The building had been abandoned for 20 years never having been completed. The designers were asked to come up with an architectural and interior strategy to complete the building, create a series of gardens and design a poolside area. The designers went back to original Modernist intentions of the building and sought to tidy up the exterior and to render the whole building white. This may seem impractical, and yet whitewashing is a tradition in this area and is done each year after the Monsoon. A double glazed window system was installed and the designers designed a roof to enclose the atrium, allowing the space to be protected. By night the elevation is illuminated by low wattage amber and blue LED lights. The poolside terrace is characterised by a huge abstract glass mosaic pattern in blues, greys and oranges creating a graphic backdrop for the dramatic black elliptical pool. To the rear of the building is the ‘white' garden whose grid mirrors that of the building.
The designers' brief for the public areas was to create a four star plus hotel with flexibility allowing weekday trade to convert to weekend tourist stays. The designers therefore designed two free-form pods on the ground floor containing the bar, the snug and back office. The orange plastered bar breaks out to address the terrace, while the reception/snug is clad in hand-made plaster jail work addressing the lobby and coffee shop. The bedrooms are characterised by their bamboo floors, teak furniture and brightly coloured fabrics.