Spaces That Work

Jaya Neupaney runs you through some of the latest concepts in office interiors

Once upon a time, when one thought of the ‘office’, the image that came to mind was a staid ambience, rows of desks and chairs, steel and wooden racks with files, a typist or two at the employee’s zone and a cabin for the ‘Boss’. If you thought of banks, it was the picture of plywood and jaali cubicles enclosing the cashier. The closest we got to viewing a studio was during the evening news time, the plain wall with the channel’s logo on a small screen that sometimes showed glimpses of events.

This likeness to a citadel changed with the arrival of Information Technology and along with it the concept of paperless offices, videoconferencing, internet transactions and the world wide web have become integral elements of offices. If technology was one factor that led to a metamorphosis of office design; the other has been aesthetics and design that give the office an ‘Identity’.

According to Kishore Panikker, an architect with Edifice Architects Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based firm specialising in corporate interiors, there have been significant changes in work culture and contemporary workplaces.

He says, “There has been a sea-change in the way offices operate and this is reflected in the way offices look. The nine to five routine is almost non-existent with people spending more hours at work. The working populace is also a young lot nowadays where the bracket starts as early as 21 and who are in tune with the ‘hip and happening’. The office spaces and facilities match the nature of their work. Also, businesses like call centres have attracted the young crowd resulting in workplaces that are lively and youthful.”

Coming down to specifics, Panikker says, “The look of an office nowadays is of an open plan sans intimidating cabins. The openness makes way for a healthy team spirit. Where a partition is required it is half-height glazed systems and the ‘cabins’ have glass doors. This illustrates the ‘transparent’ informal way of working (literally!). The workspace looks spacious where atriums have made their presence felt and in case of smaller plans the feel of spaciousness is offset by innovative use of mirrors. Landscaping is another factor that adds to the spacious feel and provides visual relief. Open planning and spaciousness brings in plenty of natural light, which in turn generates cheer to the ambience.”

It was by integrating these concepts of open planning, spaciousness and natural light that the architects at Edifice successfully converted a loom shed into the corporate office of Hutchison Max in Mumbai. “The fact that our client was aware of the design trends helped us in communicating design. Consumer awareness is another noteworthy and welcome change,” adds Panikker.

With expansion of business and communication becoming global, an ‘image’ conveys the identity of corporate offices. Every detail of the company conveys a message and colour makes the maximum impact. Case in point, the colours you associate brands with – ‘ Sony - blue’, ‘Citi Bank - blue, ‘Orange/Hutch - orange’ - to name a few. Interestingly 70 to 80 per cent organisations of worldwide repute have merged blue into the company colours.

Sheityajit Rajkumar, an associate architect with Shirish Kelkar and Associates, says, “For a pocket friendly yet striking makeover, a coat of paint is by far the most effective. Though most offices stick to a light colour scheme the use of bold colours to highlight focal walls adds that extra ‘zing’. Leo Burnett, an advertising agency in Mumbai, has ingeniously used colours to demarcate work zones without any physical boundaries. The zoning is a visual delight of light and colour.”

The corporate headquarters of Shopper’s Stop in Mumbai is also a medley of colour, curves and light. The winding corridors, vibrant numerical signages, marine life and light gives the organisation a youthful spirit.

Apart from the look factor, colour carries important links to the human brain and its psychological responses cannot be ignored. With long hours spent in working on the computer, employees long for softer colours. The soft colour palette is here to stay.

Ibrahim Sitabkhan, an architect, says, “Think of any brand, the colour and logo come to mind…the logo forms the part of a visual language and reflects the culture of the firm. Signages are another facet of the visual language that indicates directions to various departments. This has given way to a customer friendly environment. The company logos incorporate the, ‘Less Is More’ movement in conveying its identity.” For example, ‘DKNY’, ‘PONDS’, the ‘M’ of Mahindra and Mahindra.

Some organisations support various causes and this adds weight to the company identity. In Mumbai, a majority of banks are involved in restoration of the heritage buildings they are housed in. The exteriors retain the grandeur of a bygone era while the interiors sport a swanky look, Standard Chartered Bank being one example of this fusion. Some set ups encourage art and local artisans by blending art with interiors. The whole idea is of a place where work is not just a drill but also an aesthetic and fulfilling experience. The workscape has come a long way, from ‘work within spaces’ to ‘spaces that work’.

Edifice Architects Pvt Ltd, Mumbai)

What’s hot

• Softer shapes like curves, fabrics and lighting.
• Interchangeable fabric and glazed panels
• A comfortable chair is the most important thing to have in an office. Even if you're not doing a lot of physical labor, you just feel beat at the end of the day. Most likely it is the chair you're sitting in. Get yourself an ergonomic (meaning orthopaedically correct) chair.
• Minimalism, the clean, spartan look, is in. It looks classy and can be arranged and rearranged as per needs.

Lighting: suspend light fixtures from a three metre

Pay attention to high ceiling to reduce the contrast and remove shadows on the computer screen.

Air-conditioning: fresh air enhances your productivity and ensures that the air conditioners are not installed too high up in the ceiling.

Acoustic: in places which give out high decibel sounds, acoustic (sound) proofing is important.

Non-work areas: pamper the staff with reading and relaxation rooms, facilities like a gym, a cafeteria and landscaping, which rejuvenates one after the long hours put in offices.