The Observatory

Curiosity and exploration never end. There’s a certain romanticism tied to the pursuit of scientific knowledge which is universal and connects people from across the world. 

For a new rooftop restaurant across from Jantar Mantar, The Brewhouse used the historical mysticism of the monument as well as the architecture of Connaught Place as a backdrop. The venue was imagined as a canvas for thought and exploration—one that is inspired by ideas from the past, but remains contemporary in its presentation. 

The identity system relies on the circle, a simple geometric shape that references both the celestial world (sun, moon, earth, sky maps, orbits, eclipses, telescopes) and the eye as the universal observer. Like the menu, the identity changes with the seasons and the movement of the sun in the sky. The colour palette and illustrations are inspired by the Jantar Mantar, and the visual language extends the idea of discovery by employing layering, die-cuts and sleeves.

Beyond concept design, naming and visual identity, the venue was conceived as a multi-genre, sensory exploration—delving into concepts like astronomy, botany and archaeology throughout the dining experience, including crockery, menu design and programming. 

We also proposed a series of small complementary Observer’s Guides to aid patrons in their pursuit of discovery. The Guide to Jantar Mantar introduces the monument’s history, stories and context, while the Guide to The Night Sky offers simple instructions to identify stars and constellations. 

For The Secret Garden, an events-only zone hidden within the venue which is filled with exotic flora and fauna, we extended the language to collages and cut-outs.