Design Coup.

Byline: Ritu Agarwal Rohatgi

Vivanta by Taj, at Bangalore's tech hub, is one of its kind. By Ritu Agarwal Rohatgi

Since I reach Bangalore and Vivanta by Taj at the dead of night, there is not much I notice about its exterior as we drive. The only fact I register is that the new hotel is within the walls of the International Tech Park. Situated at the entrance to the Park, the hotel is quite the new gateway.

What I do notice, even in my late night, red-eyed, bumpy flight-induced stupor is the absolute eclectic lobby. "Very not Taj" is my first reaction. Indeed the asymmetrical decor, the red and silver colours and the vast expanse of glass merge to create an edgy ambience far removed from the classic elegance one so associates with all Taj properties.

The room I am in is all corners, as the asymmetrical theme seems to stretch on. The glass shower cubicle opens straight next to the bed and takes some getting used to. The television is on a rotating stand placed on a dividing shelf that can be flipped towards the bed or the sitting area depending on where you want to use it from. It is an Interactive TV with an IP telephone and multimedia panel which has the latest updates at NASDAQ, the temperature in Lusaka, your Gmail on the LCD TV screen--all at the tap of a finger. I learn in the morning the rooms are also named differently--Charm, Delight, Indulgence rooms and Allure, Temptation, Loft and Nirvana suites.

The drama continues at Latitude, the all-day diner. Its rippling 'energy field' ceiling, the 40-ft high windows spaces flow and connect to each other. I step out and it is then that the full design impact of the exterior hits me. The exposed concrete faAiade creates an impression of a raw and formidable structure from one end. But as I move around, I come face to face with the coloured glass that covers almost the entire 'S' shaped hotel. This faAiade changes colour, texture and tone in the sunlight. I am told 'Raw meets Refinement' is the concept on which architect Wong Chiu Man conceptualised the hotel.

A quick walk around the property creates further awe. Tease, the bar lounge at level three, is all molten glass and techno beats. With Vivanta Whitefield, The Taj Group has entered an entirely new space--the high-spirited and stylish genre should appeal to the 'work-hard-play-hard' IT professionals working at ITPB.

Vivanta By Taj, ITPB, Whitefield, Bangalore; tel: [phone]; www.tajhotels.com

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