APR 21, 2022 | By Rhea Sinha
Taking an acrobatic leap of faith, BigTop by Multitude Of Sins is a farm-to-table eatery brewing a quintessentially Indian cauldron of unconventional upcycled visuals.
Christened ‘The Circus Canteen’ as a part of the premises of Bangalore Creative Circus, the 2,134 sq ft cafe pieced together by principal designer Smita Thomas unfurls one man’s treasure in what was another man’s trash.
Moulding together a miscellaneous mosaic of eccentric elements sourced from city-wide waste donation drives, salvage markets, and dump yards the canteen comprises less than 10% of its material garnered afresh, showcasing sustainability at its best.
Upon entrance, an electric pole salvaged from a scrapyard is decked with kaput appliances such as a television, radio, speaker system bathed in pastel shades; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
The scarlet door to the cafe is embellished with an octet of hand-horns and a throng of bicycle bells; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
Illustrated by artist Shunnal Ligade, the Snitz’s merry mouth splits wide open unable to contain his roaring laughter by the entrance; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
Manifesting a mischievous mood board of bright hues, bold materials and bespoke upcycled installations the project represents as a beacon of a pressing environmental message.
Retrofitted with a reborn play of tints and textures, the original door alters into an eye-catching ensemble of octet hand-horns and infinite bicycle bells. A streak of vibrant teal toned scrap metal arches welcome the customers into the space with a zesty energy right from their entry.
The kitchen service window is framed by obsolete cassette tape box covers; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
Multitude Of Sins moulds together a miscellaneous mosaic of elements sourced from city wide donation drives, salvage markets and dump yards; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala.
Each table and section at the eatery narrates a unique nostalgic story, exhibiting an exclusive transportive experience for the diners like never before; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
A glass partition system stands out at the perimeter between the dinette and community desk space on the upper level; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
Paying a humble homage to ‘haathgaadis’, a fleet of custom-built food carts finished in pastel tints embody the cafe’s produce-to-plate notion in a new light.
A peculiar tetris-like puzzle, the eatery’s flooring features an assemblage of discarded display samples from ceramic stores and the active sites of other fellow designers, stitching together an inimitable tapestry.
A motley melange of discarded display samples from ceramic stores and excess unused tiles from active sites of fellow designers makes up the restaurant’s one-of-a-kind tetris-like flooring; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
The corporate section features High-back chairs refurbished with new fabrics sporting Gingham checks and pinstripes, with a playful finish in hand-illustrated doodles on the coffee tabletop; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
Peeking through the glass lined periphery of the cafeteria, are glimpses of the kaleidoscopic dining section. With each table in the two-storied joint encapsulating an exclusive transportive experience, the diner may select any nook that their curious journey may feel compelled to take as they devour the delectable carte curated by Chef Nayantara Bagla
Stealing the show in the dining section, the mammoth community table section finished in whitewashed reclaimed pine wood and one-of-its-kind refurbished chairs exhibits an eclectic visual palette.
The focal point of the canteen’s facade, an accent collage wall modelling a mishmash of e-waste, sanitary fixtures, and discarded furniture assembles a whimsical work of art.
Embellished with paint brushes portraying illustrations of posh damsels by artist Kamesh Bhagatji is the artists section. Table graffiti art by Shunnal Ligade; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
The Circus Canteen represents a beacon of a pressing environmental message with its creative use of upcycled materials; Photographs by Ishita Sitwala
On the upper level, the magnum opus of the milieu, a partition system that stands at the ambit amidst the dinette and community desk space looks over the striking interiors of BCC.
Graced by the artistic community at Bangalore Creative Circus, The Circus Canteen narrates a nostalgic trip inspired by unshackled creative expression. Reimagining an artistic amalgam of aesthetics entwined with utility in its regenerative culture.