The office design of Tata Communications by Arvind Vivek & Associates is an amalgamation of a traditional office formality with interactive casualness


Fact File
Project: Tata Communications
Location: Pune
Total area: 1,00,000 sq.ft.
Design team: Ar. Vipin Raina, Ar. Aaina, Ar. Hemant, Ar. Aashti, Ar. Amruta
Completion: May'18
Budget: 40 crore

The planning and design focusses on creating a sustainable environment with accentuating features like the Zen Court, introduced to generate spaces that are active, transit-friendly and promote the idea of interior landscaping


Ar. Arvind Vivek

The project boasts of modernity expressed through clean lines and a monochromatic color palette. Advanced technologies with function driven planning are achieved with efficient barrier-free design ideology with sleek décor patterns. The interiors make ingenious use of light and shadow and creative use of materials and textures. A water body overlooking the work bay adds dynamism to the static space, allowing a change of spatial experience.


Sleek furniture and efficient-function driven planning tools accomplish the desired visual appeal while prioritizing comfort as the key motive of the work space design. A function-oriented set-up has been computed instead of a rigid cabin format to establish an interactive office ambiance. The innovative design concept transforms the commercial office building model and refocuses on the employees’ need to acquire a vibrant, more creative and collaborative workspace.


Ancillary spaces that are more informal like the phone booth and hot desking, contemporary outdoor and modular furniture or enclave-divergent informal sitting spaces, use of extravagant materials such as Italian stone, innovative ceiling patterns, and a grand lift lobby, bring a scenic perspective to the environs. Soothing lights add a quaint and gentle aura, while abundant natural light filters through a wide glass facade.

3DA Design Studio designs a contemporary office whose interiors reflect the grandeur of a luxury-star hotel, but in keeping with the linear anatomy and structure required in a modern corporate office environment


Fact File
Project Type: Office Interiors
Category: Commercial
Client: Glaze Trading India
Designed Area: 2000 sq.ft (approx)
Year of Completion: Feb 2019
Location: Janakpuri, New Delhi
Design Team: Ar. Nitin Sharma, Ar. Mayank Sharma, Ar. Arjun C M, Er. Sanjay Kataria
Photos: 3DA

Material Palette
Lighting: Philips Paints and Polish: ICA, Asian Paints, Nerolac
Laminates: Merinolam
Chairs: Geeken seating
Tables & Sofas: Custom manufactured
Flooring Tiles: Kajaria
Fabriks & Leatherette: Talwar Fabriks
Electrical switches, sockets, wiring: Anchorwala, Polycab
Air Conditioning: Hitachi
Sanitayware: Kohler


A manifestation of the multifaceted and dynamic nature of contemporary office interiors, wherein extravagance and function are so intertwined as to result in a whole that is greater than its parts, such is the eclectic beauty and charm of the office designed for Glaze Trading India. The architects have succeeded to co-exist and marry the paradoxical facets of vividly glitzy affluence and highly utilitarian space planning without compromising the essentials that embody the existence and working of an efficient office.

The reception's look reminisces reception areas found in luxury hotels with a metallic gold-chrome backdrop, Italian Bottocino marble clad front desk, wine-red leather-chrome wall paneling, recessed spot lights and a central chandelier. Partition walls have mirror-finish chrome strips sandwiched in grooves between wine-red leather panels that provide an interplay of subdued illumination and reflection. Leather sofas and the Onyx-marble tiled floor add persona to the ambiance with their contrasting texture and shade.

The central-spine corridor has walls splashed with framed pictures of the firm's various products. Dull-matte porcelain color in the ceiling and light-pink glazed Onyx Marble tiles make it appear wider, further amplified by glass partitions in rooms facing the corridor.

We presented design options of schematics through varying iterations of 3-D digitally generated computer graphic images. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality design services involve immersive user experiences and use cutting-edge computer technology

Ar. Nitin Sharma

The directors' and founders' rooms comprise of pinewood planks-clad partitions and ceiling, alongwith a Bottocino-marble tiled backdrop adorned with a framed picture of the company's products. It, along with the carpet tile flooring reflects the analogous persona of the ceiling and flooring of the spinal and peripheral passages, appearing in contrast to the walls and providing visual relief. The furniture is of matching leather chairs, Chesterfield sofas and archaic rosewood tables with polished PU finish.


Tall metallic gold-Duco painted niche-recesses, each framing a spotlighted, inset artifact display podium, glazed Bottocino Marble tiled, and LED-strip lighted protruding panel designed to carry the Firm's logo, lend opulence while windows with pinewood horizontal louver blinds bring a sense of warmth.

The Board Room table is finished with wine-red oak veneer in gloss PU finish. The ceiling has a suspended PU polished ivory coast wood-veneered panel with recessed cove lights, and the interior walls are paneled with mottled brown shade velvet fabric that also provides sound insulation.

Uber successful and rapidly growing companies around the world have one thing in common: they meticulously focus on their office design. They create workspaces and environments that are so distinct that one can recognize their offices, much like their products, writes Tushar Mittal, MD, Studiokon Ventures

Whether it is technology companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, or Apple or other companies with significant global presence like Boston Consulting Group, Harley Davidson, Infosys, or Redbull, iconic office designs have been integral to defining the path of growth. Surely, these offices require investment in time, effort, and money. They need to be planned ahead and executed by experts. Then why are these companies not making-do with standard offices and cookie-cutter designs? Why are they focusing so much on innovative office designs, and what are they getting out of the investment? These are critical questions we should be asking before getting on-board the growing wagon of companies getting custom offices or dismissing the idea altogether.

Increased Productivity: Leveraging Office Design

It is obvious that workplace aesthetics will have a direct impact on the productivity of employees by creating a pleasant environment and making them feel more energetic. Creating a space that accommodates the functional needs of our teams can help save dozens of hours of company time every day. This is especially true when it comes to integrating technology in the workplace. Building a space where technology flows seamlessly will ensure that teams don't have to waste time dealing with a confusing bunch of cables just trying to connect to the projector.

