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Just Loaf Kochi

The third manifestation of the community table occurred in Panampilly Nagar in Cochin on the upper ground level of a building facing a park on one side. The elevation of the cafe floor from the street presented two opportunities: the visibility of the ceiling plane from the street and the possibility of a cantilevered seating balcony over the car parking area below. Similar to the Thrissur cafe, the seamless, continuous grid geometry was expressed on the ceiling and the floor, with the entire ceiling doubling up as a lighting element by means of a stretch fabric. The compact space was complimented and strategically doubled by means of a mirror surface which also reflects the quarter circle community table, expressing continuity. The grid backdrop once again provides a muted canvas which gives focus to the activity within the cafe and the view of the park outside. 

The community table continues into the barista counter optimising the space within. Minimal changes were brought to the kitchen and toilet areas since the space given was already being used as a cafe before this. The choice of colours created a quirky diner aesthetic which was enhanced by the slight starkness of the lighting. As in every version before this, the community table takes centre stage once again becoming the heart of the cafe and becoming a platform for conversations and socialising. 

Architecture is not always about the built form but about how it gets celebrated by the people it’s meant for. Without this ever changing, dynamic scenography of people, spaces are empty and soulless.