Old Calcutta, with its inherent artistic fervour and its vibrant literary circles, embodies a joie de vivre that found its most natural expression in the traditions of the adda - unstructured, meandering discussions stretching over countless cups of coffee and cigarettes, nurtured most popularly in the institutional Indian Coffee House on College Street. Intellectual debates, political arguments and casual storytelling, all found their place within the high-ceiling halls, with timeworn furniture and smoky interiors reinforcing the café’s role as a democratic space for social exchange. Meanwhile, in Bangalore, a different but equally ritualistic culture unfolded in the city’s old-school eateries, where filter coffee and dosas served as anchors for a slower, more familiar rhythm of gathering, returning each day with the same cast of regulars.

As urban landscapes evolve across India, social spaces have adapted variably in both, present-day Kolkata and Bengaluru—at first with all-day cafés that sought to blend work and leisure, and now with bars that extend this ethos into the late hours. In Bengaluru, this transition has been particularly pronounced, shaped by the city’s tech-fuelled expansion and the rise of expansive al fresco breweries and its pub culture, catering to a growing corporate workforce in search of respite and connection after work. Jollygunj, a prime Bengaluru bar designed by FADD Studio, anchors itself in the exuberance of old Calcutta. Transposing this spirit into a contemporary hospitality interior, it retains the essence of the adda while adapting to a present where spaces must be immersive, visually compelling and versatile.

Indian architects Farah Ahmed Mathias and Dhaval Shellugar have organised the sprawling 20,000 sq.ft. space around a central double-height volume, its scale mediated by the introduction of an interim level. Balconies on the upper level, recalling the tiered arrangement of the Indian Coffee House, provide elevated perspectives over the main floor, while the spaces below shape more enclosed pockets carved out from the larger volume. This variation in spatial character allows for different modes of gathering; open, communal exchanges in the central space, semi-private conversations along the edges and quieter moments within more secluded gazebos.

On the ground floor, the grand bar design with its distinct canopy is a striking focal point crowned by a radial lighting installation that reinterprets colonial-era chandeliers. Extending along one side of the rectangular plan, its linear form facilitates seamless movement and interactions. The canopy, composed of exposed metalwork, introduces undertones of industrial design while creating a sense of enclosure within the larger volume.

A fully retractable glass roof, designed for Bengaluru's temperate climate, ensures a constant sense of openness, affording natural light even when intact and an entirely open-to-air experience when retracted. The exposed steel trusses and industrial ceiling details contrast with the intricate ironwork of the balcony railings and staircases, which recall the decorative yet structural role of wrought iron in older Anglo-Indian mansions. This interplay of elements underscores the contemporary re-imagination of the past underlining the bar, demonstrating the role of interior design in shaping spatial experiences.

The arched openings, framed by decorative wooden mouldings, reflect the Indo-European architectural influences that shaped Kolkata’s built environment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Exposed brick walls—some left intentionally bare, others with curated layers of peeling paint—along with repurposed doors and windows, evoke the textured patina of old Kolkata homes, where time and weathering have imbued surfaces with history and character.

While savouring a spoonful of Nolen Gur ice cream, one notices how the space reflects a shift in social culture, rooted in the adda, once central to Kolkata’s cafes, yet reinterpreted through Bengaluru's thriving pub scene. As a cricket match unfolds on the screen, the crowd responds in unison. Cheers and groans ripple through the space, momentarily uniting strangers in a shared experience. In an increasingly alienating urban environment, these moments of collective engagement transform the bar into a space for a fleeting yet tangible camaraderie. As the frenzy from the match subsides, the staff is seen working around the large communal tables on the upper level, hinting at the potential for bars to transform into workspaces during the day, given the right acoustic ambience.

This changing dynamic extends beyond function to the aesthetics and rituals of social interaction. Groups pausing to capture moments against carefully curated backdrops highlight how bars now must cater not only to a conversation but also to the performative nature of contemporary socialising. The interplay of mood lighting, textured surfaces and intentionally framed vignettes makes the space inherently photogenic, appealing to a milieu of people that values the aesthetics of interior design as much as they do conviviality. No longer limited to a place to get a drink, the bar becomes a contemporary adda—where the essence of Kolkata’s cafe culture meets the expectations of a younger audience seeking interaction and visual spectacle.

Jollygunj is not an attempt to transplant Kolkata into Bengaluru, nor is it a mere exercise in nostalgia. It captures something more elusive - the dynamic yet continually evolving nature of social life, where old rituals (must) adapt to new contexts while recognising that the nature of 'tradition' or 'ritual' evolves. Its core impulse—to linger, engage and observe—persists, simply taking on new spatial forms.

Project Details

Name: Jollygunj
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Typology: Bar
Architect: FADD Studio - Farah Ahmed Mathias and Dhaval Shellugar 
Design Team: Sharmila Subramanya, Prajan Shetty, Manisha Mittal, Milonee Jhaveri
Area: 20000 sq.ft.
Year of Completion: 2025