We must get over the 'one size fits all' mindset, and realistically look at the functional needs of our teams and how their lives can be made easier just by tweaking the office design


Tushar Mittal, Studiokon Ventures

It is also important to understand the working dynamics of our teams and creating spaces accordingly. Use the white space for calling rooms, Skype rooms, varied bunch of formal and informal meeting spaces, collaborative areas, story boards, mind maps, or individual working pods that people can get away to when they need to focus.


Foster Innovation: Help Teams Unleash Creativity

Doing business in an increasingly competitive market, it can be easy for companies to end up in an arms race to build better products and services. Excellence is no longer defined by perfection, but by innovation. However, for our teams to be able to create market disruptors and help us do better than our competition, we need to do away with uninspiring workplaces and create spaces that enable them to collaborate and provide them with enough stimuli for the execution of innovative ideas.


A lot of companies are adopting out-of-the-box ideas to help teams collaborate, encouraging people to come together to solve problems and address challenges, as opposed to working in siloes. Many companies are providing break-out areas, relaxation areas, and flexible seating and leveraging office design to fuel their employees' creativity and innovativeness.

Building Culture: Important Tool for Sustainable Growth

Any company that has been able to build a strong and effective work culture will attest to the fact that office design has played an indispensable role in helping it create the right environment. The way we design our office not only helps us provide a structure to the organization, it also shows how much we value our employees. Showing that we trust our teams to use time efficiently, by providing a range of working locations and empowering them with greater flexibility over how they work, can quickly translate to a workforce that is mission-driven and highly effective.


Investment vs Benefits: A Worthy Trade-off

Time and again we see companies and people assuming that great workplace design is a luxury. This, perhaps, grows from the stereotypical view of design as style and aesthetics and not as a tool for implementing the strategies and achieving the objectives of an organization. The belief that only the unicorns can afford to focus on their office design – 'Google can do it! We can't!' – keeps hundreds of companies from leveraging the untapped potential of their workspaces. However, investing in your workplace design can be the worthy trade off that not only sets you apart from your competition but also lays the roadmap for the success of your business.

With increasing dependence on digitalization and advanced technologies, designers are planning unconventional workspaces that are flexible enough to be reconfigured at short notice, and which seamlessly interconnect the people both physically and virtually. These collaborative workplaces have break-out zones, cafes, meeting rooms etc, for employee engagement, formal/informal discussions, impromptu meetings, and networking.


Modern office layout and design are aimed at creating workspaces that at a sub-conscious level inspire people to work more efficiently. Design strategies include enabling more natural light indoors, more greenery, use of soothing colours and tactile surfaces that feel natural such as fabric and natural stones rather than synthetics.

According to Anuj Puri, Chairman, ANAROCK Property Consultants, the new-age professional's desire to work in an aesthetically appealing environment has spurred demand for collaborative workspaces. This generation is ready to ditch conventional workspaces for more swanky, flexible and cost-effective office spaces that effortlessly embrace the latest technologies into their system.

Besides swishy workspaces, tech-savvy millennials also prefer their workstations to be completely technologically equipped - offering hyper-connectivity solutions and state-of-art infrastructure. All types and sizes of firms are now embracing the new reality of employees' expectations for a technology-enabled style of working. By creating a supportive environment for collaboration and innovative thinking, companies aim to improve performance.


Workspace design should inculcate a culture amongst the workforce/employees and hence in keeping with open door policies, offices today are designed around the 'open office concept'. Enclosed areas such as meeting rooms and cabins are minimal and lesser partitions divide the workfloor. The 'one-for-all' concept with employees of different hierarchy sitting together brings about an open work culture within the organization. Lots of collaborative zones and breakout areas spread across the office reduce usage of meeting rooms and promote a vibe of open collaboration amongst employees as these are not restricted to enclosed spaces (such as meeting rooms).

"Glass partitions wherever necessary and interesting screens that give privacy yet allow for transparency are predominant elements of open offices. Another modern trend that's being followed globally are 'agile workspaces'. Such design allows employees and the space itself to be flexible around the office. Unique elements such as walking tracks constituting passages and encouraging employees to walk for better health during work hours within the office are being considered by clients.

Office spaces have evolved from 'me spaces' to 'we spaces'

Sapna Khakaria Gohil, Director Design, ANJ Group

Movable & stackable furnitures, plug and play kiosks, media scapes, work cafes, the option to stand and work, be within the open office or engage in a call in a phonebooth, it ensures complete agility for the employee on the workfloor. According to Sapna Khakaria Gohil, Director Design, ANJ Group, the industrial look and feel is in vogue across the corporate interior space. Open ceilings with exposed ducts and sprinklers and raw concrete finished floors are being preferred to false ceilings and the conventional hard/soft flooring options.


As regards office furniture, she says, "Office furniture is linked to the overall comfort and functionality of the employee at the workspace. Clients and employers do not hesitate to ensure that these aspects of the office interiors are looked at with utmost priority and in providing the best. Keeping ergonomics in mind, more and more clients are going for height adjustable workstations, which are available in either crank-based or motor-based systems. These allow employees to choose their preferred working posture to ensure better health and wellness. Hot desking systems are popular in open office and agile workspaces as provisions for mobility within the workspace. Plug and play pods are commonly found in offices to optimally utilize niches in the office layouts. The office furniture market is large and reputed brands are available catering to every need, style and budget of the clients."

Social Office - autonomy for people to choose where and how they work - is now a key element in an office layout

Sameer Joshi, AVP – Marketing (B2B), Godrej Interio

Godrej Interio has identified key elements that define workspaces of the future. It has also constituted a "Wellness and Workplace Research team" with a certified ergonomist and doctors on board. Their research paper "Keep Moving" has revealed alarming statistics of workers health problems, the primary reason of which was attributed to long hours of static seating postures and sedentary lifestyles. It is important for users to keep changing postures to help relieve static loading of spine, which causes back pain.


Based on the findings, the company has developed a slew of products. These include Habitat – Open Plan Modular Furniture System that facilitates movement through change of configurations to suit various work styles. Work Out is a range of Height Adjustable Desks that allows users freedom to stand and work. The Social Office Range gives users the freedom to choose and control where and how they work. "It will enable organisations to leverage the power of Informal and Formal Employee Networks, and build social capital," says Joshi.

