OFIA (Office For International Architecture) ARCHITECT AND INTERIOR DESIGNER OFFICE
Location: 1 (ground floor), Sunlight Colony, Ashram, New Delhi, India
Detail: Interior Design and Built by Architect and Interior Designer Sanjiv Malhan, OFIA (Office For International Architecture)
Client: OFIA
Date of completion: May 2016
OFIA’s latest design studio is centrally located in Ashram near Maharani Bagh New Delhi. The Studio is designed to accommodate core-team of 8 to 10 people. It is an open plan office with one cabin designed as multipurpose space for discussion and conference.
Interior Design is done in eclectic style and display Sanjiv Malhan’s passion for unexpected use of materials, and textures. The material used are expose brick, bare plastered wall, rustic Italian tile, carpet tiles, very large format windows, glass partition and glass doors. Some joinery and workstation are made in rubber wood boards making the work space light and cheerful. The rubber wood used on workstation top draws on memory of sitting on beautiful timber writing desk. Storage units are clad in golden mirror. The use of mirror adds luxurious sheen to the office space while creating perception of a larger space.
In the multipurpose cabin one partition wall in clad in 9 inch hexagons cut in American walnut veneer. The hexagons are installed on the partitions like a beautiful mosaic showing possibilities of using high technology and Traditional methods of carpentry. One entire wall is exterior glass glazing with bands of reflective St Gobain black and brown coloured glass. During the day the glass provides heat insulation and later in the evening the glass wall convert into large mirror wall making the space look double in size.
In one corner hangs a European design award winning 30 light chandelier with exposed wire loops. A Part of ceiling is left as exposed concrete with hand painted weave pattern in metallic gold paint. One wall is designed with exposed plaster, on which randomly organized photo frame display the company’s design projects alongside a large screen TV. TV is installed at table height which readily connects to laptop or mobile phone during the client presentations and design discussion.
The Furniture is an Eclectic mix of various different styles and era ranging from a hundred and fifty year old antique storage unit with hand craft doors. A large office table is designed with a metal asymmetrical frame and a visible book shelf incorporated in it. The table is clad in super soft leatherette on the work surface and artificial snake skin details. The hexagon patterns on the wall are used as hand stitched detail on top of the table. There are unusual string chairs matched with brown mirror table and antique Lion throne-chair. An old bullock cart is converted into guest sitting.
In office zone, the ceiling is made of solid timber battens installed in diamond pattern with rough textured ceiling plaster painted in white. Light fitting with are installed with exposed black wire loops.All service is intentionally left exposed including electrical conduits, fire fitting sprinklers and smoke alarms. Here the walls are clad in travertino look-alike laminate installed with asymmetrical grooves to create an impression of natural stone. Internal doors and partitions have walnut polished timber detail with polished brass handles. Old Fashioned gold plated electrical switches are used.
The office space is harmonious intentional clash of textures of surfaces of materials and of styles. The space provides a reference Library of design element to clients. Flooring is of rustic Italian tile and carpet tiles laid in and diamond pattern which creates continuity while demarking separate spaces. Hard wood skirting throughout the office creating a uniform detail.
