By Smita Singh
Photography: Prerna Mahajan; courtesy the architects
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Completed in just 38 days, the MRL Group office in the heart of Mumbai by O
& A Architects flaunts a distinct personality via
clean lines and a simple palette….
When MRL Group office branched out into other
businesses besides transport, and even shifted base to a more upmarket area of
the metropolis, the architects had to deal with acclimatizing their clients to
the cultural shift in addition to their new and improved environs. With
design efforts focussed on crafting a new identity for the space while
preserving the existing ethos, Obaid and Afsha Hakim of O & A Architects
have exquisitely balanced contemporary style and cool elegance with optimum
functionality, without making it appear pretentious.
With
the company dabbling predominantly in transport, besides hospitality and real
estate, several key elements like truck engine parts as sculptural elements; and
tyre-impression linear patterns on the walls build
an abstract connect. Yet the ambience remains present-day
and chic to cater to the other business clientele.
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Faced with the challenge of
completing the exercise from start to handover in just 40 days, the onus was on
quick and effective deliverance. Choice of material and colour was worked out
to sport à la mode refinement.
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The 3000 sq. ft. office space
sports a central open office pool with executive cabins along its periphery.
Glass walls open up the area, allowing natural light to flood the space, while industrial-looking
perforated partitions simultaneously facilitate privacy and connectivity.
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Clean lines dress the office with
a focus on functionality without compromising on storage space, security and
privacy. Grey concrete-finished tiles
adorn the floor, washroom and utility areas, while only the executive cabins
are carpeted. The louvered ceiling ingeniously camouflages the mandatory HVAC
whilst the computer conduits are built into the custom-designed workstations.
White is offset with the umber of wood and touches of lime and amber add a
little zing to the interiors.
NICE!
ReplyDeleteNice... 38 days...
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