Godrej Interio's active seating solutions help users to naturally adopt postures that are beneficial to spine and overall health. "Our latest Motion Chair is the next big thing in ergonomics. Designed to make you move, it facilitates dynamic postures and body movement even while seated. It has a patented easyflex system, which effortlessly facilitates back twist, three-dimensional seat tilt, and relaxing multi-dimensional recline."

Illuminated facades are increasingly shaping the visual identity of cities and town – and not just as a scene for postcards but in promoting business and recreation and the city night life, writes Harmeet Singh Issar, Design Matrix

The Case for Façade Lighting

Developers and investors, as also city governance bodies, have demonstrated a 'newly-found 'interest in façade lighting – new, being relative. Memorials and monuments and touristy landmarks have always received illumination as a mark of their iconic stature. But now, all types of buildings receive some sort of façade lighting – from the discreetly lit to the flood lit.

A major reason for this, for the private developer is a call for attention or 'ego' lighting. As social engagements continue through into the night and cities are becoming 24-hour creatures, establishing a night time identity for the built structure has become an important consideration. And while it serves no other functional purposes, it does serve as an extremely useful marketing factor.


In the urban context, there is great value: both economic and humane. While we are big advocates of preserving the dark sky, and the night time environment, vertical illuminated surfaces are perceived as brighter than traditional horizontal illumination, assuming identical luminance, and, therefore, more efficient and 'green'. All lighting implies increased energy demand. But as long as the light is properly directed and stray light is controlled, the best possible efficiency can be achieved, and unnecessary waste of light, light pollution and light trespass may be avoided. They contribute greatly towards overall well-being, orientation and perceived safety. That is the major advantage and benefit of 'prestige' lighting.

Façade Lighting Techniques

Façade lighting is not simply shining light on a building. In fact, it is not at all that! It is the reconciliation of creative intent with sustainable objectives. There can be but two approaches to façade lighting:

Façade lighting is not simply shining light on a building; in fact, it is not at all that! It is the reconciliation of creative intent with sustainable objectives


Harmeet Singh Issar, Design Matrix

Light for Façade
Light that brings attention to architectural details
Light that sits on the skin of the building
Light with minimal form, size and geometry that also looks good in day on façade
Light with colour that complements the façade
Light that politely & indirectly becomes the night identity

Façade for Light
Light that calls attention to itself
Light that becomes the skin of the building
Light that completely disappears in day time
Light that transforms form and colour of the architecture
Light that vibrantly and directly becomes the identity
Based on the above approaches, there are three broad techniques towards façade lighting design. In each of these techniques, context prevails and determines (or ought to determine) the technique to be applied. Some types of architecture are also more suited to either of the techniques. For instance, if you try to project content onto a clear curtain wall glazed façade, you are not going to get anything!


Architectural Façade Lighting

Light is applied to enhance the structural and architectural details – light is there for the façade, as per the facade. A successful lighting design, is, however, dependent as much on the architectural team as on the lighting designer, and an effective collaboration will ensure that light sources are integrated within the architecture, so that the effect is showcased rather than the fixture.

The lighting design for the City Palace, Jaipur, is a classic example of this technique. Commissioned by the Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Trust, the intent of doing the façade lighting was to open up the Palace complex to night tourism. The rich architecture required nothing more than putting the right light at the right place – meaning, a light of suitable form factor with precise optics as desired and required, positioned so as to emphasize the architectural detail in question, avoiding glare. Due to the extremely sensitive nature of the building, it was not possible to integrate or conceal a lot of the fixtures. Hence, the fixtures were selected to be extremely efficient design in extremely compact housings.


The façade lighting for the Sunshine Towers, Mumbai – the tallest steel structure in the country by the legendary architect Raja Aederi, was designed after the building was complete, and strives to underline the structure by night. As it stands tall above the surrounding development, establishing a night time identity was an important criterion.

Pixelated Façade Lighting

An example of the second approach of façade lighting: pixelated façades have been made better with the advent of solid-state lighting. They use the architecture as a blank canvas to paint an entirely different night time picture / message / identity. These facades offer greater opportunities for engagement of the public as they are often interactive or can be easily made interactive.

The design for Parsvnath Towers in New Delhi, was based on its landmark location. The upper floors' façade featured a dense network of LEDs programmable to display any content – graphic / text but intended to, in fact, exhibit a stylized version of Lutyens plan for Central Delhi, although budgets did not allow for implementation of the design


Projected Façade Lighting

Taking media content from conference rooms to building facades, the technology and the basic design is the same – just the fixtures are much larger, the wattages much higher and the distances much more. While projected façade lighting too is dynamic, its huge advantage lies in the fact that it can easily be done later or changed later. However, due to the nature and cost of equipment, they are more popular as temporary or event-based applications.

The Ibis Hotel, Aerocity, New Delhi, features LED gobo projectors that cast colored shadows on the fascia of an otherwise neutral canvas. It may not be a true representation to say that LEDs brought down the energy consumed by projectors as compared to their metal halide counterparts, rather, LEDS helped extend this technology more to the realm of architectural lighting

'Designed' façade lighting may not necessarily imply application of additional light fixtures. Sometimes borrowed light can contribute effectively towards a night time image. The Lalit hotel at Mangar and the residence for Dewans, with Hive Studios, Gurugram, is memorable for this reason. The captivating night time shot has, in fact, zero façade lighting. Interior lighting contributes towards the lighting of the façade filtering through the jail panels and makes for an arresting night time image – the ultimate in 'green' façade lighting.

