Meditative lighting and Banarasi brocade panels decorate Jain community hall in Kolkata

Local studio Spaces and Design used regional craftsmanship and earthy colours to create the Sangha Bhawan community centre in India.

Designed for the Acharya Mahapragya Mahashraman Education & Research Foundation (AMMERF), Sangha Bhawan is located in central Kolkata and has a peaceful interior filled with natural materials.

This ties in with the brief for the project, which was to create a space that would represent the values of the Jainism religion.

"The main concept was to create a contemporary sanctuary that embodies Jainism values: non-violence, simplicity, knowledge, peace, and community translated into spatial experience through restraint, calm atmospheres, flowing transitions, and contemplative design rather than overt symbolism," Spaces and Design founder Pooja Bihani told Dezeen.

The studio drew on Jain iconography for the design of the community hall and used natural materials for the interior, including stone, wooden panels, rattan and clay.

It aimed to create a warm and tactile space that reflected simplicity, while encouraging "grounded experiences".

An earthy colour palette, which includes warm brown and red hues as well as pale sage green and grey colours, was used throughout.

"The colour palette is inspired by earthy tones and warm finishes that reinforce simplicity, serenity, and the meditative character of Jain philosophy," Bihani said.

"These tones help slow the user's rhythm and create peaceful, timeless environments."

Visitors enter the 1,672-square-metre space via a reception and lobby. Sangha Bhawan also has a cafe, restaurant and large banquet hall, which will be used for religious functions as well as family celebrations and cultural gatherings.

"From a design standpoint, the space emphasises a sense of calm, dignity, and intimacy rather than overt grandeur or spectacle," Bihani said.

Along the walls of the banquet hall, Spaces and Design added decorative Banarasi brocade panels.

"These panels introduce a festive and celebratory character while remaining refined and culturally rooted," Bihani said.

"Their use also reflects an appreciation of regional craftsmanship, as the brocade is sourced from within approximately a 200-kilometre radius, reinforcing a connection to local traditions, materials, and artisanal heritage."

Throughout the community hall, the studio used architectural lighting from lighting brand Crescent Lite and handcrafted lamps from Indian company Oorjaa to add a sculptural touch.

"Lighting was included as a meditative tool rather than decoration to reveal space gently, highlight textures, and create a serene, contemplative rhythm instead of dramatic visual impact," Bihani said.

Other Indian interiors filled with earthy hues include a 160-year-old home in Goa and a rural home in Hyderabad.

The photography is by Lokesh Dang.

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