There is a certain stillness that descends just before one steps into a thoughtfully designed space. It is a quiet anticipation, not dramatic or loud, but steady and reassuring. In Nanded, where commercial interior design often lean toward either strict functionality or heavy ornamentation, architect Aditya Jaju’s own office offers something more nuanced. It does not reveal itself all at once. Instead, it unfolds gently, one space at a time.

There is also a quiet courage in returning home. After years of studying in Mumbai and completing a master’s degree in London, the architect chose not to remain within the familiar orbit of large cities. He returned to Nanded, a city steadily transforming, with the intention of building something meaningful. What he created is not just an office, but a multidisciplinary project management consultancy that bridges clients with specialist designers from Mumbai and Hyderabad. Rather than imposing a singular design voice on commercial interior design, the practice curates expertise. It undertakes project management, interior, landscape and planning projects, functioning as a connector between vision and execution. The office, therefore, had to reflect this layered identity. It needed to feel collaborative, contemporary, and rooted at the same time.

Designed in collaboration with A Plus Design, the space reads almost like a built manifesto. It carries metropolitan confidence while remaining deeply connected to its regional context. The journey begins not with a reception desk, but with a pause.

The Commercial Interior Design For This Office Is A Quiet Anticipation Of Design | Brick Labs

Lobby

The entrance lobby is conceived as a transitional experience rather than a point of transaction. Natural light drifts across the floor, indoor planters soften the geometry, and walls are articulated with gentle grooves. Above, a curved ceiling form flows down into the wall, dissolving the rigidity typical of commercial interiors. There are no abrupt corners or aggressive gestures. The architecture and commercial interior design ease visitors inward, encouraging them to slow their pace before stepping further inside.

Reception

From this compressed calm, the office opens into a fifteen-foot double-height reception. The shift in scale feels generous rather than grand. A sculptural staircase rises along one edge, visually stitching together the lower level and mezzanine. The reception desk, clad in wood and stone, anchors the volume with quiet assurance. Glass partitions beyond offer glimpses of activity deeper within, maintaining transparency while preserving focus.

Material Palette

The material palette of timber, marble, glass, and warm lighting feels considered but not showy like a regular commercial interior design. There is a metropolitan polish here, yet it avoids spectacle. The intention is clarity rather than display. As daylight shifts, the reception changes character. Morning light feels crisp and energising.

By late afternoon, the space softens, and shadows stretch gently across textured surfaces. The architecture responds quietly to time, creating a workplace that feels alive rather than static.

Moving inward, the corridor becomes more than a passage. Circulation spaces are often treated as functional leftovers, but here they are moments of reflection. Softly arched openings line one side, a recurring motif throughout the office. Terracotta jaali panels filter sunlight, scattering patterned shadows that move slowly across the floor.

Planters punctuate the walkway, introducing small pauses of green between work zones. The rhythm of arches creates a sense of cadence. Movement feels guided, not rushed. The detailing is contemporary, yet the warmth is unmistakably local.

The Cabin

The cabin continues this balance between strength and softness. At its centre sits a monolithic timber desk supported by marble-clad legs that appear to slice through its surface. The contrast between materials feels deliberate, allowing solidity and elegance to coexist. Behind the desk, symmetrical niches hold glimpses into the architect’s journey. Horizontal blinds temper the sunlight, creating shifting bands of light and shadow across the room. There is authority here, but it is not rigid. The textures soften it. The proportions humanise it. It feels like a space for conversation as much as decision-making. The most compelling chapter of the office lies just beyond its enclosed rooms.

A Mind Sharing Space

The space, conceived as the mind sharing space, redefines what collaboration can look like in a professional setting. Open on both sides, it allows light and air to move freely. Artificial turf underfoot introduces an unexpected softness, encouraging a more relaxed way of gathering. Overhead, wooden slats stretch across the ceiling, their gentle curves echoing the language established indoors. Large planters filled with palms create a living edge, framing views while tempering sunlight. Woven pendant lights hang between the slats, casting a warm glow as evening approaches.

Here, meetings unfold informally. Conversations extend beyond agendas. Brainstorming feels less like an obligation and more like an exchange. In a climate such as Nanded’s, shade, ventilation, and orientation are essential. The slatted roof diffuses harsh light while allowing air to circulate. The greenery cools both temperature and mood. It recognises something simple and true. Ideas need air.

A Sense Of Continuity

Across the office, a consistent language binds every space together. Grooved walls, softened curves, repeated arches, and layered lighting create continuity. The design resists harsh lines and abrupt transitions. One space flows into the next, from lobby to reception, corridor to cabin, interior to terrace. The experience feels composed rather than compartmentalised, guided by an emotional logic as much as a functional one.

As evening settles in, the terrace glows gently. Conversations taper into quieter reflections. The double height reception holds a calm after hours stillness. Shadows settle into the grooves of wooden panels and along curved surfaces. The office seems to exhale.

Conclusion

In the end, this is not merely a workplace. It is a statement about creating spaces that encourage dialogue rather than dominance, which demonstrates that contemporary design in smaller cities need not imitate metropolitan templates. It can respond to climate, material memory, and human behaviour while still feeling confident and current.

Here in Nanded, within a city shaping its modern identity, this office carves out a space that feels grounded yet forward-looking. It is thoughtful without being loud, refined without being distant. Most of all, it proves that architecture, even at the scale of an office, can create environments where people feel both anchored and inspired. And in that balance, ideas find the room and the air they need to grow.

Fact File

Designed by: Brick Labs

Project Type: Office Interior Design

Project Name: An Architect’s own office

Location: Nanded, Maharashtra

Principal Architect: Ar. Kushal Patil

Photograph Courtesy: captures_brick.labs_

Firm’s Instagram Link: Brick Labs

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