Commercial

As the owners of Splendour Country soaked in the breathtaking view from the cricket box pitch, they lamented its occasional use. With talks of expanding the residential facilities underway, an idea struck. A couple of days later, we were approached to design 8-9 temporary, experimental, and “instantly attractive” cottages on the very same land.

The challenge was to erect these cottages overlooking the magnificent vista without disrupting the natural terrain. Seizing the opportunity to experiment with simpler structural solutions on complex landscapes, we utilised CSEB Blocks and mild steel framing, while repurposing leftover shingles from the banquet hall construction to stay budget-friendly. As requested, the structure could be easily dismantled in the future, with materials reused or recycled on-site. Today, the cottages gracefully follow the curvature of the contoured landscape of the Khadakwasla hills, allowing residents to relish the splendid views.

As the team expanded, the need for a larger, more vibrant space became apparent. During our property search, we stumbled upon an old nursery home on the ground floor of a bungalow that instantly resonated with us. Despite its initial dark and dull appearance, something about the layout had this homely vibe that caught our attention, and within a week, we bought the property.

In terms of design, we were very keen on having an inviting, backyard-style area for refreshing breaks and informal team gatherings, now known as our activity area. It is easily everyone’s favourite spot in the office. Once this area was finalised, other spaces such as the workstations, the conference room, the pantry, reception and the main office followed.

The moodboard is inspired by an industrial aesthetic – rustic, sleek and functional – paired with moody colours to delineate different zones. Interestingly, credits for the material palette are shared by the entire team, as they were extremely excited to go on market surveys and would often come back with innovative ideas for various spaces, such as micro-concrete, IPS flooring, FRP and bamboo roofing in the activity area, and various fabrication elements throughout the office.