Recreating the Yesteryears Hunka Hunka Town, Chandigarh, groupDCA

Set amidst the urban backdrop of central Chandigarh, this restaurant is a space where the design speaks of its intention, and endorses the theme it was designed and built upon. Hunka Hunka Town came up with the idea of returning to the roots, a hang-out corner paying its tribute to the sixties and seventies of rock and roll, which defined music and lifestyles in the coming years.



This small restaurant, which focuses on the emerging pop trends of the sixties and seventies, was executed keeping in mind the specific requirements of the client. Following a retro background to portray the old school rock, this place has successfully been able to recreate that feeling to make it coherent to the young and contemporary. Creating an ambience needs much more than a simple interior facelift and the architects have walked the extra mile to engage all the senses of the user to provide them with a holistic experience. By tapping into people’s desire to feel a sense of belonging and meaning, groupDCA has conceptualised the restaurant with an emotion that connects with their audience.



The challenge was to establish ‘a connect’ – recreating a spatial experience based on the core philosophies of the sixties in the twenty-first century. This required much more than just architectural expertise. The design involved an understanding of utilising contemporary sensibilities to create an aesthetic that is archaic and contextual to a past time. Visualised as a social experience for millennial consumers, the whole ambience of the restaurant lends an immersive form of nostalgia. One instantly perceives the shift in paradigm upon walking in – from the straight and streamlined city of Chandigarh to the chic and classy ambience of Hunka Hunka Town. A chequered terrazzo chessboard floor and a predominant black and white theme transports you to the ages when monochrome was the new trend. The central seating features a long series of lighting fixtures ar ranged in parallels; the custom made fixtures are made from old vinyl recordings. Being the most prominent visual element, these fixtures provide the theme of nostalgia to the restaurant.

Group DCA is a multi-disciplinary Architecture & Interior Design firm, based out of New Delhi, India. Founded in the year 1996, the firm has to its credit, remarkable, award-winning, widely acclaimed projects across diverse typologies such as Residential, Retail, Hospitality and Workspaces. With core values of Design excellence, Innovation and Customer satisfaction, the firm has been able to successfully partner with various Brands (both national & International) in the conceptualisation & implementation of Brand identities. With an in-depth desire to Redefine the paradigms of Design, group DCA has been focused in its approach as a skillful balance of talent, experience and hard work. Each project is treated individually, with an approach that is most appropriate to the project’s identity, vision, business format, target clientele, code of ethics, site location and budget. Rather than following current trends, or designing for the short term, the studio believes in sustainable design, which is exclusive, well-balanced, contextual and fosters longevity and practicality. A conscious effort is made to use local – sustainable materials/ technology. This in turn reinforces traditional crafts and skillsets of the craftsmen, while minimizing the impact on the environment. Each project is therefore not a cookie-cutter solution, but is instead climate-appropriate and designed to meet specific needs that create an exclusive, yet relevant product. Through its contribution in the realm of Architecture and Interior Design, Group DCA has made a mark across India, South Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The use of a minimum number of colours paired with the light finish of the walls and a combination of double seater and suede leather finish sofas provide guests a soothing space for relaxation. Too much variety has intentionally been avoided to bring in a laid back yet jazzy persona to the space. The walls are covered with numerous posters displaying iconic rock legends performing live as well as vinyl records that have been sourced from multiple places for this purpose. Replicas of the dresses that Presley used to wear while performing live have been put on display. Guitars, gramophones and a host of other antiquities have been sourced, curated and placed on careful display. The subtle iconographies and the washroom signages have been strongly inspired from musical notes, and do the job of unifying the entire space to the broader theme of music.

fact file:
Architectural Firm	groupDCA
Typology	Hospitality
Name of Project	Hunka Hunka Town
Location	Sector 26, Chandigarh
Name of Client	Sachin
Principal Architect	Amit Aurora, Rahul Bansal
Design Team	Maninder Kaur, Sidharth Gaba,
	Tanvi Sehgal
Area	2065 sqft
Commencement	September 2016
Completion	February 2017
Photographer	Andre J. Fanthome

The crown jewel of the restaurant is the bar. The leather chairs sit in perfect harmony with the matte black finish of the bar counter. The liquor counters at the back are constructed in a staggered pattern, offering charming views. Custom manufactured lights have been fixed inside unidyne microphones, sourced exclusively, and hung at varying lengths over the bar, creating an interesting interplay of light and shadows when lit.

Hunka Hunka Town does justice to the design; it serves its honest purpose of recreating an experience that connects the past to the present. It was designed to be a place for millennials to unwind – and in that, it boldly reverberates the vibe of the sixties.