Future → Built Creatively
“CUEKABILA – The Pool Café” is a project by Rohan N. Puligal a BSc Interior Design and Decoration 2023 batch student at JD School of Design, powered by JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru. Inspired by African tribal culture and the expressive qualities of sgraffito art, the project explores the theme of community, cultural storytelling, and experiential hospitality. It aims to create a vibrant social environment where people can gather, interact, relax, and engage in shared experiences while responding to the growing need for culturally immersive and community-driven leisure spaces.
The project is designed for young adults, families, students, and social groups, keeping interaction, comfort, and engagement at the core of the design process. The design approach focuses on functionality, user experience, cultural expression, and spatial interaction, ensuring that the outcome is both visually immersive and socially meaningful. Through research into African tribal aesthetics, handcrafted art forms, and contemporary café culture, the project identifies the need for hospitality spaces that go beyond dining to encourage communication, recreation, and community bonding.
Materials such as wood, cane, textured plaster, stone finishes, and earthy fabrics, along with techniques including layered wall treatments inspired by Sgraffito Art, handcrafted detailing, and tribal pattern integration, were chosen to achieve warmth, authenticity, and visual richness. Visually, the project is defined by earthy tones, tribal-inspired motifs, textured surfaces, woven lighting fixtures, and rustic finishes, reflecting togetherness, storytelling, and cultural identity.The outcome, a contemporary pool café and social interaction hub, embodies comfort, creativity, and human connection while seeking to provide users with a memorable and immersive hospitality experience. Through this project, the designer aims to highlight the importance of cultural reinterpretation within modern interiors, positioning design as a tool for emotional engagement, social interaction, and experiential storytelling.Ultimately, “CUEKABILA – The Pool Café” stands as a reflection of culture, creativity, and community living, where traditional artistic influences are transformed into a modern hospitality experience that celebrates connection, leisure, and belonging.