Telugu Medium, a 5,200-square-foot restaurant in Hyderabad's Jubilee Hills, mixes heritage with great food. Designed by Sona Reddy Studio and co-founded by Malvika Rao, Anil Karnati, and Rohit Medisetty, it celebrates Andhra culture using local materials and techniques. The design team shared more details about its creation with SURFACES REPORTER (SR):
The architecture features large brick domes, vaults, and exposed load-bearing walls, reducing the need for concrete and steel. This design helps create a naturally cooler interior suited to Hyderabad's arid climate. The exterior facade, decorated with Karimnagar bricks, adds a touch of mystery, while protruding bricks add texture. Concrete planter boxes mark the entrance.
The outdoor waiting area, entirely paved in brick, blends the building with its surroundings. Outdoor seating under canopies on the northern edge plays with curved brick fins and framed views of the outside.
Brick-Infused Ambiance
Entering through a vestibule wrapped in brick, guests are welcomed into a dual-leveled restaurant featuring 13 ft high colossal walls and a double-height atrium suffused with natural light. This provides for a moment of pause to surrender and take in the immersive design vocabulary. The ceiling becomes a canvas of the crafted brick domes and vaults, interacting with silhouette lighting to create an ever-changing atmospheric ambiance.
The furniture within Telugu Medium resonates with the space's DNA, featuring a blend of timeless, simple, and evocative pieces that offer a modern interpretation of South Indian dining.
Brick-Molded Ceilings and Textured Tandoor Flooring in Interiors
The interiors showcase brick-molded ceilings, scaling concrete columns, pink lime plaster-washed walls, and textured tandoor flooring, creating an uninterrupted composition that speaks to the soul of the Deccan. The internal staircase soars into the double-height atrium infused with fluted glass for privacy and a play of light. The ground level hosts a centrally located bar counter, characterized by locally sourced pink granite. On the other hand, a rectangular pond with black limestone tiles and an expansive concrete bench creates a tranquil focal point.
Telugu Medium blends local materials and traditional design, creating a unique experience that's more than just looks. It mixes rustic charm with modern luxury in a lavish city setting.
Project Details
Project Name, Location – Telugu Medium, Hyderabad
Architecture Design Firm – Sona Reddy Studio
Typology and Square Footage – Hospitality, 5,200 Square Feet
Principal Architect – Sona Reddy
Design Team – Sona Reddy, Anjali Miriyala, Jemy Joy
Year of Completion – December, 2023
Photography Credit – Pankaj Anand
Products and materials
Load bearing structure - exposed brick
Shallow domes and vaults - exposed brick
Arched staircase - constructed in brick, finished with lime plaster and pink granite
Flooring - Tandoor Flooring
Bar - Pink Granite
Windows & Doors- Teak Wood
Clients- Anil Karnati, Malvika Rao, Rohith Medisetty
Project manager- Sekhar Dornala
Structural engineer- Mrinmayee Consultants
Landscape - VSLA
Lighting - SPK Valo
Consultants for Alternative Techniques - Thumb Impressions
Lime Plaster- Thumb Impressions
Shallow Dome Artisans- Rohtak Dome
Furniture- Custom designed by Sona Reddy Studio
Wall installation- Custom designed by Sona Reddy Studio
About Sona Reddy Studio
With Principal Architect Sona Reddy at the helm of the practice, in conjunction with her closely knit Design Team, the studio is known to curate spaces that radiate love and happiness.Established in 2014, this young & evolving firm has extended its services in a plethora of design sectors encompassing: Residential, Retail, Workspaces and Hospitality genres of design. The studio has made its presence prominently felt in the design and construction realm in the short period of its establishment.
