Sai Ceramics | Office

Client Brief

To create a minimal, clean, uncluttered office space for a ceramics office in a relatively quiet, green locality of the city, that is different from what is seen in regular offices. In other words: they did not want any standard veneers, fittings, or finishes to be used at all.

Form

The layout of the space had no defined shape to begin with, hence the first step was to give it definition. Choosing to expand the perception of the space, we designed a linear groove detailing for the ceiling, reflected by a mirror that makes it continue to infinity, drawing the eye across the space, into the clear blue sky beyond the office itself.

All other details in the space align itself to this linearity, creating a seamless expanse to work in.

Functionality: As an office, although the entire space retains an openness to it, workstations are divided psychologically using elements like planters and sheets of clear, undivided glass. For example, on entering, the placement of the customized sofas and acrylic pipes with natural bamboo, divides the reception area as a semi-private zone from the rest of the space without blocking it visually or dominating the same.

Similarly, the desk on the left, where an accountant would be working has been marked off with a clear glass sheet that maintains the transparency, along with a sense of privacy.

Furthermore, elements like the terrace and all windows, have been designed so that they can be converted into a seamless part of the office when needed, and retained as a terrace or window separately, if desired, adding to the dynamic yet cohesive quality of the space.

Originality / innovation / creativity / adaptation of local or traditional crafts:

All the elements of the space have been designed to retain the minimal and linear qualities, with prior consent and consultation of the Vaastu expert on site. This includes the selection of colour, position of tables, directions of cabins, and more.

In terms of details, the table tops and surfaces have all been chamfered at the edges to create a sharp, sleek effect. All storage cabinets and drawers are designed without handles, to retain the seamlessness of the space. Concealed recessed at the top give the necessary grip to handle these.

The lighting inside the cabin has been customized and created out of MS fabrication in response to the linear grooves in the ceiling. In effect, it appears as a continuation of the space, again, leading the eye from the entrance, across the expanse, down the other end. The door handles, also fabricated in MS, have been designed torespect the linearity in a manner that they create a sleek, non-disruptive, minimal effect.

Lastly, in terms of colour, the white walls and furniture acts like the skin of the space, while the brighter orange, blue, and yellow, adds warmth and life to the space along with green in the form of planters inside, and trees outside. A huge 6×6 feet canvas painting commissioned to a local artist has also been strategically placed in the lobby in an area that helps conceal the electrical distribution board behind it, while adding character and drama to the space. Due to its scale, part of the painting was first sampled, and then approved. In totality, three paintings, and one sculpture (the Ganesha idol) were commissioned by local artists, wherestrokes and colours in all were defined keeping the same linearity and minimal effect.

Context to surrounding& Relevant Information: A corner flat open on three sides gives this office access to ample of natural light and ventilation all year round. With the entry of the office on the North side, and cabins in the South, various elements allow occupants to enjoy the lush green, parrot-ed landscape. All the windows have been designed with two flaps to allow multi-purpose use in three ways:

1. As a barrier that blocks the outside from the inside when shut
2. As an access point that allows the outside in when open, and
3. As a nook for users to enjoy a cup of coffee or moment of solitude whenthe lower flap is used as an arm rest or pane, and the upper flap is open out

In addition, the terrace door is a large 6×6 feet, solid that also allows this kind of multi-purpose usage. When shut, flaps on the door can be opened for ventilation purposes, while restricting the harsh sunlight or rainfall outside. When the door is opened up, however,it transforms the space into a seamless extension of the office itself without any clear definition or indicator of “inside” and “outside”. Vertical landscaping on the terrace further enhances this seamless transition with the natural greenery outside, with a little flap that connects to the pantry directly, helping occupants entertain themselves without any inconvenience at all.

Additional information: With almost 100% customization of everything in the space, the client needed rigorous mockups and prototypes of almost everything in order to visualize and approve the designs. This meant making an 80-100 sq.ft. mockup of the grooves in the ceilings, adjusting the distances between every groove in terms of length and breadth, before approving; sampling all artwork including a to-scale model of the Ganesha idol that was finally made in Makhana stone sourced from Rajasthan; and even to-scale models of lighting fixtures, and more.

Short description of Project and Firm (up to 100 words)

Designed on the principles of minimalism, using linearity as the genesis of all design decisions, this ceramics office creates a unique juxtaposition of being light and open, yet vibrant and defined.An interplay of seamless material, reflection, and extensions into the natural surrounding further enhance thecohesiveness of the space.

About the firm:

At Meraki, we consider design to be about the flawless working of program and spatial qualities, meant to be felt and experienced. We believe in contextual responsive architecture, to suit the space, utility and natural essence of design instead of enforcing a signature style or language to the end result.