British Brewing Company in Mumbai has been designed by NU.DE Architecture as a classy but contemporary homage to the quintessential English pub. The spectacular wooden roof here looks like playing cards being shuffled by an expert in a casino. The modular vaults are all minimally surfaced, ribbed, and made of plywood that has been treated with a weather-protective coat. Parabolic arches are interspersed through the space.
Led by Nuru Karim, the team eschewed thoughtless frills, instead favouring the deep dignified presence of wood. Aged timber plank strips were specifically moulded to fit the curvature of the barrel pod, an effort that brings in the slight roughness of a tavern. In spite of the glut of bars and pubs in the market, it is hard to find one that ensures an ‘experience’. It is rarer still to find one that doesn’t go overboard with props and rock-n-roll references. British Brewing Company wants to be a place where one can eat-and-drink, talk-and-think, and its design ensures a sprint towards that aim.
