A Glimmering Legacy

Rooted in the Indian expression of spatial manifestation, Sanjay Gupta Jewellery Store was designed by Rahul Bansal to reinforce the spirit of hospitality that is integral to our culture.

When a legacy jeweller brand from Hyderabad approached group DCA to design their flagship jewellery store in the city, the brand’s vision and values were to be the touchstones for the project. Tibarumal Gupta launched his jewellery brand in 1920, crafting lavish and exquisite jewellery that came to adorn the city’s elite, including the then Nizam of Hyderabad. Taking this legacy
forward, today, the brand strives to represent its core values of creativity, beauty and authenticity through traditional yet contemporary handcrafted jewellery.

Tibarumal has numerous stores in the city, each helmed by the successors of its name. The client Sanjay Gupta wanted the eponymous store to weave in the history and legacy of Indian culture through its prized collectables, various antiquities and bespoke design elements. Rahul Bansal, the partner at group DCA, helmed the project and elaborated on its brief, “Indian culture is critical to the client. Hence, It is a modern-day store with modern lighting design and materials. But when you weave in these antiquities, it connects to the history, adding in a touch of authenticity.”

Usually, spatial and interior design determines the characteristics of decor. Still, in this case, a 100-yearold magnificent chandelier defined the quality of the interiors to a large extent. The chandelier was created with the components of a brand called Osler. It has been handcrafted, and all the heritage elements have been put together to embellish it, including artefacts, tokens
and curios of the past. To keep the design India centric, the narrative revolves around the amalgamation of traditional and modern design sensibilities. To facilitate this, rich brown is used on walls in the form of Indian teak that can be seen throughout the interiors.

Rooted in the Indian expression of spatial manifestation, the store is designed to reinforce the spirit of hospitality integral to our culture. Hence, sofa lounges are incorporated to host the clients and engage in conversations. Even the point of sales is laid out such that the customer feels pampered and has an interactive experience. The owner’s cabin is also thoughtfully placed at the centre to facilitate ease of management and enhance accessibility. This allows the entire layout to function well and be efficient. This, in turn, is reflected in the conversion of sales. The conceptualization begins as early as the first visit to the site.

The collection of antiques and curios of Tibarumal allowed the group DCA team to delve deeply into the history and crafting techniques of these invaluable artefacts. This exploration is reflected
via on-site sketches, dusty archives, and searching for materials like jaali screens, Indian teak and intricate patterns. All this leads to the culmination of a narrative that is distinctively Indian
modern yet represents the legacy of the brand through personalized elements.

As one enters the store, on the left, there is a PR desk for meet, greet and direct the customers to the right place. There is one POS on the left for smaller jewellery items like earrings, necklaces etc.
On the right, there is another POS with an L-shaped cash counter. A staircase from here leads to the first floor. On the ground floor, two jaali screens leads into the main hall, with POS on all sides
with three counters on the left and two on the right.

The central space on the right side leads to Sanjay Gupta’s cabin. Again, at the end of this hall, two jaali screens with a POS directly in the front. Two doors are there on either side of the central counter, one door leads to the blue lounge room, and the other to the lounge with a sofa. These two rooms are interestingly connected from behind, adding a transitional space for interactions. On the first floor, there are back-of-the-house utilities like accounts and sorting, server room, staff pantry and toilet.

The vast hall here is meant for exhibitions and hosting events where they can showcase a fresh collection of jewellery. The material palette is minimal, so the store is predominantly white with tones of peach and grey for a refreshing vibe. Brown in the Indian teak adds a touch of richness and luxury. The idea was to make the antiques and the chandelier the show stopping design elements. Notably, group DCA handcrafted and fabricated all the furniture elements, excluding the curios and artefacts. The store is designed to be timeless, just like the antiques added to the interiors.