Serene Office Space Design | Ketaki Poonawala Designs
When we were approached to design, renovate and completely revamp the office for a Construction Company, the greatest challenge was the break the stereotype, create a clean and open space with ample light and ventilation considering the crazy network of columns and beams, this being located in a residential complex.
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Hence, a tremendous civil intervention was resorted, retaining the skeletal grid of columns and beams but letting go of all the walls to accommodate all the spaces envisaged by the client retaining an open and spacious feel to the office and manifesting ample daylight and ventilation which was being curbed in the initial layout. The idea was to eliminate the dependence on artificial lighting and ventilation and keep it only for the crucial 3 months of summer. Categorically this has been achieved in the process along with the integration of outdoor space with the indoors.
The material palette includes wood, glass, and shades of grey and brown. The necessary green element is achieved by the natural foliage planted in the planter beds along all the external openings. This office space has a director’s cabin, two smaller cubicles, a reception with a waiting lounge, a meeting room, and a staff section. Keeping the clear height constant, ample use of wooden rafters has been done to render the necessary warmth and conceal the services, conduits, and ducts.
There was a unanimous decision to keep the walls raw and rustic. After several trials and errors and onsite meetings finally, the agency could match the exact surface treatment that we had envisaged. This Concrete stamping effect on walls renders the much needed earthy feel to this office and gives it a relaxed ambiance. Glass has been used extensively in partitions to create naturally connecting spaces. The flooring in the common areas is a shade of grey in vitrified matte finish tiles. The Reception and waiting area open into a meeting room which is separated by a full-height glass panel. The table in the Meeting room is a plank of wood with Metal base and chairs in a mustard-colored upholstery.
The waiting area also opens into 2 small cabins and a director Cabin. The cabins have wooden flooring and the tables are again made using indigenous materials. A blue sofa sits across the table In the Directors Cabin. The long table ends with a hexagonal top of onyx stone which doubles up as a discussion space to open larger drawing sheets. Shelving for storage in all the cabins is out of wooden planks and MS pipes powder coated and painted. The workstations are customized and a mix of wood, MS supports and factory-made storage spaces adorn the walls in this zone. Glass shutters render a lighter feel to the elevations in this space. The same treatment has been carried out in the toilet and pantry.
Being located in the bustling locality of Model Colony, the office cuts off all the chaos and gives a serene and quiet feel to the users and visitors and the participation of the carefully chosen plants in the flower beds cannot be missed out. All in all this space was created to lend a slightly offbeat approach to the traditional builder’s office design and decor to set experience of its kind to the users as well as the visitors.
Fact File:
Firm- Ketaki Poonawala designs
Project Name– The Banyan tree – Office Space
Project Location– Pune Maharashtra
Project size- 100 sqm.
Project Architect- Ketaki Poonawala Designs
Project year- 2018
Photo credits- Taher Husaink
About Firm:
A unique style and a design to complement it is the best way to describe Ketaki Poonawala, the master brain behind Ketaki Poonawala Designs. She has made many bland structures immortal with her excellent flair to infuse an element of class into the design.
Ketaki Poonawala completed her B.Arch and after a short stint with Ar. Kamal Malik in Mumbai for training followed by working for a few years with Vikas Bhandari & Associates, she started her own practice. Having worked with Vikas Bhandari has been her greatest blessing and she attributes the credit for her knowledge in design and space to Ar. Vikas Bhandari. The time spent at Kamal Malik office gave her an exposure into a poetic realm of architecture.“One should keep learning throughout since every day is a new experience” is what she feels.
Over the years the firm has grown in strength with strong exposure in designing Residential, Commercial, Corporate and Institutional spaces. The Design services are diverse, ranging from Architectural planning and execution to developing corporate spaces, from custom homes and major remodels to small additions and special pieces of furniture. There is no typical project in terms of size or complexity, rather projects are characterized by the use of indigenous materials, sensitivity to natural light and respect for existing environmental conditions. She lives by the belief“ Let design be the language of your soul”. Then one can never go wrong.
Website: http://www.ketakipoonawala.com/
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