As an architecture, design and branding firm, Mumbai-based Spiro Spero (pronounced spee-ro spare-ro), has created many modern space aesthetic. It aims to leave behind a legacy of happy places that inspire communities to come together.
Over 1.6 million people have a drink and a good time at a bar designed by Spiro Spero annually. Its founders, Smriti Ahuja and Keith Menon, have worked very closely with hospitality and corporate brands to make their visions come alive, brick by brick.
The team created brand Hoppipola in Kolkata, India’s first successful bar chain, a young, hip bar that broke all previous notions of how a bar should be, and set in motion the template for some of the most popular bar chains in the country to follow.
From community seating to board games and beer games, the concept really struck a chord and set a trend that hasn’t been broken for over 7 years. With The Little Door, team Spiro Spero turned around Mumbai’s most unique Mediterranean neighbourhood bar in a record 3 months.
From the award winning Gymkhana-91, built in a 145-year-old heritage building, to converting a 65-year-old Dhanraj Bar in Bandra (Mumbai), to the hip The Little Easy, or breaking the coffee barriers with Tea Villa Café, Spiro Spero has set design and brand trends for other brands to follow.
At Hoppipola, Spiro Spero created what Smriti calls ‘Hoppipola 2.0’. After a very successful 7-year run, and with over 15 of them all over India, this one was a reboot of the original, much-loved design.
The 4,500-square-foot space was redesigned around the theme of Play. Life-size drinking game versions of Beer Pong and Truth or Dare adorn its walls, urging passers-by to stop, pause and play.
The statement 40-foot-long neon light lends it an eclectic vibe. Italian illustrator Toni Demuro’s artworks talk to every reveller. A Lego wall comprising over 75,000 pieces, a community resin table, and stained glass board games – all make it an unmatched place that goes beyond just being a bar.
With Hay Bar in Hyderabad, Spiro Spero has hit the seemingly impossible balance of creating a premium bar experience that offers pocket-friendly pricing. Despite its low ceiling, Hay was made to stand out with its city-centric statement art pieces, Keith adds.
The royal blue colour keeps Hyderabad’s royalty undercurrent going, further accentuated with the minimalistic furniture in brass and teak wood. Hand-cut floor tiles, metal-bar facade and suede-fabric sofas, all bring a regal new atmosphere to the local bar scene.
The PokerStars Office is a one-of-its-kind space overlooking Mumbai airport and the vast expanse of the adjoining green Aarey Colony; The Belltower Bar & Hotel in Daman is a 24-room luxury boutique hotel with two bars and restaurants, and a real bell tower with over 200 bells from around the world!
Some of their other popular projects include D:OH for Degustibus Hospitality, By The Waterside @ The Club, and Aromas Café, to name just a few. Smriti and Keith are currently working on numerous assignments that will create design benchmarks and thriving communities of the future – from beachside hotels to community markets.
Spiro Spero was formed in 2011 with the intention of bringing commercial & hospitality design within the country to international standards. The company’s motto of Firmitas, Utilitas, Venustas (strength, functionality, beauty) easily defines the ethos of the founders and their team. (www.atspirospero.com)
