The design team from RDa Workshop, led by architect Rubel Dhuna, has created a space-shifting, atypical loft office for 2 young Mumbai-based lawyers.
The project brief was this – a loft space with large windows overlooking a quiet pedestrian zone in the heart of Mumbai’s lawyer district (Fort precinct) had to be designed as a private office for 2 young lawyers. “We had a great time designing this atypical law office. Clients came to us with an exhaustive list of requirements for the space. Addressing the multiple requirements and maximising every inch of the space was the key,” states the team from RDa Workshop, led by architect Rubel Dhuna. “We came up with a layout that was fluid and extremely versatile, allowing for several permutations and combinations.”
The office was proportionately divided into 4 spaces. A curved entrance corridor-cum-reception leads you to a 6-seater conference room and a private study. A stairway from the study takes you up to a reading loft.
Without much ado, the 2 areas (conference and study) can be combined into one larger space for an evening get-together of sorts. Playing with the volume was another fun aspect of the project. “Due to space restrictions, we provided a single-step staircase beneath, which is a double-depth storage unit,” states the team.
Keeping everything else clean lined, it was decided to get a little bold with the floor. A beautiful white and silver grey cement tile from Bharat Flooring was chosen and it came to be a perfect fit. Complementing the pretty intricate floor, the aesthetics of the office were kept rather muted. The books stacked up in the double-depth curved library wall bring in a dash of colour. “We were very sure from the start with regard to the colour palette. It had to be an all-out white space with a hint of wood and silver grey to break the monotony.”
The palette was very consciously restricted to 3 materials. To complement the floor and to stay within the palette, a custom-designed Sleek Micro concrete table-top with a white powder coated metal base was created at the RDa Workshop. The challenge was to keep it as sleek and light-weight as possible so it wouldn’t fill up the entire space.
A translucent smoked-oak paper veneer light, also designed by RDa, is suspended by a brass rod over the table, thus completing the design. “RDa is also working on range of Paper Venner Lights that are available on request.”