Cardboard Bombay Cafe in Mumbai using cardboard, designed by Nuru Karim of NUDES, has uniquely fabricated the interiors of the cafe. While cardboard may seem like an unusual material to work with, they discovered the many advantages to it. “Cardboard is a purely recyclable and renewable material,” said Nuru Karim. “In addition, it is an extremely versatile material which is durable and lightweight. It is primarily made up of 50% air. It’s that void, texturing and corrugation that we really wanted to explore.”
Abstract and urban, the design of this cafe in Mumbai cafe reflects the firm’s creative philosophy. The undulating, Zaha Hadid-Esque architecture are often seen throughout the space, enhanced by the grooved nature of the cardboard. All the furniture, light & fixtures, mirror frames, panels and accessories have been crafted from the material.
To prevent any food or water damage, the tables have been laminated with wax. The interior designing concept of Cardboard Cafe in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) quite literally explores out-of-the-box thinking. Its entire interior landscape, including furniture, light fixtures, signage as well as the menu card and bill and cutlery boxes, have been made using cardboards.
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Through an immersive cardboard experience, this cafe in Mumbai using cardboard advocates the usage of environment-friendly products and renewable materials, with combating climate change and global warming as their frontrunner objective. Conceived and designed by architect Nuru Karim of NUDES, the eco-designed interiors made from recyclable cardboard for the Cafe in Mumbai was brought to life by Amit and Bhavna Dhanani in collaboration with Shilpa Tulaskar and Vishal Shetty, Thyme & Reason Hospitality.
The curving and fluted shapes of the furnishings are formed by multiple layers of cardboard precision-cut to produce the desired shape. Benches cut from the wall panels protrude out into space, and pieces such as tables and children’s highchairs are made from cardboard elements that slot together. To build with cardboard is a constant exploration and inquiry into material performance.
NUDES approach the material as students, constantly diving into research which includes prototyping and testing the material in real-world constraints including humidity, water-resistance and temperature fluctuations.