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Architecture

30-10-2025

Photographer : Ar Kushal Patil (𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝘀)

Text provided by Shruti Murkumbi

Inout Design Studio reimagines two cafes in Goa, Sweet Nation and Nanbai, as more than dessert destinations. They’re soulful, story-driven spaces where architecture becomes brand, and indulgence feels like home.

Some cafes serve you sugar highs. Others serve a mood, something that is layered, atmospheric, and surprisingly personal. That’s the quiet magic of Sweet Nation and Nanbai, two stacked dessert cafes in Candolim, Goa, brought to life by Inout Design Studio.

Perched one above the other in a bustling Goan neighbourhood, the spaces speak the same design language, but in very different tones. Despite being neighbors, they tell their own stories through arches, exposed brick, soft light, and subtle design choices that make you want to linger. Everything you see, touch, and feel ties back to the brand, and both manage to strike that rare balance: they feel fresh and rooted at the same time.

Let’s start at the top with Nanbai. It was the first of the two to be designed, and it came with its fair share of design challenges. The cafe is located on the upper floor of a building with low ceilings, sunken slabs, and fixed windows that didn’t quite work for the layout. But rather than fight the structure and strip it all down, the studio leaned into it.

Candolim,Goa,India

Architects	:	Inout Design Studio Goa
Year of Completion	:	2025
Website	:	https://www.instagram.com/inoutdesignstudiogoa?igsh=em1rNzFqNTlkZDlj

Indoor dining of Sweet Nation by Inout Design Studio Goa

They took those fixed windows and gave them a fresh life, reshaping them into arches, a form that would eventually become the heart of the brand. Outside, they created a clever pseudo-balcony, just about two feet deep, edged with cast iron railings enough to hold planters, with a concealed shutter drum hidden below. The balcony adds just the right kind of character to the facade by adding rhythm to the building and making the street-side view instantly inviting.

The palette upstairs is cozy and honest, a mix of pine wood, black and brown metal, and warm ivory tones. The black-and-brown crisscross truss on the ceiling adds some rhythm, and the walls switch between walnut paneling and soft neutrals. It’s a space that doesn’t try too hard; it just feels right. You want to sip coffee slowly here.

As the architect shares, “We knew we had to work with limitations. But the idea was to do more with less.’’ The Architect adds, “Nanbai has an essence of the outdoors like stepping into a home bakery, with sunlight, plants, and that lived-in charm.”

Indoor dining of Sweet Nation by Inout Design Studio Goa

The result is a soft, grounded space that invites you to stay. Just a floor below, Sweet Nation brings a whole different kind of energy. The exterior is playful, yet composed, a strong, bright red portal frames the entrance, acting like a celebratory threshold, while arched brick niches and a rustic terracotta facade hint at what lies within. While both cafes share the same design language, Sweet Nation is a little more maximalist in feel.

Step inside and you’re met with interiors that feel like a layered dessert: There’s checkered flooring in shades of ivory and brown, the columns are wrapped in mirrors, bouncing light around and adding height to the space. Soft pendant lights hang overhead, casting a gentle glow, and arched wall niches display handcrafted brass decor. It’s dynamic but not chaotic, maximalist, yes, but thoughtfully so.

Indoor dining of Sweet Nation by Inout Design Studio Goa

The interior here uses dark walnut finishes, layered with creamy plaster, warm lighting, and just the right amount of texture. Outside, the rustic arched facade in exposed brick draws your eye in, transcending it visually. “This wasn’t about designing around a logo,” says the studio.“We always say, the space is the logo,” says the designer. “Everything from the arch shapes to the materials to the way light moves through reflects what the brand is about: joy, indulgence, and celebration.”

Sweet Nation and Nanbai are part of a growing chain that stands by their ethos. Even the layout mirrors this ethos. The ground floor, open and street-facing, caters to casual visitors and quick bites. The upper level, with its private corners and moody light, is for slower moments. Together, they create a vertical rhythm movement below, stillness above.

Serving counter of Sweet Nation by Inout Design Studio Goa

Cafe sitting area of Nanbai by Inout Design Studio Goa

The use of plants in both cafes softens the architecture, while the brick cladding keeps things grounded. The arch as a motif isn't just decorative; it’s functional, structural, and instantly recognizable. It’s the kind of detail that sticks in your memory, like the smell of freshly baked cake or the light at golden hour. These aren’t just good-looking cafes. They’re places where you feel like the design was made for you.

Inout Design Studio has created an atmosphere, one where architecture isn’t shouting at you, but gently nudging you to stay a little longer. To notice the texture of a wall, the shape of a shadow, the comfort of a seat that’s been thoughtfully placed.

Cafe sitting area of Nanbai by Inout Design Studio Goa

In a world where so many places chase trends, Sweet Nation and Nanbai stand out by staying rooted in material honesty, local context, and emotional connection. They’re the kind of places that make you pause. Not just for a pastry or a coffee. But for the way design can make even the everyday feel special.

Inout Design Studio’s work at Sweet Nation and Nanbai proves something simple yet rare: that architecture can be a form of storytelling, not just styling. That brand identity can be built in brick and arch, not just font and signage. And that spaces can be designed to feel, not just to function.

Like the best desserts, these cafes leave a lasting taste, not just on the tongue, but in the memory.

“In a way, we designed like chefs,” says the studio. “Layer by layer, texture by texture, flavour by flavour - until it felt just right.”