Masti, a Hindi word that loosely translates to “fun and mischief,’” is a new restaurant that offers Indian-inspired global cuisine to guests of The Dubai Edition Hotel, located in Dubai. Masti takes the place of the hotel's previous restaurant, La Mer.
Designers at Studio Lotus, a firm located in New Delhi, India, were tasked with utilizing principles of circular design, which is the practice of creating reusable, repairable and recyclable products that aim to generate zero waste in an effort to support a circular economy.
Studio Lotus’ design was developed to work within La Mer's existing framework by consciously adopting a zero-waste design approach by reusing or recycling nearly every element from the former location. The resulting design reflects the restaurant's avant-garde cuisine, drawing from traditional Indian cuisine with a contemporary twist.
A "kaleidoscopic chainmail" entryway welcomes guests into the restaurant. An open kitchen is the focal point of the dining room, which is surrounded by yellow and amber-colored glass blocks, designed to glow like the embers of a traditional tandoor oven.
Natural elements like cane-backed barstools and live plants are found throughout the space and add a calming effect to the restaurant's overall bright and playful design.
Familiar elements like the custom-designed furniture by Mangrove Collective, lighting by AKFD and highlights such as a stained-glass 3D elephant recall memories of the former restaurant while dovetailing with Masti's design.
Images courtesy of Juliet Dunne
