Commercial Architecture & Adaptive Reuse in Bengaluru
Adaptive reuse is about finding the soul of an existing structure and guiding it into its next chapter. We focus on bioclimatic design to create commercial and hospitality spaces that feel naturally comfortable and deeply connected to the outdoors.
For the Earthen Spirit co-living project, I redesigned the terrace into an airy cafeteria and gym, featuring a Mangalore clay tile roof with glass inserts for dynamic light.
The new double-height staircase in the Earthen Spirit building enhances the sense of space and creates a striking play of volumes within the retrofitted structure.
The redesigned terrace opens up to the outdoors, with large glass doors connecting the interior gym and cafeteria to the open-air seating area.
The Sunyata Hotel, where the architecture is designed to merge with the landscape. Here, brick jali walls and lush planters define the entrance.
Another view of the Sunyata Hotel's exterior, showing the blend of exposed brick, stone, and bamboo screens, all softened by abundant greenery.
The entrance to the Omega Cafe at Sunyata Hotel is enveloped in tropical plants, creating a welcoming and vibrant facade.
A closer look at the cafe entrance, where the building's brick jali work is complemented by layers of potted plants.
About this collection
Adaptive reuse is about reclaiming structural potential rather than starting from scratch. For our Earthen Spirit project, we transformed an underutilized terrace into a vibrant, light-filled cafeteria by installing Mangalore clay tiles with custom glass inserts, turning an existing footprint into a high-performance social space.
When we approach commercial and hospitality projects, our goal is to minimize the environmental footprint while maximizing human experience. Adaptive reuse allows us to retain the inherent character of a structure while re-imagining its purpose.
Bioclimatic Design for Commercial Spaces
Our work at the Sunyata Hotel highlights this approach. We used brick jali screens to facilitate passive cooling, ensuring the building breathes with the changing seasons without relying heavily on artificial climate control. By integrating water bodies and lush internal courtyards, we create microclimates that keep the environment cool even during the warmer months.
The Process of Reclaiming Space
We view buildings as living organisms. In the Earthen Spirit project, our focus was to retrofit a co-living space to foster community. By introducing double-height volumes and strategically placing skylights, we changed how users interact with the building's mass. This is not just about aesthetics, it is about performance. Whether it is an office, a boutique hotel, or a co-living space, we prioritize natural materials like Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks (CSEB) and oxide finishes to create a tactile, authentic atmosphere that resonates with occupants. Every project begins with an audit of the existing footprint to identify how we can repurpose materials and structure to reduce waste.
Design Kacheri
We are Nidhish and Chaitra, the team behind Design Kacheri. We believe old buildings and raw spaces are canvases for new life, using natural materials like brick and earth to create commercial environments that feel human and grounded.
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