Rice Office / SALT

Rice Office / SALT - Facade, BeamRice Office / SALT - Image 3 of 12Rice Office / SALT - Image 4 of 12Rice Office / SALT - Image 5 of 12Rice Office / SALT - More Images+ 7

  • Architects: SALT
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  10000 ft²
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2013
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Amol Chakraborty
Rice Office / SALT - Image 6 of 12
© Amol Chakraborty

Text description provided by the architects. The design brief for Rice Office was to create an “unoffice” like atmosphere that is tranquil, inspiring and iconic. The two-level office was conceived as a central white floating object holding meeting spaces which would be fed by the peripheral work areas on the ground and mezzanine floors.

Rice Office / SALT - Image 10 of 12
Diagram

The two areas are separated by a double height corridor that wraps around the object. Above a bridge creates the connection between center and periphery on either side of the box.

Rice Office / SALT - Image 9 of 12
© Amol Chakraborty

The initial requirement was to double the real estate by creating a mezzanine floor throughout. We ultimately convinced the client to be more strategic and apply this only to the work areas while keeping the common areas taller and giving them a unique monumentality.

Rice Office / SALT - Facade, Beam
© Amol Chakraborty

The materiality of the spaces emphasize differentiation of four entities. The opaque white jaali of the central object floating on a pebbled bed is intentionally contrasted with the continuous texture of the travertine floors, the lightness of the glass side walls and the infinite black ceiling.

Rice Office / SALT - Image 4 of 12
© Amol Chakraborty

The entrance to the space is formalised by a portal of wood and stone. The front lobby is a large expanse of travertine on which the jaali box floats. The travertine floor also wraps around the object into the corridors areas to create continuity.

Rice Office / SALT - Windows
© Amol Chakraborty

Tall cylindrical lights hang from the invisible ceiling to cast a dimmed effect. The travertine floor spills into the waiting lounge below to the right. Natural light from the windows above create a blue hue and tints the glass differently.

Rice Office / SALT - Image 12 of 12
Floor Plan

Being a skin application, there are two sides to the central walls - the outer jaali face and the inner wood of the board room.

Rice Office / SALT - Image 5 of 12
© Amol Chakraborty

The jaali skin peels off to reveal the wood and the double height board room inside through large windows/niches that are uplit for future displays.

Rice Office / SALT - Image 11 of 12
Floor Plan

With intense supervision by SALT, the project, which involved contractors brought in from various parts of the country, was completed in a period of eight months.

Rice Office / SALT - Handrail
© Amol Chakraborty

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Project location

Address:Kolkata, West Bengal, India

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Rice Office / SALT" 16 May 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/505955/rice-office-salt> ISSN 0719-8884

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