IPNC by BARE.PINEAPPLE
A chartered accountant’s office derived from the concept of using simple geometries to produce complete interactions.
‘’Instability, it turns out, is the precondition of creativity.’’ - Sanford Kwinter, Far From Equilibrium
The clients were building their own 4 storied commercial building out of which the office was opt to be set on the 3rd and 4th levels. Half of each floor. Connection was established between the two floors through a cut out on the 4th floor slab with a skylight above it. The primary requirement was for 14 workstations, 2 manager stations, a discussions space for 6 and a CEO cabin. Within the cabin the client wanted a larger working table and a relaxation space for himself. Along with these, there was requirement for ample amount of storages for their client and accounting files.
The client had been operating in an old residence for over 10 years and wanted a new space in their upcoming commercial building. The only condition that they laid down on us was, in his own words, “The design should look WOW!”
With this design brief, the designers set out formulating the space, intertwining function with nifty and simplistic yet beguiling aesthetics. Minimizing the construction cost through thoughtful use of materials and techniques is practiced throughout the design and construction process with an unsaid prerequisite that the space should withstand the test of time.
Simple geometries producing complex interactions’ within the space is the key of this design.
While entering from the lobby, a large cement finished sliding door with a well-ordered signage opens into the reception with waiting area. The reception area both separated from the work-space through an algorithmic designed back wall expressed in polished exposed birch ply and activated through the grid storage that opens up the courtyard space giving a glimpse of the office space within.
The clear height was of the main concerns as the lower floor was as low as 8’3” while the upper floor was 9’3”. The work-space has been opened up and interventions have been made in such a manner that the space doesn’t feel claustrophobic at any point. The connection between the two floors is established through a white MS spiral staircase cladded with rubber wood within the cut-out in the upper floor slab with a skylight above it. This became the primary space of design, a living green courtyard housing a ficus tree and all the other spaces overlooking and opening into it.
Flooring is one of the main design objects (lines) in the space; differentiation of working zone and circulation is made by light and darker shades of grey tiles creating curved patterns on the floor “islands”, and is reflected to the lighting profile at the ceiling while the suspended metal members above it takes this profile to offset and ripple through the space tying it together in a wholesome composition. Hues of grey, white and birch are carefully used throughout the design making the space seem clean and simple. The design elements are put in tension with each other to activate the space to a discourse / dialogue in relationship to context and materiality.
The fantastically bright yellow colored walls of the double height courtyard space bounces and bleeds golden light into the space during day time along with 631 feet long flowing lines of light fixtures. The inclusion of living green spaces (tree court and planters) within the space adds a layer of poise to the composition.
The CEO cabin on the other hand is designed around the work table as a center piece on the floor island with simple birch, dark grey composition with a glossy ceiling finished in lacquer paint to reflect its surroundings. The 9’ by 4’6” table is constructed as a design exercise by taking a planar surface geometry and undulating it to find the simplest structurally stable, free-standing doubly curved geometry and built using layering of strips of birch ply. This then is over layed with a white Corian surface top chamfered at the edges.
With ease of construction, sensitivity to expression of inherent material properties (like exposed plywood), color pallet, advanced design and manufacturing techniques this space for chartered accountant office is conceived.
"Parametric forms sit in harmonious interactions with the minimalistic designed objects producing a space that is both still and in motion at the same time. Instability with stability producing complexity is articulated as a space of human appearance."
Project: IPNC
Location : Bengaluru, India
Firm : BARE.PINEAPPLE
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_bare.pineapple_/
Design Partners : Guruprakash Govindasamy & Shivaranjani Kumbar
Photography : BARE.PINEAPPLE