A wavy, tiled roof formed by intersecting catenary vaults shelters this lakeside restaurant, designed by Bangalore-based Play Architecture for the Deva Dhare Resort in Karnataka, India.
Perched above a narrow stream on recycled steel stilts the structure, which has been shortlisted in the hospitality building category of Dezeen awards 2022, provides both internal and external dining areas for the 10-acre resort.
The Deva Dhare Restaurant is topped with a vaulted tiled roof
Nestled in the forests of Sakleshpur with expansive views of the Western Ghats mountain range, Play Architecture sought to create a form that would "weave and integrate seamlessly" into the landscape, making use of local materials and labour.
"The dining space is located on an extremely ecologically sensitive zone, where one needs to touch the ground gently," explained the studio. "The design approach is bottom-up, where the construction process and choice of materials address the local climate, ground conditions, flora and available local labour."
The restaurant sits over a small stream in a Sakleshpur forest
To create a column-free interior, a dramatic, unreinforced catenary vaulted roof spanning 16 metres was created, using five layers of 15-millimetre clay tiles typical to the area.
This roof sits atop a granite and steel deck slab, supported by the structure of thin, green-painted steel columns beneath and accessed via two stone staircases at either side.

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