The Container Office by Studio Infinity:
Located on the outskirts of Pune, amidst a semi-rural locality, The Container Office by Studio Infinity is a fresh take on the designing of sales offices that was initiated by a client brief that demanded 'Out of the Box' & 'Flexibility in Design'.
The Container Office is the design for a temporary sales office in the center of a 17 acre plot that will later be converted into a clubhouse. This office set-up is primarily made out of 'Metal Containers' that encompass the built environment in order to allow maximum re-use for the future development.
Located amidst semi-rural locality, the site offered very little vegetation and context. Also, since no construction activity had started towards the eventual development, the client needed the temporary office set up to act as a re-assurance for his clients. Therefore, it was pivotal for designers at Studio Infinity to not only incorporate the needs of the client but also create a contextual note for the future development.
In order to create a sense of place in addition to an element of surprise, the containers were linked to each other by semi-covered walkways starting from the entrance. The idea was to create a series of inward looking courts so that the entire campus remains spatially well connected.
"Based on the functional necessity, we divided spaces into four parts with the 1st container comprising of reception, waiting and small discussion. The 2nd container was used for a conference space while the 3rd container was defined as a marketing space with provision for project branding and two marketing tables. The 4th container was to be used as a service area with store, pantry and washroom." (Studio Infinity to TDC)
A series of measures were adopted to ensure the space responds the the climate of the region. Shading devices such as external walls and pergolas play a very important role in protecting the surfaces directly exposed to harsh sunlight. The southern and western sides of the containers are shielded with free standing walls. Distance of placement between these walls and the containers was derived from the amount of shade it can offer. To allow a passage of western wind, external walls either have been staggered or have been punctured on opposite directions. This allows cross ventilation on a larger scale keeping the inner spaces ventilated and comfortable.
Walkways connecting the containers are semi- covered through pergolas with Polycarbonate sheets. This not only provides protection from rainfall but also helps in retaining wind circulation from one court to the other. Patches of greenery are carefully positioned among usable spaces to help in reducing the temperature of the prevailing hot wind.
The project is an effort, through a series of carefully measured design techniques that not only stand out, but also create context, functionality and at the same time a response to the climate. An approach, we wouldn't otherwise see towards the less explored category of sales offices.
Project: The Container Office
Location: Talegaon, Pune, Maharashtra
Design & Execution: Studio Infinity
Website: www.studioinfinity.in
Lead Architects: Tushar Kothawade & Chiranjivi Lunkad
Photography: Atul Kanetkar
Website: www.atulkanetkar.com
Gallery:
Comments