ACDF Architecture + Architecture49, in partnership with IBI Group, design PARQ, an urban oasis featuring a 72,000 sq.ft. casino, two luxury hotels, eight restaurants, a fitness centre and spa, a 30,000 sq. ft. rooftop park, and 60,000 sq. ft. comprising

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By architecturally treating a dilapidated space and creating a pre-school environment for nursery children with a play of colors and volumetric mass, Renesa Architecture Design Interiors' design ideology raises an argument to the new style of architecture (a renaissance of art) for the learning and growth of little ones


Fact File
Project: Maple Bear Pre-Nursery School
Built-up area: 4550 sq ft
Location: New Delhi
Design Team: Sanjay Arora - Principal Architect, Sanchit Arora: Concept Design Head, Vandana Arora - Interior Designer
Site Contractor: Star Construction
Lighting: White Lighting Solutions
Structural Consultant: Devender Damle
Materials: Saint Gobain, Philips
Photographer: Vibhor Yadav

Questioning the idea of traditionally designed pre-nursery schools where learning is restricted to just four walls, Renesa came up with a design mapping of all the games kids would play, and finally reaching to a stage where the Tetris game could be clubbed with the architecture of the skinning of the area

Ar. Sanjay Arora & Ar. Sanchit Arora

Renesa has carefully transformed a derelict old residence into a pre-school, where the colourful tetris-ized facade ideology along with open learning environment enables children to interpret the flexible space and use it as they see fit. Here, the built Tetris-ized environment becomes an enabler and a catalyst to nurture young minds with an interactive model of learning that emphasizes on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child's natural, physical and social development.


The old dilapidated structure was given a layered outlook with the Tetris design elements adding the right color and volume and creating an everlasting impression. The structure was modified to create more space and ventilation. The walls were shifted in accordance to the allowable bandwidth and later joined to the external Tetris-ized layer wall. A running gradient of colors on the tetris-ized facade creates a value-addition to the already playful facade.


The architecture was simplified to engage and be free of clutter to ease the interaction between the built environment and the natural surroundings. Due to cost and major structural constraints, the existing building frame and shell were left intact, though exceptions were made to create additional links between interior and exterior spaces and to highlight the main concept of learning through built ideology. Within this predefined framework, playful architectural interventions occurred (tetris architectural brick volumes) at the children's scale, creating reading nooks between classrooms, formal/impromptu seating areas and sculpted terrain.

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) completes China Resources Headquarters, a 400-meter tall commercial office tower located in the Houhai District of Shenzhen.


The building anchors retail, residential, and office amenities – with 2,000 sqm of public space and the city's greenbelt and waterfront. As a whole, the tower and complex invigorate Shenzhen's urban fabric while providing one of the country's premier companies with a visual icon symbolizing its historic growth and prominent stature. The building's opening was celebrated by representatives from KPF and China Resources, which also celebrated its 80th anniversary.

"It was an honor to work on this headquarters tower with China Resources, one of the nation's oldest and most important companies," said KPF President James von Klemperer. "The conical tower design shows a geometric boldness that reflects China Resources' pride in their past and confidence in the future. By marking the skyline, it will be one of the most recognizable buildings of Shenzhen, China's leading technology city."


Inspired by the shape of the winter bamboo shoot, the building features a light yet stable tube and diagrid structural system, expressed in its tapered, sculptural form. Rendered in pre-fabricated column and steel units, the system affords column-free interiors, in turn, allowing greater expression of the tower's radial symmetry and more boutique floorplates as it rises.

The 56 vertical columns converge into 28 columns at the lower and upper sections of the tower, forming a series of entry portals at the tower's base and merging to a singular point at its peak. At these junctures, faceted, triangular glass panels illuminate at night with a jewel-like brilliance across Shenzhen's waterfront business district. The "sky hall" at the top of the tower is a conical, cathedral-like space offering visitors stunning views of the diagrid spire – it is one the few high-rises in the world that is occupiable at its absolute highest point.

KPF's extensive portfolio spans more than 40 countries and includes a wide range of projects from office and residential buildings to civic and cultural spaces to educational facilities.

Tata Consultancy Services' software development campus designed by CannonDesign, fosters community interactions as the layout is inspired by the important role courtyards play in traditional Indian architecture


Fact File
Name of Project:
Location: Kolkata
Size: 2.1 million sqft
Architecture Firm: CannonDesign and its Yazdani Studio
Design Principal: Mehrdad Yazdani
Photos: Dave Burk Photography
Source: v2com

We can't overstate the amount of cultural research and engagement the design team undertook for this project. Materials, spaces, elements large and small, all of them are designed to be a touchstone for Indian culture that culminates in a state-of-the-art workspace

Mehrdad Yazdani, Design Principal

Spread across a 40-acre site, Tata Consultancy Services' new software development campus houses more than 16,000 employees. The entire site is filled with courtyards, with dynamic building scales framing the courtyards, and a diverse sequence of landscaped spaces.


"This is a transformative building that engages India's rich history to guide its future," says Mehrdad Yazdani, Design Principal for the project and Director of the Yazdani Studio of CannonDesign. "Rooted in elements that define India, the building also sets an exciting new precedent in line with the leading-edge technology services occurring within its walls."


The campus architecture is defined by two 15-story towers. The north side of the towers is clad in high-efficiency clear glazing with distinct ceramic frit patterns and sun shading devices. The south side integrates metal paneling into the façade, and a number of framed terraces and public spaces, including a five-story courtyard in which employees from different floors can come together.

Ar. Sanjay Goel, Designex Architects, also Director, Ludhiana Smart City Limited & Chairman-IIA Punjab Chapter, enumerates the ongoing and proposed projects in Ludhiana


How is the concept of Smart City developing in Ludhiana?

The Smart City mission is a bold new initiative by the Government of India to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling local development and harnessing technology as a means to create smart outcome for citizens. The aim is to promote economic growth, strengthen governance and improve results for urban residents. Work is happening at a good level, but the progress is on a slow pace right now but eventually we hope it to gain momentum.

What elements are you integrating in the design to make them sustainable and eco-friendly?

Being the nominated architect director in SPV of Ludhiana Smart City mission, my focus is on holistic development and urbanization in Ludhiana and the micro details are being concentrated on by the consulting company. AECOM being the international multi engineering consultancy firm is looking after all the inputs while designing.

What are the challenges that you have to deal with, and the solutions provided?

We face a lot of challenges at planning as well as at implementation level due to past haphazard growth in the city, mixed land use, increasing expectation of public and also absence of common grounds/authority for execution cause hindrance in the progress. We suggest for the involvement and advice of general public.

As the nominated architect director in SPV of Ludhiana Smart City mission, my focus is on holistic development and urbanization in Ludhiana

Ar. Sanjay Goel

Please highlight some achievements in the project.

