Designplus Architecture (DPA) and WOW Architects reimagine urban hospitality at Vivanta by Taj, ITPL Bengaluru, blending fluid architecture, cultural storytelling, and climateresponsive design.
At the eastern gateway of Bengaluru’s International Tech Park, where steel towers and digital ambition dominate the skyline, a new paradigm in contemporary hotel design has quietly taken root. Vivanta by Taj at ITPL, a collaborative effort between Designplus Architecture (DPA) and WOW Architects of Singapore, challenges the typical high-rise hotel blueprint with a concept as poetic as it is progressive: the “landscraper.”
This five-star urban retreat is not merely a destination for travellers—it’s a cultural and social hub for Bengaluru’s dynamic tech community. Bold, cinematic, and intrinsically Indian in spirit, the project redefines luxury by weaving together architectural form, landscape, and interior into a seamless whole.
“The seeds of the project were first sown when WOW Architects secured the commission and invited Designplus Architecture to join as collaborators. The client’s brief was clear yet ambitious: to deliver a strikingly sustainable structure that stood apart from the conventional hotel typology while reflecting the character of its environment. The challenge was to reimagine luxury in a tech-forward city through an eco-conscious lens—an opportunity both firms embraced wholeheartedly,” says Ar. Sohrab Dalal, CoFounder and Principal Architect at Designplus Architecture “It wasn’t about building higher; it was about building smarter. The vision was to create a form that was not only responsive to the site’s urban constraints but also celebratory of its cultural and ecological context,” says Ar. Sohrab Dalal.
At the heart of Vivanta’s design is the concept of spatial choreography inspired by Indian classical dance. The architecture flows like a continuous ribbon—a Möbius strip folding and unfolding across the site. This dynamic geometry creates a spatial narrative where the boundaries between inside and outside, public and private, blur into a cinematic experience.
Instead of ascending into the sky, the hotel stretches across the land, a strategy born out of stringent local height restrictions and a high site coverage mandate. By elevating the ground plane, the design team transformed the site’s podium into an active green roof, effectively optimizing space while enhancing energy performance.
Striking a balance between global sophistication and Indian heritage, the project draws deeply from local cues. The façade, for instance, pays homage to the pre-existing verdant landscape of the site. A digitized representation of this lush ecosystem is transposed onto the building’s glass skin, blending the earth’s greens and the sky’s blues into a reflective memory of place.
Internally, materials like timber, stone, and rough bagged render celebrate regional craftsmanship and texture. These are juxtaposed with modern detailing and finishes, creating a narrative of harmony between tradition and modernity.
From afar, the hotel appears as a sculptural object in the urban fabric, but up close, its design reveals a meticulous attention to detail. One such example is the use of “flux lines”—a recurring motif that travels across the concrete surfaces both inside and out. These lines eliminate the need for visible expansion joints, merging visual identity with functional necessity.
Areas of exposed concrete feature a robust bush-hammer finish, carefully balancing rawness and refinement. In zones where concrete felt too industrial, softer materials like timber panelling offer warmth and contrast.
More than just aesthetic gestures, Vivanta’s design principles are deeply rooted in environmental performance. The green roof not only blends the hotel into its surroundings but also enhances thermal insulation, reducing both heat gain and cooling loads. Rainwater harvesting systems collect runoff from the roof planes, repurposing it for landscape irrigation.
The building’s envelope cleverly manipulates solar gain through a mix of highly reflective, light- and darktinted glazing. This strategy maintains guest room views while meeting overall thermal transfer value (OTTV) standards—proof that passive design can be both beautiful and effective.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of Vivanta’s design is the way it honors memory. The shimmering façade, with its interplay of glass tones, is not just a passive skin—it is a canvas that evokes the site’s original ecology. During different times of the day, the façade responds to light like a living organism, revealing new textures, reflections, and emotions.
“The idea was to imprint the memory of the landscape onto the architecture,” says Sohrab. “So that even as the city grows around it, this building will always remind people of what came before.”
Vivanta Bengaluru, Whitefield isn’t just architecturally daring—it’s designed to serve as a complete lifestyle destination for the modern traveller. The hotel houses 199 urbane rooms and suites, each crafted for the discerning business guest. Open-plan layouts seamlessly blend workspace and relaxation zones, offering comfort, privacy, and efficiency.
Dining at Vivanta is a journey in itself. Guests can enjoy a global spread at Mynt, the hotel’s all-day multi-cuisine restaurant, or immerse themselves in bold, earthy flavors at Terracotta, which serves traditional Indian dishes from the North-West Frontier. Both venues reflect the overall design ethos—rooted in authenticity, elevated through contemporary execution.
For recreation and wellness, the hotel boasts a stunning swimming pool, a 24-hour fitness center, and the signature Jiva Spa, offering therapeutic experiences grounded in Indian wellness traditions. Together, these amenities complement the building’s fluid design, transforming a business hotel into a space for rejuvenation and reflection.
As cities like Bangaluru continue to evolve, projects like Vivanta offer a powerful reminder that design can be both a cultural dialogue and a catalyst for sustainable urban living.
