Is this the world’s most striking food stall?

In the northern Indian city of Sonipat, environmentally conscious design takes on a highly expressive form. Dubbed The Hungry Caterpillar, this stately food stall concept was developed by Mumbai-based architecture firm Lyth Design, which sought to rethink the mobile kitchen typology through character and sustainability credentials.

The Hungry Caterpillar, Sonipat

Within the grounds of Ashoka University, 3D-printed concrete kitchens are enveloped by expansive bamboo gridshells that bend and rise with ambition, providing both shade and structure. ‘One visit to the site and I instantly visualised a cocoon nestled within lush tree canopies, a caterpillar leisurely feeding, feeling safe and at home,’ says Apoorva Shroff, founder and principal of Lyth Design.

However, Shroff did not want to focus solely on aesthetic values. The metaphor of the caterpillar, a creature known to be ‘an eating machine’, therefore suits the project naturally, given the repurposing and recycling processes that underpin its construction. Take, for example, the 3D-printed modules, which, by using a single material and following an automated process, reduce timelines while lowering energy use. Similarly, the weather-resistant outdoor seating was created by Placycle using recycled plastic waste.

Like a leaf twisting towards the sun, the surrounding bamboo shells curve in two directions to form a structure that is both light and strong. ‘The longest gridshell spans 19 metres, using four layers of bamboo, each oriented at 45 degrees, topped with a crushed mat, which makes the complex double curvature possible,’ explains Shroff.

Shroff hopes the otherworldly yet rooted setting will provide a space for curiosity, conversation and reflection. The structural design was led by Atelier One, London, with architectural detailing resolved by Jurian Sustainability, and built by Jans Bamboo, bringing the ‘caterpillar’ to life.

Rajiv Gandhi Education City, Kundli, Sonipat, Haryana, 131029, India