that comprises of a water
cascade and a bamboo arched passage that frames and encompasses the view. The narrow
bamboo gateway opens up into a cozy and dynamic seating area. The dreamy set up consists of
freestanding cane umbrella structures supported on actual tree trunks that create a semi
permeable super structure above. The envelope is an architectural and an aesthetic injection to
the space and fulfills its function as a shading device to cut down the sun. The restaurant has an
open pizzeria and a bar on opposite corners that are created using an organic material pallette of
mosaic, stone, cane and wood. A section of the restaurant is designed as a cave like corner that
has undulated walls created in mud plaster. The curvilinear walls warp the rigidity and create a
free-flowing volume where surfaces transform themselves into niches and benches. The corner
radiates its own energy yet coming together in a fluid fashion with the rest of the space. Tulum is
an ode to nature and the vernacular with an aim to create a different eating experience for the
people of the city.