Work underway in the project includes installation of rooftop solar panels on existing buildings, installation of way finding and signages, and LED street lighting. Projects have also been awarded for design fabrication, installation and commissioning of prefabricated DAUC toilets at 15 places.

Tenders have been invited for 24x7 water supply scheme, sewerage and storm water in ABD area, smart road-Malhar road and retrofit Sarabha Nagar, construction of ICCC building at zone-d office of municipal corporation Ludhiana, design construction installation of masonry toilets at 25 locations in Ludhiana. New proposals include a digital library, waterfront development and landscaping on Sidhwan Canal Front.

Development is currently starting of the central axis of the new multimodal hub, which will channel all the flows of traffic meeting here, creating a new centrality of this site. The traffic flows are the new tram system, buses, bicycles

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Diverse Ecology of Spaces

Zaha Hadid Architects' design of the new Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye neighbourhood in Moscow aims to create an urban environment of ecological technology that seamlessly integrates natural and human-made systems


Fact File

Client: JSC Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye
ZHA Project Directors: Patrik Schumacher, Christos Passas
ZHA Project Associates: Hussam Chakouf, Eider Fernandez
ZHA Design Team: Kwanphil Cho, Sattor Jabbor, Melhem Sfeir, Alicia Hidalgo, Ekaterina Smirnova, Maria Eleni Bali, Aleksandar Bursac, Duo Chen, Anna Uborevich-Borovskaya
ZHA BIM Specialists: Eckart Schwerdtfeger, Valeria Perco, Maria Avrami, Zsuzsanna Barát
ZHA Administrator: Nastasija Hahonina
ZHA Graphic Designer: Silviya Barzakova
ZHA Researcher: Vera Kichanova
ZHA Interpreter: Liudmila Harrison-Jones
Local Architects: TPO Pride
Transport Systems Engineering: Systematica
Civil/ Infrastructure Engineering: Metropolis
Landscape Design: Arteza
Urban Lighting: Arup Lighting
Environmental Simulations: Rheologic
Creative Functional Programming: Citymakers
Identity and Branding Strategy: Instid
Urban Planning Consultant: Lawrence Barth
Financial Modelling: Pricewaterhouse Cooper
Cost Consultant: Rider Levett Bucknall

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) working with TPO Pride Architects (Russia) has been selected as one of the consortiums to build the new Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye neighbourhood. The jury of the invited competition also selected two further consortiums to develop the project: Nikken Sekkei (Japan) with UNK Project (Russia); and Archea Associati (Italy) with ABD Architects (Russia).

Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye will include new homes for 66,500 residents in addition to new schools, medical clinics, transport infrastructure and shopping districts, as well as new civic and cultural institutions. The neighbourhood will also accommodate 800,000 sqm of office space for Moscow's growing financial, consulting, legal and auditing sectors. In total, 4 million sqm of new buildings will be developed over 460 hectares to the west of Moscow. A third of the neighbourhood will be parklands and forest bordering the Moscow River with a 30-hectare lake at its centre.


With Moscow's population increasing by more than 3 million people (over 30%) to 12.4 million in the past 20 years, Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye is integral to accommodating the Russian capital's continued growth without increasing congestion in the centre of the city. As an important new residential, employment, civic and cultural hub, a new 19km metro line is scheduled to begin construction in 2020 to connect Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye with the Shelepikha interchange station of Moscow's Metro system.

Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye will be a global benchmark for smart, sustainable cities. Supported by the EDF Group's platform for 3D simulations of energy and urban scenarios, the project will optimise consumption and production of sustainable local energy sources, while integrating electric mobility, new technologies, services and infrastructure to increase connectivity and efficiencies. In fact, smart technologies are embedded within the urban fabric of Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye. JSC Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye will continue to work with the selected consortiums to develop the design and construct the new neighbourhood.


Zaha Hadid Architects' proposal for Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye is a phased development designed to enhance residents' interactions with each other, with nature and with new technologies. The design creates a diverse ecology of spaces for living, working, education and leisure that encourage engagement and communication. Christos Passas, Project Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, explained: "Working with specialist teams in Russia and Europe, we developed a people-centric design for a smart interconnected city that brings people together not only through innovative technology but also through organising the public realm; building a community that integrates the natural aspects of the site with principles of openness and inclusivity in high-quality architecture suited for the 21st century."

Next-Gen Skyscraper

MVRDV wins competition organized by Chinese real estate developer Vanke to design their new headquarters in Shenzhen

The 250-metre-tall Vanke Headquarter Tower (Vanke 3D City) heralds the next generation of skyscraper design, following the concept of the "three-dimensional city"—an idea that is the culmination of a series of research projects conducted by MVRDV.


The ambition for Vanke Group's headquarters was not only to provide office space for its own staff, but also to form a vibrant mixed-use lock containing leasable offices, retail space, a restaurant, a hotel, and plentiful outdoor spaces. This program was proposed to occupy two lots separated by a road. In response to this, MVRDV proposed a stack of eight blocks that connects these two plots and bridges the road – a unique and forward-thinking design feature, which has received support from the city government – to create a single 250-metre-tall building with a total of 167,000 sqm of floor space.

The eight blocks that make up Vanke 3D City are designed to strike a balance between architectural diversity and cohesiveness, with each displaying a different façade treatment. Each block corresponds to a keyword inspired by the core values of Vanke: 'health', 'energy', 'open', 'team', 'green', 'nature', 'future', and 'creative'. Four of the blocks also have either an indent on one façade or a hole that punctures the entire depth of the block, creating 'windows to the world' that house atriums, parks, and plazas. These semi-public spaces combine with green spaces on the exposed roofs of each block to create a rich network of recreational areas.


"Vanke 3D City can be seen as a new type of skyscraper. By stacking the required programmatic entities, initially proposed for two separate plots, on top of each other, the two individual Vanke Group Headquarter buildings are turned into a Vanke City," says Winy Maas, principal and cofounder of MVRDV. "By opening the buildings, a series of giant collective halls are created with a view over the bay and to the world. The plazas, gardens, and halls are connected by a series of stairs and elevators, linking the many blocks into a continuous urban fabric high off the ground—a true 3-dimensional city."

