This is a cafe, but then coffee has come to mean way more than just a beverage in the ambitious India of the 21st century. It has come to represent global choices, financial freedom and, arguably, a sense of belonging to a wider world. All these imagined purposes can be happily indulged at Mocha Mojo, located at Adyar in Chennai. Its futuristic design, straight out of a superhero’s magic hat, can threaten to overwhelm if taken in, in one go.
Neil Schoenfelder has conjured up a space which swaps swings and coffee mug shelves with walls so dramatic that after excess caffeine, they may seem to move. The firm dug deep into the ‘70s for inspiration and has used brightly-coloured MDF boards to create a Lego-like wall-furniture set-up here. Adding to the star-ship effect are the elements of slick resin flooring, concealed lighting and the modern cushions and chairs. This is Mancini Enterprises imagination at its eccentric best.
