Tuesday, April 7, 2020

A youthful co-working space in a basement

By Marina Correa
Photography: Suryan//Dang; courtesy the designers
Read Time: 2 mins
"BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
BHive 11 (inset)l-r: Architects Sanjana Mathur &  Ujjwal Sagar

Studio Bipolar catapults a basement into an inward-looking, youthful work space especially tailored to a millennial client base…

Vitality and dynamism characterise BHive-11 – the extension of a co-working space in the basement of a commercial building in South Delhi.

The rectilinear site with a ceiling height of 10 - 12ft (notwithstanding the beams), is planned aligning cabins, lounges, workstations, hot-desking, etc. along the sides of its entire length, creating a central circulatory path. This not only mitigates the lengthy feel but distributes the functional aspects generating two significant pauses at the two extreme ends. 

"mural closeup BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Close-up of mural
"hot desking BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Hot-desking area
"double height core BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Double-height core & Central circulation path

The design really takes off from the distinctive double-height core that is bathed in natural light through a large window (its only source) and constitutes the lounge and hot-desking area. Drawing the eye upwards towards its dramatic verticality is an over-sized deer mural in psychedelic colours. 

"handpainted porcelain tiles BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Hot-desking area & steps leading to premium cabins
"cabins BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Premium cabin & Ordinary cabin
"break out area BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Privy calling booths and break-out area
"brainstorming room BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Break-out area & Brainstorming room
"conference room BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Conference room

Complementing this scenario is a flight of steps that leads to the premium work cabins – its treads finished with colourful hand-painted porcelain tiles - a subtle demarcation of hierarchy, where nuanced touches heighten the aesthetics adding a splash of ‘premium-ness’ through wooden flooring, gold frames and wall lamps versus grey carpet flooring, white frames and regular task lighting in the remaining cabins.

Whilst one end houses the lounge and premium cabins, the other end is where one alights from the lift lobby to enter into a vibrantly hued cafĂ©-cum-event area, where flexible loose furniture facilitates different seating permutations including a smartly stacked area that maximises seating cum storage. 

"gents washroom BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Men's washroom
"cafe cum events area BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Cafe-cum-event area
"BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Storage cum seating

All along, motivational quotes; herringbone wood panelled wall backdrop; 3D MDF ‘diagonal brick’ wallpaper; artwork seen through arched walls etc., infuse much dynamism, fostering buoyancy into the entire schematic. 

The highlight of the project lies in the way the lack of natural light is played to an advantage: Neutrality in the overall palette – a predominantly white shell with light oakwood furniture brought to life with strategic colourful accents and a dark grey ceiling becomes the starting point. Partially opaque glass doors and glass dividers atop walls add depth and visual connectivity. With artificial white lights as the mainstay, a combination of task lighting and direct lighting complete the scenario. In terms of HVAC, inline exhaust fans and fresh air intake ensures active ventilation to avoid odours. 

"axonometric BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Axonometric view
"plan BHive 11 coworking space Studio Bipolar indiaartndesign"
Plan

With issues of privacy and security addressed via with access control, 24 x 7 CCTV cameras and partitions with acoustic wool panelling, the 3500 sq. ft. space fulfills an overall capacity of approx. 100 seats.

Fact File:
Client: BHive-11 co-working
Design Firm: Studio Bipolar
Principal Architects: Sanjana Mathur, Ujjwal Sagar
Built-up Area: 3,500 sq. ft.
Location: South Delhi




1 comment :

  1. Awesome creative space, Marina!

    Cool place to work, network and make relations in Delhi. Thank you sharing.

    ReplyDelete

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