At the base of Vanke 3D City is a sunken, multi-level green public space, which extends from the second level below ground to the first level above, incorporating the road that cuts through the site. This network of plazas and walkways offers a shaded, well-ventilated space, and access to the commercial and restaurant levels. The above-ground walkways are also designed to be extended into the neighbouring developments, in the hope that the pedestrian realm created, can spread to connect buildings throughout the district.


The concept of the 3-D city developed from two parallel research threads pursued by MVRDV. The first was begun by the Vertical Village project of 2009, which sparked a decade of investigation into how sustainable social dynamics and individuality can be maintained in dense urban environments by using cluster typologies. The second was a study into the evolution of skyscraper design: In the modernist period, skyscrapers were typically just an extruded rectangular 'monolithic' box. Later, singular structures with gestural forms developed, and more recently, another skyscraper typology has become popular, one the designers refer to as the 'linked monolith'—that is, two or more extruded structures which are connected by sky bridges or show some other 'collective gesture'. The 3-D city is a typology that moves beyond the extruded monolith entirely, using the clustered form inspired by the Vertical Village to create a skyscraper that is composed primarily of collective gestures.


The ambition to design the skyscraper of the future is matched by a collection of sustainability features. In addition to the many green roofs formed by the tower's cluster shape, the green park at the tower's base aligns with Shenzhen's 'sponge city' program, which encourages porous landscapes to prevent flooding and reduce the city's impact on ecosystems. In addition, the design includes systems for water collection and recycling, and while each block features a different façade design, all use high-performance façades.

MVRDV is collaborating with engineers Arup. Preparation work on the site is already underway, with construction expected to begin in mid-2019.'

Poetic Retreat in City

The mixed-use development has an overall building area of approximately 560,000 sqm, comprising of commercial, hotel, office, and residential programs. The scheme seeks to restore the spiritual harmony between humanity and nature through the

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In the design concept of this house by Ashwin Architects, connectivity is an integral part to give a sense of cohesiveness

The cut-outs for visual connection form the basis for the design; any part of the house is visible from any angle of the cut-out



Ar. AP Ashwin

Fact File
Project: Independent bungalow
Built-Up Area: 650 sq.m.
Location: Bangalore
Consultant: N.M. Constructions
Photography: Shamanth Patil


Natural lighting is a key factor in improving the livability quotient. Strategically located windows, skylights, etc., enhance the daylights and reduce dependence on electricity during the day. Strategically placed LED lights of low wattage help save about 60% of electricity consumption and are easy on the eye. Italian marble flooring and paint finished wall cladding give a slick touch to the interiors.


Small pieces of landscape are visible from different parts of the house, giving an impression that the house is surrounded by landscape on all sides. Drip irrigation ensures maintenance of the landscape.

 

Designed by Aum Architects, the Godha Residence in Mumbai has an intelligent urban design that facilitates easy living by breaking the monotony of rigid closures common in an apartment space

The design sensibility was to have organized chaos, so, the design revolved around this irregularity, creating a vibrant composition and expressing elegance and style. It is always challenging to turn eyesores into items of aesthetics



Ar. Manish Dikshit

The objective was to capture the irregularity of the site space and put forth a progressive design evolving from this irregular shape. The apartment was deconstructed to form an open plan space, where the living area, the dining area and the formal living space merge into one entity, but each with a distinct identity. The asymmetry also defines the unusual seating arrangement.


Fact File
Project: Godha Residence
Location: Jogeshwari, Mumbai
Plot Area: 1266 sq.ft.
Architect Team: Manish Dikshit, Sonali Pandit, Nachiket Borwake
Photography: Prashant Bhat
Text: Ar. Himani Ahuja

Customised furniture forms unique seating arrangement reflecting an explorative approach to spatial living, and a barrier-free living approach. Infused with meticulous detailing, technical innovations and artistic features, the master bedroom exudes style and comfort. A back-lit customised headboard has laser-cut panels with geometric motifs. A large fixed glass breaks the wall separating the master bath and bedroom to create an illusion of volume, as does the walk-in wardrobe, which is part finished in mirror.


In the teenage son's bedroom, the design is playful and cheerful. The artistic headboard has two overlapping parts: one that runs from the ceiling to form the TV panel finished in laminate, and the other overlaps the finished in coloured lamination. Evoking creativity, an integrated ambient lighting design was instilled into the headboard itself, while a caged corner light adds a decorative element.


The common bathroom is done in a single tone marble except for the countertop and the niche finished in pure white onyx. Marble acts as a binding design element for the overall space. The colour scheme is neutral with a hint of colour in the furnishings. The false ceiling is designed to be multifaceted; wrapping around the beams. The kitchen is minimalist and contemporary with a white platform contrasting with the wooden tiles on the floor and dado, and a subtle laminate finish on the cabinet shutters. Over the solid wood dining table, a cluster of lights form a chandelier with gold and white accents. In fact, lighting is a prominent feature with a concoction of marble and wood.

ADDA Architects and urban designers have designed the Oriana Facade office to express their ideologies and creativity

Situated on the topmost floor of the building, the office affords a majestic view of the city. Aesthetics and functionality are achieved with free-flowing spaces, modern furniture, artworks, and a minimalistic décor. Ample use of glass lends a visual connection to the green outdoors and lets in abundant natural light.

The office is a distinctive and sophisticated structure of modern and sleek elements, providing its workforce a green space crafted with state-of-the-art technologies and aesthetics.

