How This Delhi University Café Combines Climate and Community

In a city where summer temperatures soar past 45°C and winters dip below 5°C, designing a functional, year-round café for thousands of students isn’t just a challenge — it’s a test of architectural ingenuity. This Delhi university project had to serve as more than a place to eat: it became the social heart of the campus, connecting a cultural center, theater, and communications hub. The big question? How do you build a space that encourages gathering without turning into an oven or icebox?

The solution: a semi-open, climate-responsive cafeteria spanning 890 square meters, designed to operate without air conditioning while maintaining comfort through smart spatial layering and natural ventilation. Built between 2005 and 2010, it redefined how campus dining spaces could look and feel in India’s extreme climate.

What Makes This Café Different?

Rather than sealing students inside a stuffy box, the architects at Romi Khosla Design Studios created a structure that gradually transitions from enclosed kitchen to sheltered dining area to open-air seating. This “semi-open coffee shop” model uses layered walls, strategic roofing, and open flooring to adapt to daily and seasonal temperature swings. The design deliberately blurs the line between inside and outside — a bold move in a country where most cafeterias are stuffy, windowless rooms.

Why This Layout Works in Delhi’s Climate

The café's eastern side holds a fully enclosed kitchen block, keeping heat and noise away from dining areas. As you move westward, the space opens up: two walls and a roof define the main eating zone, but these gradually disappear, leaving just a paved floor under the sky. This zoning allows diners to choose their microclimate — shaded cover when it’s hot, open air when it’s mild, and shelter when winter bites. Walls, floors, and roofs were designed to stand alone, never touching, improving airflow and reducing heat transfer. The arrangement responds directly to New Delhi’s brutal summers and chilly winters, offering comfort without mechanical cooling.

Design Details That Matter

Key features include:

• A clear separation between kitchen (enclosed) and dining (partially open to open-air)
• A gradient from full enclosure to open seating
• No physical connection between walls, floors, and ceilings — promoting cross-ventilation
• Adaptive furniture zones that shift along with the enclosing elements
• A total built area of 890 square meters

This project wasn't just about shelter — it became a new model for university buildings in India, blending practicality with social value. Photographs by Romi Khosla Design Studios capture how students occupy the space across seasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is this café located?

The café is situated on a university campus in New Delhi, India, near a cultural center, theater, and communication studies hub. It serves as a central social space for students and staff.

What years was the café built?

Construction took place between 2005 and 2010, with the project completed in phases during that period.

How big is the café?

The total built area is 890 square meters, providing ample space for dining, circulation, and outdoor seating.

Does the café have air conditioning?

No, the café was intentionally designed without air conditioning. It uses natural ventilation, spatial layering, and shading to maintain comfortable temperatures year-round.

How does the design handle extreme temperatures?

The building transitions from a fully enclosed kitchen to open-air seating. Walls, roofs, and floors are detached to improve airflow. Shaded areas offer protection from Delhi’s summer heat, while open sections are usable in milder weather.

Who designed the café?

The project was led by Romi Khosla Design Studios, with Martand Khosla and Romi Khosla as principal architects, and Praveen Rajput and Maulik Bansal as part of the design team.