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Interior

16-07-2026

Photographer : Shubham Wanjare

Text provided by the Architect

Amai Café is a contemporary hospitality intervention located within Anhaya, a multi-designer retail environment in Kolhapur, India. Housed within a structure inspired by the spatial language of a traditional Kerala home, the project occupies a distinct position within an existing architectural framework shaped by vernacular references and artisanal detailing.

Rather than extending the visual vocabulary of the host environment, the café was conceived as a quiet contemporary insertion. The design establishes a deliberate contrast through restraint, clarity, and a carefully controlled material palette, allowing the intervention to maintain its own identity while remaining respectful of the existing context.

Kolhapur,Maharashtra,India

Architects	:	Gauchestud.io
Year of Completion	:	2025
Website	:	https://gauchestud.io/

Indoor dining of Amai Artisanal Bakehouse by Gauchestud.io

A primary challenge involved introducing plumbing, lighting, and electrical infrastructure without physically disturbing the existing built fabric. This led to a non-invasive and visibly legible approach to service integration, where technical systems were carefully coordinated within the architectural language of the project rather than concealed through extensive reconstruction.

Developed through a design-and-build process, the project balances atmosphere with operational efficiency. Spatial planning, lighting, and detailing were used to create an intimate yet open environment that supports both the functional demands of a working café and the experiential qualities of a social gathering space.

Indoor dining of Amai Artisanal Bakehouse by Gauchestud.io

Elevated seating of Amai Artisanal Bakehouse by Gauchestud.io

Serving Counter of Amai Artisanal Bakehouse by Gauchestud.io

Located within a secondary Indian city, Amai explores how contemporary architectural interventions can coexist with strong vernacular contexts without relying on imitation. Instead, the project positions contrast as a means of dialogue, allowing the existing shell and the new insertion to retain their individual identities while contributing to a unified spatial experience.