Designed by: @menonbawaatelier

Captured by: @ar_divya.rajesh

Built in 1925 during the British Raj along the banks of a river, the Freemasons’ Hall in Chennai has long remained inaccessible to the public. Its restrained neoclassical exterior continues through much of the interior, defined by order and symmetry, while the main temple halls introduce a more symbolic grandeur. Within this historic setting, the renovation focuses on four bathrooms, seeking to reconnect them with the building’s architectural language.

The existing bathrooms had little visual connection to the rest of the structure, so the intervention reintroduced elements more closely aligned with the building’s period while responding to its varied interiors. Limited access initially made it difficult to understand the building as a whole, but visits to the smaller temples revealed unexpected splashes of colour and pattern. These observations became a starting point for the design, allowing each bathroom to develop its own interpretation within the historic context.

The men’s bathroom is located at the end of a long corridor, opposite two temple spaces. Here, the wash basin vestibule frames the white walls of the Freemasons’ Hall, creating a visual pause where colour and geometric pattern mark the entrance. On the ground floor, pastel blue subway tiles and a Greek key motif sit within a colour-drenched setting, while the first-floor bathroom combines chequered flooring, a hand-painted geometric pattern and curved wall lighting that softens the composition.

The women’s bathroom occupies a space beneath the main staircase, where a deep plum palette responds to its low ceiling and compact proportions, complemented by patterned flooring and wall-mounted sconces. In the guest bathroom, black subway tiles meet a coordinating mosaic band before shifting to muted grey walls and ceiling, while a geometric floor pattern and arched opening add contrast. Across the four spaces, colour, pattern and proportion establish a dialogue between the building’s historic fabric and contemporary design.