The Bifold Workspace
Design Firm: ADDA Architects
Principal Architect: Mayank Parekh
Location: Surat, India
Project Typology: Workspace
Photographer: Ishita Sitwala
A sublime workplace designed in the infrastructural epicenter for a real estate consortium that is an alchemy of function-driven design, rooted materiality, and a penchant for colour.
Modern design elements and undertones of industrial nuances entwine fingers at The Bifold Workspace, conjured to life for a multigenerational-owned real estate development company in the suburban hub of Vesu, Surat. The office’s design intent focuses on creating a workplace that carries forward the beacon of all the client’s firm finds their beliefs rooted in while simultaneously turning a page in the direction of spatial narratives that are tuned for optimized function in today’s time and age. “We were blessed to cross paths with a client who harbours a keen inclination towards the sanctity of the design process, who was involved at every technical and creative juncture. It has been a collaboration in every sense of the word!”, shares Ar. Mayank Parekh.
The directives of the design process have been decoded based on the coherent brief the clients presented. The office had to pose as a working environment wherein functionality, comprehensive spatial flow, and the comfort of its end-users were granted utmost priority. A refined palette of materiality, curated décor, bold hues, and an elevated ambience unite to create the intrinsic aura of The Bifold Workspace. The motive has been to meld together a space that is reflective of the firm’s vision — upbeat in its character yet steadfast in its honour for its rooted past; an amalgamation of two distinct phases of the firm’s existence. This sentiment has been iterated by the inclusion of a two-pronged design approach which brings together distinct styles under the same roof.
The original floorplan was a bare shell of spaces that consisted of two symmetrical rectilinear blocks conjoined by a common circulation passage and stairwell. The function-based bifurcation of the blueprint was a conscious iteration that allowed the layout to be dissected into a dedicated staff wing and an executive offices wing, each interlaced with prescribed circulation and auxiliary spaces to support pragmatic workability, rejuvenation, and convening. The clear physical division between the wings also echoes a shift in the dual conceptual theme that strings together each zone whilst staying true to the overall ethos of the office.
“When we embark on the process of designing workplaces, we very often lead with the questions pertaining to how it needs to function for the end-users on a day-to-day basis versus merely concentrating on the final visual aesthetics of the spaces at hand. The office needs to be planned efficiently, keeping in line with the overruling budgets and requirements that the brief illuminates at preliminary stages,” shares the Principal Architect. The hues, finishes, furniture, and decorative elements, while crucial, are the additives in the design process. Optimisation of space, its responsiveness towards the brief, and how it performs in the long hall are key considerations that mould the final space into being. Workspaces need to propel their end-users to feel driven and inspired, and this is often achieved through the vessel of effective design that resonates across hierarchies of workforces. The Pandemic has morphed the identity of workplaces, forever recalibrating its purpose for the foreseeable future. The team liaised with updated guidelines and regulations for the design of current workspaces.
The approach pivots around realising and meshing together a programmatic vision that is planned to a ‘t’, organised and in-sync with the overall flow of the design scheme. The varied palettes that render the two blocks lend the spaces individuality that also spatially demarcate the zones as per their unique utilitarian purpose. In the staff wing a concoction of brick, unabashed segments of colours, youthful and dynamic design assumes centre stage. The executive wing hosts an overarching palette of classical design and stated opulence occupies emphasis, creating a serene oasis of function.
A common connective stairwell and passage space leads into the two blocks which are each prologued by a zone of waiting areas and supplemental staff spaces. In the staff wing, the waiting lounge houses a triad of suede grey loungers overlooking the petit pooja niche that is framed upon a brick wall; the nook is peppered with doses of indoor greenery in the form of planters and a colossal green wall that imbues the spot with vitality. A sleek marble-clad reception desk sits against an arched inconspicuous storage niche that is bathed in light wood tones, hinting at a contemporary demeanour. The conference room in this block is dotted by graphic grayscale backlit panels that rest against warm brick walls which are crowned with louvered vintage arched windows from an era bygone.
The Head Cabin earmarks the transition into the communal staff bay of this wing, and it anchors a modern yet grounded persona with its brick-clad walls, the leitmotif arched louvered windows, and a sleek ergonomic desk placed at an angle to the display niched wall and opposite to the quaint lounge space. The layout further unfurls into an axially oriented and open-plan space that houses the employees in an uninterrupted span of spaces. Neo-industrial community desks demarcate zones seamlessly in tones of black and white, playing well off the grey and ebony speckled terrazzo flooring that hint at a directional pattern that swathes the blueprint, uniting it visually. Hints of sage green and scarlet seep into the pendant lights and desk partitions, introducing playful accents of solid hues that add zest to the work bay while complementing the light oak tones that are used ubiquitously. The metal and wood partition cum storage systems with culled out arches spruced up with bric-a-brac act as voided visual demarcations, dividing zones sans lofty obsolete partition systems.
The common denominator are the brick walls that have been fashioned in stacked and herringbone styles to emulate visual dynamism and grant the space an earthy identity. Muralled walls engage with the design of the interior layout, blending in with minimalist graphics that tie in well. Exposed ceilings reveal a labyrinth of ductwork and services that build on the industrial expression of The Bifold Workspace. The staff block is flushed with natural daylight and verdure that enliven the space, catapulting the staff’s productivity.
The executive wing’s internal lounge is accented with deep maroon hues with contemporary chesterfield loungers and a three-dimensional frosted glass world map installation that welcomes one into this stated scheme of space. The various cubicles, executive cabins, and the Business Head’s sumptuous cabin are all strung together by a shared thread of materiality and guise. Features such as classical design details, layered wall panelling, neutral hues, and an umpteen usage of light umber tones are a constant across spaces regardless of their hierarchical functions. The usage of glass along passages allows light to transcend spaces, visually connecting zones of the wing without compromising on privacy. Modern regality seeps into the workspaces with the employment of ergonomic furniture that bears clean geometry and timeless material play. An entertainment lounge anchors a billiards table and botanical-inspired murals, iterating the vibrant character of the room.
“At The Bifold Workspace corporate design attains a new-fangled role, one which is an indispensable need of the hour when workforces steadily make their way back into their offices,” concludes Parekh. The Bifold Workspace harmoniously welds together the varying design nuances to only amplify its impact in a twofold manner. It is the wellbeing of end-users that ranks highest on the totem pole and this intention has been accomplished via robust design interventions that interlink timeless spatial solutions with the client’s legacy of endeavours spanning years.
This piece was published on Office Snapshots.
