Brief
With the dual needs of a larger space to accommodate a growing team, as well as the need to make a true millennial friendly office, we embarked on a journey to carve out a new age work space for our Design team, with the single objective that it should inspire us each day as we walk into the premises. We also coined the suffix 2.0 to go along with the fact that we were on the second floor as well as to denote a re birth of sorts in the very approach of the new office and its Eco system.
Concept
What should the new office space be like?! After a lot of brainstorming, in coffee shops around the city, we decided our narrative: What happens when a coffee shop ambience and a design office come together? That is the feel one gets on stepping foot into AVA 2.0.
Highlights
They say a room should never allow the eye to settle at one place, it should smile at you and create fantasy. That is what The new office does: with a rustic yet modern environment, it surrounds anyone who comes in with a positive and vibrant pulse.
Indeed, There is an energy and buzz perceptible right from the main door. Perhaps it is the simplicity in the use of resources, the eco-friendly concept, the honesty in the design- or perhaps all of the above!
The originality of design everywhere, and in every corner makes it a visual delight with many key areas standing out in particular:
• The inspirational quotes on the entrance wall " Every great Design begins with a story" welcomes and beckons you into the world of design!
• The exposed brick wall with the philosophical quote "One Life: Design a story worth telling" forms an apt backdrop to the arena with stepped seating's and projection walls!
• The rope feature strung between the framework separating the arena and the open office, is itself a feature that subtly marks the insignia of the firm.
• The large think tank (we hate the name conference room) is aptly called the Green Basket with the in house hand painted Green flora wall and views of plants and greenery outside the large windows.
• The other meetings space known as the Glass Box again focussed on another artistic rendition of flora, but this time on a white backdrop, instead of black!
• The reception counter almost blends into the stepped arena, creating a ramp like feature that is meant to be an active social space. Do not miss out on the rotating chequered metal raised counter as well that becomes a podium for the laptop to connect with the AV system at the arena
• The booth seatings are quiet pensive spaces like small library areas to flip thru books or engage in casual conversation and carry the langue of I girders of the roof down to its vertical post detailing.
• The wash room and the shelves of pride in between also are very tastefully done.
• The cafe with the spill out terrace is known as the "Bird cage" is a major get together space at lunch time and quiet working in non lunch hours. The attached retro look open pantry is a self service space and meant to be an engaging space itself!
• Cabins are all faced in glass to allow for visual connectivity. Which indeed is one of the wonderful things in the ebb work space, as views are across and unhindered with natural light well planned.
Eco concerns
Would you imagine this place was a godown that had thick walls in between with little or no windows outside? That all windows and openings were engineered to craft out a place that today seems so inviting?
All this was done on frugal budgets, as most architectural consultancy offices are! But that did not restrict us to use ways and methods to cut down costs such as:
- Exposed ceiling showing the wonderful girders and ducts in coffee, coca and caramel tones!
- Open views and minimal partitions to give a sense of expanse and connectivity.
- Simple flooring using a combination of cement tiles, printed tiles in the cafe and the rest: nylon carpets in greys and ochre to give an earthy feel to the premises which is eternal. No costly materials, only sensible selection.
- The panelling of the booth seatings is from recycled palate wood sourced from close by yards in the industrial area and put together by local carpenters.
- Lots of use of MS sections and I girders. With local craftsmanship, to make a real in your face kind of feel that is honest and endearing actually.
- LED Lights sourced from multiple vendors to give each space a charm of its own
- Furniture made locally and sourced mostly from Jodhpur to show a "Make in India" philosophy with no imports at all!
The sustainability of the office is there for all to see! Everything is real and authentic and there is no cover up to what is and where is!
And finally art work and quotes and all the stuff that makes is work space so special and connected to the heart and the mind!
The true success of our project: We now do not like to go to coffee shops: we have our own fusion of coffee and design in our office. Whoever we invite to our new office is effusive in praise and we have sealed more projects in the new office than ever before! But perhaps the greatest success is the feel good vibe and the longer house put in by our team in the new office.
