Art Guild House, Mumbai

By Savitha Hira

Photography: Courtesy Phoenix Marketcity

Art Guild House

The Art Guild House located in the central suburb of Kurla, Mumbai designed by Ar. Sinora Penkar for Phoenix Marketcity, offers a unique confluence of office spaces with art galleries and art installations...

Sinora describes the design proposal for the approx. 9 lac sq. ft spread as a state-of-the-art office space planned over six floors and two basement parking levels. The prominent curved façade on the west with surrounding open spaces doubles up with an entrance canopy on “Y” columns and establishes a strong connection with the existing mall buildings, whilst maintaining its own identity.

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The highly-speckled 200m long footprint is aspiring for LEED Gold certification; the linearity of the structure thoughtfully dichotomized with an interesting array of spaces linked by grand atriums with skylights, lobbies with inviting fixed furniture options, framed balconies and the like... that break the monotony of the length of the building and offer dynamic interiors that are conducive to a buzzing corporate fit-out. 

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The building facade emerges from the architectural design and layout as each of the luxurious spaces is anointed with a glass wall. The offices at the lower ground floor level have landscaped ‘lightwells’ integrated in the design to allow daylight into the offices while the large interior atriums and lobbies house two enclosed gallery spaces and four open gallery spaces, where art proposes to redefine the ambience. 

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A discerning use of light ensures maximum daylight, ushering in the exterior skyline and aiding energy efficiency; and interactivity is sustained through introduction of designer staircase and spiral slides that facilitate a convenient connect between the various spaces; as well as through interactive art installations.

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Says Sinora, “Themed environments entice the viewer to enter another state of mind. As an architect, I am thrilled to create a world apart that evokes the purpose of its site, compliments the aesthetics of the architecture and tells a unique story of art that can impact how we think and feel where we are. At the same time, I wish to create focal points which are emblematic of corporate identity, nationality and even spiritual quest.”

It now remains to be seen whether this new concept will be accepted and furthered or the novelty will soon wan away. 

The Art Guild House is proposed to be completed by June 2015.