“Ar 13 have created a workspace that inspires you to push your limits, challenges yourself to do better and deliver the type of work that gives you recognition and gratitude.”- Nishal Sevak(Co-Editor)

AR13 is established with a moral of giving back to the society through its architectural designing.

One of the representation is there architectural studio itself which is an organic and urban workspace to work and play, congregated in an organized urban patch. The principle architects of AR13 have their different areas of interest other than architecture and interior; considering the same the space is designed as an open studio with different possible nature.

An Organic And Urban Workspace To Work And Play | AR13

Visit : AR13

Located on an internal road of a finely defined urban grid of Vadodara, the architectural studio is built in an east facing rectangular plot with an area of around 2600 Sq.ft shares common wall with open plots on west and south direction while north side abutted with a residential building.

The building is lined up as two linear blocks enclosing the major footprint of green space and setting back to avoid direct south sunlight into the workspace. The building block is juxtaposed in a way allowing liberty to have maximum usable plot area when opened. As an initial phase the ground floor is designed considering the possibility of future extension and nature of spaces up then.

Front elevation is divided in two parts; a pedestal entrance gate and a parking garage gate. The pedestal entrance in north-east side is through a concrete casted steps on a water body with fishes and foliage. The entrance here is a threshold to calm down senses while entering a creative space from busy roads.

The adjacent parking garage is a multipurpose area with a 30’ wide horizontal bi-fold gate that allows partial privacy when closed and a thoroughfare from the street when opened up, it is designed to serve as a parking space, workshop space, stage or a back room for an event.

Straight from the pedestal entrance the studio space is a linear building spatially divided as waiting area, discussion area and working space; continuing to pantry, material library and washroom as the peripheral spaces. The enclosed area comprises of only wall on north and west side, else two sides are large wooden openable doors connecting the green spaces.

The basic material palette of wood, concrete, steel and natural stones makes the interior feels raw, edgy and belonged in a lush green views with backdrop of Agra red stone and concrete finished compound wall. The furniture in the studio is designed to serve the ease of work and aesthetic purpose by playing with the combination of materials.

The workstations are designed as a connecting module with common leg stand and storage with extendable surfaces to open large drawing sheets keeping the desk top intact allowing to flaunt the individuality of each.

The building is a journal of experiments the architects wanted to do in material, structure, openings and finishes.

All the openings are treated differently considering its context and nature, thus all the systems vary from each other in nature and material but eventually makes the whole space as one. The 32’ wide opening between workspace and deck are bespoke glass progressive sliding shutters with a frame of composite material system – wood and steel.

The 32’ wide opening has large wooden sliding folding doors that act as vertical fins to serves as sun screen in south side maintaining light and temperature in the workspace. The parking garage gate is a 30’ wide steel gate and a visual barrier which opens folding up and making a canopy.

The space stays dramatic with an amazing play of light and shadow all along the day.

The building comprises of three different type of slab structure with different method and finish. The garage slab is an inverted beam slab casted with conventional steel shuttering and kept unfinished to keep it raw semi open space. The studio slab spanning 32’ x 16’ with 7” of thickness is casted on a shuttering of handpicked fine pine wood planks to get the natural wooden figures imprinted in the ceiling.

This slab contains a niche housing the curtain and sliding door. Another is a small pantry area slab that is casted in plywood shuttering with wooden batten grid showing neat and clean finished slab with V grooves.

The studio is still a growing space with blooming plants in the backdrop of Agra red stone lines, rusting rain chains, coming up art pieces and explorations.

Fact File

Designed by : AR13

Project Type : Office Architecture Design

Project Name : Studio AR13

Location : Vadodara, Gujarat

Year Built : 2022

Duration of the project : 1 Year

Plot Area : 2600 Sq.ft

Built-up Area : 1350 Sq.ft

Principal Architects : Ar. Himalay Goraniya, Ar. Hiren Patel & Ar. Shivani Chauhan

Photograph Courtesy : Vinay Panjwani

Landscape Architect : Ashish teli

Products / Materials / Vendors : Finishes – Exposed concrete / Construction Materials – Brick masonary, & R.C.C / Lighting – Perdu light from plus light tech/ Ledos by Light box, vadodara / Sanitaryware – Vitra/Kohlar by The bath world / Flooring – Stone by shah marble & Baba marble  Vadodara / Paint – Jotun paints / Hardware – Blum, Hefele, Dorset by K.D sons.

Firm’s Instagram Link : AR13

For Similar Projects >> Office Building With A Climate Responsive Façade Inspired By Origami Art