The Port hotel at Waltair was a re-architecture project for a boutique hotel of 31 rooms in Visakhapatnam. The significance of Visakhapatnam as a major port city was the focal point of the design conceptualization. These historical and cultural references, imagery and “artefacts” weave in and out, tying all the nautical themed elements within a contemporary setting.

The facade of the building has been re-imagined as a stack of shipping containers, reminiscent of the renowned container terminus of the region. Carefully placed branding and signage complements the façade aesthetic.

Graphical representations of naval drawings have been re-imagined and presented as art that line the common areas of the hotel. Large maps with an abstract interpretation as wall prints have been used as wallpaper backdrops in the rooms. Installations in the all-day dining, the corridors and other public areas have been chosen / developed to reflect the naval theme. Interestingly, all of these were sourced from the ‘Chor bazaar’ in Bombay and repurposed as evidently seen.

The ubiquitous striped pattern seen in the interior was developed from an abstraction of the colours of various ship hulls and superstructures. The pattern has been used in carpets and flooring as well as wallpapers in rooms to add a pop of vibrancy to the light, white shell.