May 26, 20202 min read

Flexibility, Fluidity and Future-Ready: These Attributes Best Describe this Office in Mumbai

V.K. Industrial by Studio PM

Designing a contemporary and flexible workspace for a steel trading giant.

V.K. Industries is a well-known name in the steel trading industry which served as a challenge in terms of re-imagining the process of design. They wanted an office which could allude to its purpose but were open to any interpretation as long as it had a luxurious outlook.

Responding to the intent of making a luxurious office space, designers at Studio Priyank Mehta decided to challenge the very norm of luxury in a place like Mumbai. Barring use of conventional elements like marble, inlays, chandeliers and pivotal artifacts, they chose instead to restrict the palette to a few select materials and colours. The objective was to emphasize on clean lines and well-thought out geometry. Space being the biggest luxury on the island city, it was decided to let the space speak the volumes.

The functionality of the space is a critical aspect to the working of a commercial office.

"We focused our energies on planning the space as well as the utilities in a manner that served the people and workflow best. In terms of planning, we wanted to offer this evolving corporation as much flexibility and collaboration space as possible." - Studio PM

This ideology led to the design of the central workspace as an open plan system, completely transparent from outside in. High tables were also placed in this area to allow for free and open discussions and group meetings. This space flowed into a chic café which was an informal workspace as well as a break out space for the people

The light enters the central area, uninterrupted by any glass frosting or internal blinds. Here, the white washed ceiling is left largely exposed showcasing the steel beams, and the floor adorns light grey carpet tiles. While the dull browns of the oak veneers provide an underlying feeling of warmth, the quirky artworks provides the central space with energy. Fluted glass was used in strategic areas to maintain levels of transparency and privacy as well as to add character and provide functionality.

Pursuing the previous idea of promoting transparency, the directors’ and managers’ cabins were lined up along the edge of the office. This allowed for them to have maximum sunlight as well as privacy. The cabins are characterized by veneers in dull pink, with specially curated furniture. The designers worked with specific geometries which got repeated in veneers, glass partitions and the dado in the entry areas further tying up the materials in our overall scheme of aesthetics.

The design of the project serves as a testimony, where technology was used in a manner so as to serve the overall design aesthetic and support the vision. It is also an amalgamation of various different systems that come together to deliver a design that is future ready.