This evocative Hyderabad restaurant revives the lost traditions of Telangana

Housed within an existing site in a corporate building, the warmth of Terrāi lies in sharp contrast with its sterile exterior, already enveloping visitors with a sense of comfort as they enter. With a lack of control over existing column positions—which existed to service an office layout more than a restaurant—Reddy’s approach to the spatial configuration creatively integrates the oddly-placed structural members to divide the restaurant into four broad sections. “We also wanted to create distinct atmospheres within this large 8,500-square-foot space, adding variety and breaking the monotony of the vast area,” she explains. This manifests as a main dining hall, an al-fresco space enveloped in glass, an intimate dining hall and a private gathering space which can accommodate up to 40 guests. Details such as gold ceilings and stretch canvas lights in the dining hall and an ikat-patterned ceiling in the private room further juxtapose the sterility of its setting.
But apart from this, it is also the striking colour palette and the deliberate material choices that curate the warmth here. A composition of black granite and Kota stone anchors the space, complemented by the unmistakable earthiness of swathes of textured terracotta-toned walls—an ode to the houses in Telangana’s villages.
But as Reddy elaborates, the design’s hidden poignancy lies in the depths of its thoughtful details, which go far beyond the initially striking visual palette and expansive volumes. Dhokra metal finds contemporary reinterpretation as art, as does the delicate pattern of Ikat, which, once whimsically takes over the ceiling and at other times, delicately and playfully announces its presence as bas-relief mouldings and tetris-like tiling along columns. Abstract stained glass windows play with the light filtering into these spaces, bringing forth a dreamy atmosphere where one can submerge themselves into these distinct, fascinating aesthetic twists on traditional elements. Wood and metal act as an omnipresent backdrop, while pops of fresh greens reconnect back to the outdoors even in the cosiest of indoor corners. Contemporary stone cutlery and repurposed historic doors with keen thought put into even the smallest details such as the handles complete the experience.
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