Fact File
Project: ADDA Architects office
Location: Surat
Typology: Commercial
Area: 2500 sq.ft.
Text: Ar. Himani Ahuja

Materials
Tables: Herman Miller
Veneer: Decowood
A.C: Panasonic

An office space emphasizes in delivering the most qualitative fabrication in the field of fabrication and architecture. Oriana Façade office required an attractive space for visitors through design and organizational order apparent in the building and a work space as an open display of the organization’s professional ethos



Ar. Mayank Paarekh Ar. Dhaval Shah & Ar. Kaushal Lehri

The office design is a seamless blend of the outdoors and the indoors


The workspace where dreams are sketched


The spacious conference room


The terrace garden is the most captivating area and is used for informal discussions or a break from work 

 The Pool Yard House design by Studio Ardete places emphasis on the courtyard and pool areas with these acting as the focal point of the space


Fact File
Project: Pool Yard House
Location: Panchkula, Haryana
Built up area: 496 sqm
Design Team: Ar. Badrinath Kaleru, Ar. Prerna Kaleru, Sanchit Dhiman, Nancy Mittal, Anusha Sharma
Image Credits: Ar. Purnesh Dev Nikhanj
Flooring: Armani Grey of Stonex India, HARO wooden flooring
Washroom wall cladding: Italian Stone of Stonex India
External wall cladding: Laminam
Veneers: Natural Veneers

A distinct mass is created by the façade designed in two individual masses. Clad in dark grey textured stone, small rectangular voids on the facade break the monotonous mass and add lightness. These small windows have reflective glasses incorporated to add a sculptural dimension. Cantilevered roof reinforces the connection of the inside to the outside. A screen comprising vertical members reduces visual contact with the busy street outside, while allowing the occupants to have a view of the trees lining the road across. A water body planned near the entrance sets a tranquil tone for the interiors.


Transparent walls interconnect spaces and link them to the outdoors; they accentuate the presence of the pool from different areas of the house.


The main staircase and wellness areas connect to the rest of the spaces via the courtyard, establishing a strong correlation between the inside and the outside, a fact that achieves greater importance when the climatic zone, characterized by extreme heat and cold, is taken into consideration. The colour, texture and material palettes are subtle with use of wood and stone, while colourful artwork contrasts against the toned down ambience of the interiors


Lighting takes into consideration individual spaces and their function. Quirky light fixtures draw attention and bind the elements of the space together.

The Pool on the first-floor level can be seen from many areas, making it the nucleus of the house. Natural light filters in from the double height courtyard, illuminating the spaces inside during the daytime.

The bungalow is an outcome of a highly contemporary design idea by Sunil Patil And Associates, combined with the client's desire for ornamentation and traditional decoration and the design theme flows from the building's architecture to its interiors seamlessly

The ornamentation and the blend of colors and patterns has always been traditional and cultural features in Indian homes and they are still influencing the interior design of modern home; the challenge is to achieve this with contemporary architecture and modern materials

Ar. Sunil Patil

Fact File

Project Name: Fusion House
Location: Pune
Site Area: 8478.88 sq.ft
Built Up Area: 8360.19 sq.ft
Architecture & Interiors: Sunil Patil and Associates
Landscape Design: Sunil Patil and Associates
Project Team: Ar. Sunil Patil, Ar. Anuja Pandit, Er. Sanjay Patil
Structural Consultants: Axis Structural Consultants
MEP & Plumbing: Siddhivinayak MEP Consultants
Civil Work: Atul Constructions
Photo Credits: Subhash Patil / Hemant Patil


The design of the 7-bedroom bungalow in Pune reflects contemporary, vernacular architecture with features like courtyards, stone masonry, metal pergolas and white masses that create a contrasting yet well-balanced composition. The architecture is highlighted with a vertical garden and woodwork at the entrance.


The architecture unfolds into the interiors and the fusion is created and highlighted with wood and rustic pieces of furniture and artwork. Public areas flow into each other with the courtyard connecting the spaces to the first floor and becoming a focal point of the house. Along with a puja courtyard and a skylight, the house has ample natural light while the turbo ventilator at the central courtyard enables stack effect and continuous air flow inside.


The design of each bathroom is an extension of the colours, shapes and textures used in the room. Care has been taken to design well-lit and bright bath areas. Everything in the children's room is curvy including the beds, tables, seating, and shelves. The play of light through the circular openings adds drama, while circular recesses in the false ceiling enhance the ambiance. The theme continues in the walk-in wardrobe and the bathroom.

This rooftop eatery designed by H&A Consultants presents the essence of a classroom and brings alive the bonhomie of childhood friends

Along with a spectacular view of the hillocks in the daytime to flashing city lights during the night, one can enjoy watching a match with friends; have fun sitting around a hand-cart and revisit childhood days of fun and laughter



Ar. Akshay Salukar H&A Consultants

The elevated location of My Classroom restaurant provides a beautiful view of the city. Custom designed furniture, abundant seating styles in vibrant orange and lime green in combination with grey and black and U-shaped jute chairs break the monotony of contemporary materials.


The interior walls are a collage of alphabets, chemical formulas and equations. A front wall illustrates nations with box tops painted in colours of their respective flags. On both sides stand yellow walls with mathematical calculations and scribbled notes. Another wall is decorated with the day's special menu drawn under columns in a grid made of writing slates.


Beneath the translucent pyramidal roof of the enclosed restaurant space, hangs a chandelier at the centre top. The truss roof creates a single large space and during the day fill sit with natural light. The centrally placed island bar is a masterpiece with a private seating and can be accessed from the spiral stairway at the crook. A clear glass acts as a partition between the enclosed and open space through which the kitchen area is visible.


Material reuse can be seen in the three canisters cut out, cushioned and painted in primary colours for seating in the waiting area, that also shows a motorbike emerging out of the wall Ceiling hung trumpets finished with mesh and flower shaped casing to hold the light bulbs Suspended cans and cylindrical tiffins create a three-dimensional metallic drama with a matt grey backdrop. 

Designers Kruti and Vipul Sukhadia of Sharan Architecture + Design, plan a distinct office space for Coolline Agency located in a busy area of Surat city

Unique interior designs will emerge in 2019. The interior environment will strive for a more natural look, be more comfortable, and functionally more efficient. There will be greater use of building materials that are of top quality and eco-friendly, requiring less maintenance, and which are sustainable. Offices will seek a more natural look with ample use of wood complemented by shades of brown, and offset by a play of bright colours for the cheerful element. Three building materials on our list are R.C.C, Wood and Glass

Vipul Sukhadia & Kruti Sukhadia

The 2700 sq.ft. office is characterized by a simple yet sophisticated brand identity and designed to encourage a lively workplace. Based on an open-plan, the office is segregated into the required departments and workstations, where hierarchy is maintained by variation in size and ambience. From formal spaces like the conference room, accounts and directors' offices to more vibrant think-out-of-the-box spaces and brightly lit workstations, the office caters to a range of work modes.



