2024 Winner
Category - Interior Design - Restaurant & Lounge Bar
Mithun Adhitya & Karthik Keshev
Staap
Staap is an architecture and design studio rooted in the belief that the most powerful designs emerge from collaboration and diversity. Founded by Mithun Adhitya and Karthik Keshev, the studio brings together a dynamic team of creative thinkers, each contributing distinct experiences and ideologies to shape bold, context-driven architectural solutions.
Staap’s strength lies in its multidisciplinary ethos—working hand-in-hand with artists, artisans, and creatives across disciplines to craft spaces that break away from the ordinary. Each project is a curated narrative, tailored through a hybrid design approach that responds intuitively to site, function, and culture.
Known for transcending conventional boundaries, Staap’s portfolio spans residential, commercial, and experimental typologies. Their designs are grounded in purpose, elevated by aesthetics, and always infused with a sense of thoughtful innovation.
From concept to execution, Staap ensures that every space is as unique as the story behind it—delivering architecture that is as emotionally resonant as it is functionally robust.
Area: 1750 sq ft
In the heart of Bengaluru, TOVO emerges as a restaurant that’s more than just a place to eat—it’s a design-driven destination where architecture becomes a sensory dialogue. Conceived by Staap, a dynamic design studio known for its experimental and narrative-rich spaces, TOVO’s design echoes the rhythm of the city while offering a serene escape from it.
The entrance makes a bold first impression: a minimalistic canopy crafted with sleek metal rods and a reflective underside creates a suspended sculpture that responds to its urban context—capturing movement, filtering light, and inviting curiosity. This design element not only establishes brand presence but also sets the tone for the experience within.
Inside, the restaurant embraces a palette of monochrome restraint. White surfaces expand visual openness, while moody blacks cocoon diners into intimate nooks. This careful contrast is enhanced by a tactile mix of materials—brushed steel, deep-toned leather, and textured travertine stone—offering warmth and depth to the modernist aesthetic.
The spatial layout is intuitive and interactive. Communal tables promote connection, while the open kitchen acts as a theatrical backdrop, drawing guests into the process behind the plate. Overhead, dark gridded ceiling panels ground the space, and stretch ceiling lights simulate natural daylight, creating a seamless ambience from morning to evening.
For Staap, led by Mithun Adhitya and Karthik Keshev, TOVO reflects a broader ethos—design as an experience, not just an object. Their approach combines material honesty with spatial clarity, allowing architecture to speak softly but powerfully.
Crafting transformative dining environments like this? Let your design story be seen—submit your work to VOX Architecture Ideas 2025 today. Register now!
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