Tapas bar and restaurant Post Card reinterprets Hyderabad, India’s material heritage through a modern lens, creating a venue that feels both familiar and unexpected.
A design that draws from heritage
Designed by local firm 23 Degrees Design Shift, the interiors are rooted in craft and cultural references. Hand-carved basalt stone walls echo the rhythmic patterns of ikat, while beaten copper wraps the live kitchen and bar, adding warmth and a subtle glow.
Overhead, a plywood ceiling takes cues from the deep eaves of the city’s Islamic architectural heritage. Sliding verandas, meanwhile, dissolve the boundaries between indoors and out, allowing the restaurant to adapt to the changing seasons.
Versatility at Post Card tapas bar
The restaurant transitions between indoor and outdoor settings without disrupting operations thanks to its versatile spatial arrangement. The east and west edges are designed as verandas with sliding doors, merging into a single expansive space suited for Hyderabad’s monsoon and winter months. The dining zone adjacent to the live kitchen is also adaptable, shifting between open-air and enclosed setups.
The bar anchors the experience, positioned at the center to connect verandas, the performance stage, and surrounding seating areas. Here, a striking undulating light sculpture fans out from the center of the bar, creating an atmospheric canopy over the bar face, dressed in red forms shaped like postcard stamps.
Sustainability woven throughout the project
Post Card’s transformable, ventilated design minimizes HVAC usage, reducing chlorofluorocarbon emissions for much of the year. Locally sourced basalt stone reduces the transportation footprint, while natural veneers eliminate the need for processed laminates.
The emphasis on handcrafted details—from stonework to metal elements—celebrates the skill of local artisans, favoring sustainable, low-energy production methods over machine-intensive alternatives.
More from HD:
Tristan Auer Takes a Quietly Bold Approach to Luxury
On Trend: Six Candy-Colored Products
Sustainable Architecture Spans Climates and Continents
