Led by architect Dweeta Dawda, the design of La Saante in Vadodara reinterprets European cycling culture through local brickwork and custom stone terrazzo. Working alongside architect Parnavi Mendon and interior designer Darshali Golani, Dweeta has shaped a double-height volume that transitions effortlessly from a vibrant morning cafe into an intimate evening bistro.

Curated by: Deepa Nair
Photographs: Nivedita Gupta and Karan Gajjar; courtesy Dweeta Dawda, Parnavi Mendon and Darshali Golani

The project

Instead of relying on stereotypical continental design tropes, La Saante in Vadodara reinterprets the social spirit of European cycling culture through a distinctly regional material language. The project is led by architect Dweeta Dawda (Studio Noema) in collaboration with architect Parnavi Mendon (Formavista) and interior designer Darshali Golani. Tasked with crafting a versatile commercial venue within a rapidly evolving residential neighbourhood, the design team established a flexible footprint that smoothly shifts its atmosphere from an energetic, sun-washed morning hub to an intimate evening bistro. The cafe occupies an east-facing site, capturing the abundant early morning sunlight to make the interior feel expansive and connected to the shared urban life outside.

The brief

The client wanted a dual-purpose venue which is designed to cater to two completely different demographics: early-morning cyclists and local neighbourhood families. Functionally, the space had to support fast, efficient foot traffic and offer versatile seating choices, all while keeping a clear, direct connection to the main coffee counter. Aesthetically, the vision called for a unique concept inspired by European street culture, but executed strictly through regional materials and craftsmanship to avoid any predictable, over-the-top thematic clichés.

The design intent

The architectural concept is driven entirely by the idea of movement, exploring both physical and experiential flow. Influenced by European cycling culture, the studio has interpreted motion through material textures, geometric patterns, and spatial transitions rather than relying on literal, everyday symbols. The main objective was to fashion a dynamic, highly engaging environment where industrial components are balanced by organic warmth and indoor plants.

The interior shell is treated as a grand, double-height volume that introduces openness and vertical scale. Because the footprint was free from heavy internal structural walls, the design team was able to map out a highly fluid layout. “Ultimately, the site’s natural orientation becomes the primary driver in shaping the guest experience, ensuring the space functions perfectly for early morning crowds like cyclists,” explains Dweeta. By pairing raw, exposed materials with crafted architectural details, the venue naturally shifts its atmosphere as the day progresses, all while keeping a clear, structured story.

The spatial configuration

The spatial experience unfolds as a continuous, flowing journey across the volume. Entry is through a facade anchored by a prominent brick arch that leads directly into a double-height seating area filled with natural light. Movement through the room is intuitively guided by the custom terrazzo flooring, which was conceived as a subtle pathway that draws visitors inward. The main coffee counter is seamlessly integrated into this structural flow, maintaining a direct visual and material connection to the floor plane beneath it. Vertical circulation is introduced through a sculptural staircase that acts as a strong spatial connector while preserving clear visual continuity across the split levels. By strictly avoiding rigid partitions or heavy walls, the layout allows the entire venue to feel completely open, unified, and interactive.

The design and material details

The facade is defined by an exposed brick arch that establishes a clear visual identity in the street while remaining contextually familiar within the neighbourhood. This brickwork introduces a rhythmic pattern that directly sets the material language for the entire cafe. Inside, the double-height seating space—the heart of the cafe—is flooded with natural light, highlighting the varied patterns of the exposed brick walls to create depth and subtle movement across the surfaces. Warm wooden furniture balances the robustness of the brickwork, while strategic indoor planting introduces a soothing layer throughout the room. The seating layout remains informal and adaptive, comfortably catering to both solitary visitors and large social gatherings.

Serving as the defining element of the project, the custom terrazzo flooring flows organically through the space like an abstract cycling trail, guiding guest movement without explicit direction. This floor is meticulously composed of white marble blended with vibrant Jaisalmer and Agra stone aggregates, featuring minimal geometric inlays that subtly suggest cyclist forms in an abstract manner.

A contrasting dark grey terrazzo band extends from this path directly up into the main coffee counter, completely dissolving the boundary between the floor plane and the built elements. The counter itself emerges as a restrained, monolithic extension of this material language, allowing the organic flow underfoot to remain the dominant visual feature while anchoring the functional core of the cafe and blurring the line between surface and object.

Vertical movement is introduced by a sculptural mild steel staircase that brings a distinct industrial character to the grand volume, serving as both a functional circulation path and an expressive vertical anchor. Suspended above, custom ceiling lamps fabricated from repurposed bicycle components offer a clever, direct reference to the overarching cycling theme. This lighting design ensures the atmosphere smoothly transitions from bright and natural during the morning hours to a warm, ambient setting in the evening, allowing the space to organically shift its mood to suit the neighbourhood’s changing flow.

Fact File

Project: La Saante
Location: Vadodara, Gujarat  
Area: 1,000 sq ft
Principal architect: Dweeta Dawda
Associate architect: Parnavi Mendon
Associate designer: Darshali Golani
Design team: Swalika Patel and Kavya Shah