All that glitters is indeed gold in a project located in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, South India by the Kochi-based architecture practice, Parinamah. Not only is the design of the jewellery sublime but the Sabari Gold and Diamonds store is itself a work of art that speaks of history and culture.

Founders of Parinamah, Thomas K. Mathew and Cyriac Panamkuzha, and their team have created a sanctuary for customers who wish to enjoy the experiential while viewing and purchasing products. The intimate nature of the interior design adds to the gravitas of buying exquisite objects made by master craftspeople.

For Sabari, the new space represents the brand’s philosophy: that each creation carries the soul of the artisan who shaped it. With attention to detail, materials in keeping with the geographical surrounds, and a curation of forms and spatial flow, this retail store represents the stories, poems and memories of jewellery as a living heritage crafted to be passed to future generations.

“The brief was simple yet profound,” recall Panamkuzha and Mathew.

“The client envisioned an intimate, themed environment where one client could be attended to at a time, with complete focus, comfort and unhurried presence,” adds Mathew.

Combining traditional design with modern, the architects have successfully translated the idea of the Kalyana Mandapam or the South Indian wedding pavilion, and invites customers to pause and reflect as they peruse the jewellery on offer.

For the clients, the project is the culmination of a decade-long aspiration: “This space is more than a jewellery store for us; it is the realisation of a nine-year dream. Our initial idea was to take our 90-year legacy to the next level, a place where clients receive individual care in an earthy, all-natural environment. Cyriac and Thomas listened deeply to our stories, translating our vision into a reality that is functional, luxurious and grounded.”

Departing from the ubiquitous design of a jewellery store, the 232-square-metre internal space displays only 15 curated pieces of jewellery. Each piece is displayed as a masterpiece and limiting the amount of product on the floor ensures each is honoured and celebrated.

The entrance servers as a Mahadwara or Great Gateway and becomes the threshold that delineates the noise and bustle of the outside from the quiet and contemplative inside. The great door is crafted in weathered Corten steel and the form mimics the sculptural portals of Tanjore temples. It is etched with motifs of devotion and time and coins from the client’s personal collection are arranged on the surface in patterns inspired by Kolam (sacred floor art).

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In traditional temples, murals and reliefs are used to tell sacred stories and on the wall of the entrance alley of the store such a narrative is rendered in metal. A Corten steel relief depicts the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and also reinforces the idea of the interior as a Kalyana Mandapam.

The Experience Centre is designed as the focal point of the interior much like the pitha or pedestal serves as a stage for wedding deities in the temple hall. There are no distractions so that the art and act of viewing and buying can be conducted with ease.

A monolithic stone table is positioned at the heart of the circular floorplan, and this helps regulate flow around the space much like a circumambulatory path. Lime-plastered walls create a warm intimate aesthetic as clients stroll around the table and view the gold jewellery pieces on the natural rock.

While interior form follows function along with cultural nuances, materiality is authentic and substantial. A custom-made rose gold metal or Ramayana Gold panel illustrates the seven Kandas (books) of the Ramayana, and the use of gold leaf and symbolic motifs have been employed on a structural wall mirroring the gold-clad pillars often found in temples.

Lighting is particular, with an automated system that reveals the jewellery only as it is approached, creating a gentle wave or quiet magic of light. A custom lampshade was designed from the Elathalam, a traditional bronze percussion instrument used in a Chenda Melan, a high energy percussion ensemble from Kerala. In repurposing a musical instrument that has such meaning in South India there is cultural authenticity that is also innovative and original.

In all, the Sabari Gold and Diamonds project is a beautifully resolved project that pays homage to the past but successfully incorporates the amenity, technology and luxury of the present. It is a space that has been designed for people and culture but also enhances the act of business.

As the architects conclude, “we always held this thought close – no artificiality, no spectacle, no gimmicks for a picture-perfect frame. We let the space speak for itself.”

Parinimah
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Photography
Avesh Gaur