DESIGNING SPACES THAT COME ALIVE
- Ajuli Tulsyan
- Nov 22, 2025
- 3 min read
For hospitality expert Surender Vanam, great bar design isn’t about décor — it’s about flow, psychology and creating spaces that make people feel effortlessly connected
Designing Spaces That Come Alive: Why Flow, Feel and Function Define a Great Bar
When guests step into a bar, they may notice the lighting, the décor, the clink of glasses or the hum of conversation — but beneath that sensory experience lies an architecture shaped with intention. For Surender Vanam, whose decades of expertise have crafted some of India’s most admired hospitality destinations, great design is not merely visual; it is behavioural. “A bar must feel right before it looks right,” he often says, believing that intelligent design quietly guides every moment a patron spends inside.
Where Flow Becomes the First Blueprint
Concept and flow, he insists, are the foundation before a single tile is laid. The way guests move, how staff navigate, and how energy circulates through the space determine whether a bar thrives or falters. “It’s very important to understand how women navigate tight paths on high heels,” Surender notes, “and how the staff struggle to move around with a tray full of drinks and starters.”
Entrances, bar counters, seating zones, VIP sections, dance floors, audio-visual systems, lighting, kitchen layout, storage, POS points — each element must be planned with intention. One poorly placed column can slow service; one disconnected zone can drain the buzz. In Surender’s view, design begins with movement.
The Psychology of Space
To him, crowd psychology is as crucial as the décor. He illustrates this with a striking example, “If you walk into a 7,500-square-foot bar with 200 people, it will look empty. But put the same 200 people into a 3,000-square-foot bar and suddenly you’ll say, ‘This place is rocking!’”
In hospitality, perception shapes experience. This is why, according to Surender, space management is not a technical exercise but an emotional one. The key lies in designing sections that can be activated through the evening, allowing the venue to expand or contract with its crowd. “The ability to create different zones and manage them intelligently during business hours is very vital,” he explains.
Beyond Décor: Designing Emotion
Many first-time entrepreneurs equate design with expensive décor or dramatic installations. But Surender cautions against this superficial approach. “Just by throwing in expensive décor and cool-looking artefacts, you can’t impress your patrons,” he says. “They will soon realise your venue has no soul.”
A bar’s soul is shaped by invisible elements — intuitive pathways, seamless staff movement, well-planned energy points, visual connectivity, comfort-driven seating, and an atmosphere that evolves through the night. Patrons don’t always see these details, but they feel them. And it is that feeling that makes them return.
Design That Understands People
What distinguishes Surender is the way he blends intuition with precision. To him, a bar is a living organism — one that shifts its mood hour by hour. Lighting must adapt, kitchens must remain efficient, and zones must encourage effortless social interaction.
In his world, design is not decoration; it is intention. And that intention is always human-centred.
As he often summarises, “You are designing your unit to promote social interaction. When people feel comfortable, the place comes alive.”
In the end, a bar succeeds not because it looks impressive, but because every inch has been designed to make people feel something — and come back for it.
