Spread over 12,000 sq ft, The Junkyard Cafe in New Delhi is an example of how junk can be reused in an innovative manner, by using recycled and junk material in the cafe’s interiors By Saloni Bhatia
At The Junkyard Cafe, the ambience is in perfect sync with the theme of the restaurant as everything, starting from the seating to the walls is made entirely of junk material. The guest is welcomed by a large recycled airplane hanging from the ceiling. The bar on the left has walls decorated with old stereos and automobile parts. The lighting of the place is also done in the same manner, wherein some old things are used as holders across the restaurant. There are mason jars, kitchen graters, inverted buckets used as lamps for the bulbs.
Despite the use of junk, the place is well designed with scrap. The seating arrangement includes sofas made of old barrels, boot of a car and cycle tyres. One side of the wall is decorated with recreated art murals, one of which is the famous Mona Lisa, recreated with the back covers of Blackberry smart phones. The entrance through the stairs leads you to an enlarged robot-like structure made from used materials from an old automobile.
The cafe has been divided into three sections. The one right next to the bar under the airplane roof is exposed to more lighting and best suited for day meetings. The second section in the middle has a live stage with two private VIP zones. The live stage is often used for special shows on the weekends. The space has been used well and done in a manner where everyone can enjoy the stage view. The third section has a roof covered with over 1000 green bottles that make it apt for a brunch seating. The pillars dividing the space are either covered with tyres or broken pieces of colourful tiles and there are old drums as table stands. The entire place offers a rustic feel with its décor where even in the smallest of the details have been taken care of.
Junk as art
Umang Tewari, co-founder, The Junkyard Cafe, who conceptualised the idea, says, “My initial thought was to open a place with the name of Junkyard, whether it shall be a garage or an art piece. We wanted to use junk as an advantage and show how it can also be something pretty and useful. You can see glimpses of the idea everywhere in the cafe, be it the walls or the furniture. I thought about the concept and brought along two other designers Tutu and Vishal who furnished the place. It took us about eight months to do the place but there were several other changes done by the end.”
There are several artworks, be it the Mona Lisa or a robot at the entrance that has been made out of scratch. Small pieces seen around are made from folded steel and wires. There is minimum lighting in the cafe which adds to the rustic feel.
The menu reflects similar innovative ideas. Drinks like edis on bulb and English central monitor are presented in a very eccentric manner that attracts the attention of guests. One of the sections on the menu has also been dedicated to healthy food. Tewari adds, “ The place might be called junkyard but the food has been carefully selected to suit the visitors’ palate. We also created a separate healthy food menu to serve the best of food.”