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Architects: DCA Architects
- Area: 413 m²
- Year: 2012
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Photographs:Kapil Kamra
Text description provided by the architects. DCA OFFICE is an example of Adaptive reuse. We reused the existing warehouse structure and then retrofitted the building for our particular purpose.
The office conforms to BOX IN BOX concept. The space needed to be flexible, providing both private and communal spaces, while allowing for daylight to travel throughout the space. As we enter, the Reception divides the space into two parts-interaction zone and the studio.
Interaction zone is a large hall with two glass and wooden boxes for meetings with clients and vendors and the larger remaining space serves as a multipurpose hall. It is where the demonstrations, mock ups, internal team meetings and training happen regularly. This also acts a lunch room and resource center.
For the working zone “The most important thing the Partner’s wanted was to create a high level of interaction between its studio and projects team. A set of four boxes was thus introduced here to allow privacy to the partners, finance and projects head. The floor units and low height brick partitions were designed as to create further subdivisions for the design and projects team. The Accounts department was segregated from the studio, giving them required privacy and quiet environment.
Between the two zones is a visually stimulating zone of reception, pantry and restrooms. The industrial look is enhanced here with a use of raw wood, rough unpolished kota stone and MS in the pantry and toilets with a basic lacquering/waxing to seal off the untreated surfaces. The ceilings insulation was very critical, it was immediately done on possession to make the air-conditioning system effective.
The un-plastered walls were simply painted on and the combination of old and new furniture, new lighting - completed the desired look. We retained the concrete floor and left services exposed across the ceilings. The finishing and joinery of the materials and details was kept as natural and minimalistic as possible. Bare Rubberwood was used sparingly for the work desk partitions, tables, and glass supported ceilings in cabins. Working on simple gravity, no supports were invested in for ceiling supports. The carpenter’s works table, commonly known as “adda” is glamourously set- in its original form as the open discussions table in Library.
Working with a small budget and no compromises, the space was successfully transformed from an old storage unit to a fully functional work space.