An interesting feature (being an air conditioning systems' office) is the exposed copper pipes of the air conditioning system, allowing clients and visitors an insight into the workings of an AC system. The exposed ducting and AC system offer a remarkable contrast to the high-end material palette employed across the space. A combination of veneer and natural wood in dark shades and stark matt finishes of metal infuse a sense of warmth. The dark veneer on furniture and walls, at eye level, is balanced by contrasting grey ceiling tiles and beige terrazzo flooring.



Colorful pieces of furniture and graphics throughout add a dimension of play, while sleek and stylish elements like the copper pipe staircase railing and door handles introduce an element of quirkiness and give the space a sense of style. An installation, "Our Global Footprint" represents a world map composed of varying AC copper pipes and activates the central office zone. With the brand's global footprint highlighted on the map, the work of art doubles up as a pride-instilling and motivating tool that clients and employees can identify with.



A human-centric approach to both color and lighting allows for improved productivity and wellbeing of the employees. Interestingly used light fixtures augment the energetic and dramatic aura of the work place, underlining a very modern approach.

Set amidst the urban backdrop of central Chandigarh, the design of Hunka Hunka Town by GroupDCA speaks of its intention and endorses the theme it was built upon


Fact File

Typology: Hospitality
Name of Project: Hunka Hunka Town
Built-Up Area: 2065 sq.ft
Location: Sector 26, Chandigarh
Principal Architects: Amit Aurora, Rahul Bansal
Lighting: Brite light
Sanitaryware / Fittings : Toto/American Standard
Paint: Asian Paints
Interior Contractor: DCA workshop
Photographer: Andre J.Fanthome

The challenge was to establish 'a connect' – recreating a spatial experience based on the core philosophies of the 60s. The design involved utilizing contemporary sensibilities to create an aesthetic that is archaic and contextual to a past time



Ar. Amit Aurora & Ar. Rahul Bansal

Hunka Hunka Town is a hang-out place, paying tribute to the 60s and 70s of rock and roll, which defined music and lifestyles in the coming years. The small restaurant follows a retro background to portray the old school rock, while making it coherent to the young and contemporary. Visualized as a social experience for millennial consumers, the ambiance lends an immersive form of nostalgia. One instantly perceives the shift in paradigm upon walking in. A chequered terrazzo chessboard floor and a predominant black and white theme transports you to the ages when monochrome was the new trend.


The central seating features a series of lighting fixtures arranged in parallels; the custom-made fixtures are made from old vinyl recordings. As a prominent visual element, these fixtures provide the theme of nostalgia to the restaurant. There is minimum use of colors and too much variety has been avoided to bring in a laidback yet jazzy persona to the space. The walls are covered with posters displaying iconic rock legends performing live and with vinyl records. Replicas of the dresses that Presley wore while performing has been put on display alongside guitars, gramophones and other antiquities. The subtle iconographies and the washroom signages are also inspired from musical notes.


In the bar, leather chairs sit in harmony with the matte black finish of the bar counter. The liquor counters at the back are constructed in a staggered pattern; custom manufactured lights have been fixed inside unidyne microphones, and hung at varying lengths over the bar, creating an interesting interplay of light and shadows.

 Sanjay Udamale Architects creates a pleasant and refreshing ambiance through its design of D House in Mumbai

The design of the 3BHK apartment located on the 13th floor offers interesting views of the city. It explores quietness and joy through space, natural light, cross ventilation, and use of pastel whites and natural colours.


Fact File

Built-up area: 1,000 Sft
Design: Architect Sanjay Udamale
Team: Abhinav Gadhave, Surekha Kamble, Suvita Naicker, Yogesh Pongade.
Civil, Plumbing: Rajesh Chauhan Mistry
Carpentry: Radheshyam Mistry
Windows: Trendy Window
Electrical: Atul Electrical

Material Palette

Flooring: Italian marble
Kitchen: Corian, glazed ceramic tiles
False ceiling: Plain gypsum, acrylic
Doors & Windows: Teakwood, Veneer, Upvc, frosted & clear Glass, flush doors with lamination
Furniture: Commercial plywood, laminate, leatherette fabric, marine plywood, teakwood, glass, matt synthetic enamel paint
Paint: Premium lustre interior paint

The house offers different moods with the change of the natural lighting conditions, enriching the interiors with a sense of freshness



Ar. Sanjay Udamale

Walls are adorned with wall paper and minimal colors like cream and whites for walls and ceilings. Cream colored engineered marble flooring and natural warm wood veneer finish the look. Bright sunlight and breeze makes the space pleasurable for all seasons of the year. White uPvc windows give protection against heat, dust and sound, while white curtains soften the natural light


Stainless steel mesh in one of the shutters of the main door helps free air movement through the living area


All the rooms are filled with refreshing natural light to create well-lit, pleasant spaces


The compact and fully equipped kitchen has white metallic laminates and white acrylic platform top and a white ceiling


The children's bedrooms have minimal provisions — bed, study table and wardrobe


The master bedroom and other rooms offer wonderful views of the city and the hills beyond. The main window is framed to form a picture window wherein the picture changes every moment

In the luxurious design of this apartment, in Magnolias, a high-rise residential complex in Gurgaon, Ar. Nikhil Kant Agarwal has conformed design sensibilities with suitability and functionality

Though there is extravaganza, the design also reflects simplicity in the basic planning



Ar. Nikhil Kant Agarwal

A touch of royalty is reflected through a selection of rich interior products and décor that include wooden glazed sliding doors, living room furniture in sheers of white hue, dining chairs upholstered in white leather with contrasting high gloss veneered brown table, crystal chandeliers, a pebble-shaped center table in metal, and a cabinet covered in ivory duco paint and red cedar veneer.


Ceilings designs vary in different rooms such as a veneered ceiling done in dark bubinga pomella, a ceiling with star lighting and texture, another in plaster of Paris and veneer. The side walls are clad in rosewood dark veneer with a central mirror strip.


The guest room is outfitted with sepals' pommelle, fumed earth, angico veneers and pop on the ceiling, distinctive pieces of furniture and beautiful paintings. Concealed lights in the lobby impart a golden reflection from the golden foil ceiling. Plenty of natural light streaming through the sliding glass door in the balcony, panoramic views of the outside.