The project brief involved designing the head office for the leading supplier of engineered equipment to global chemical and pharmaceutical markets. Located in the upcoming business district of Mumbai, New Cuffe Parade, the 7500 sqft office space encompasses 3 zones; the directors’ chambers with its allied facilities, the senior management zone, and a general office area.

The directors’ zone holds the cabins for the two directors along with a spacious shared director’s lounge,tying the two spaces together. A remarkable see through floor to ceiling wooden and metal shelving unit takes center stage in the director’s cabin. The unit, designed with clean, minimal surfaces that standout against the window behind is curated to create visual and functional backdrop. In the directors lounge, suede and copper panelling, designed as a modern avatar of the traditional panelling found in country clubs of old, finds feature

The large general workspace is centrally located with the senior management cabins on one side and the chairman’s zone on the other. The space was intentionally broken down into smaller, more intimate spaces that allow the different teams to function both efficiently and independently. By introducing multiple senior pods in the form of semi-open cabins throughout the space, the fluidity of an open office plan was retained. The intention being to foster a boutique and smaller office environment, rather than the large open office large floor plate that most corporates gravitate towards. The senior management cabins adjoining the general workspace, see the use of poly carbonate sheets as partition walls, ensuring a certain degree of visual connection between the management and staff without disrupting the privacy of the individuals.

The reception area is marked by a greeting desk made of translucent back lit plexi glass, a statement piece of furniture custom designed for the space. The cafeteria, designed as a place to relax and unwind,is complete with a glowing baffle wall of plants separating the executive dining with the common cafeteria, hinting at the possibility of an open to sky courtyard between the two spaces.

Materially, the palette was restricted to subtle, neutral colours, with touches of blue, in sync with the colours of the brand, working towards an aesthetic that is executive in spirit yet not entirely imposing.The blue makes appearances throughout the office, not only serving as a base reference for numerous backdrops and storage units, but also as flooring in some of the cabins. Grey stone cladding and dark brown veneer was mindfully selected to complement the various hues of blue that echo through the space.