It says something about an architectural firm when one of its best projects is its own office. With a carpet area of 85.5 sq. mt., the Architecture & Beyond office in Surat is a breathing, dynamic ensconce whose aim is to flip the linearity of working spaces and make them more artist-friendly. A sublime lotus pond stands below the entrance courtyard and once inside there is a fluid division of space; discussion spaces to the left and work studios to the right. Wood, metal and brick dominate the material composition, while the illumination is industrial and highly customised. To set an example of creative freedom, the office, designed by Aashish Patel and Bhavesh Patel hides smart features – by working some gears, the conference room can be made to jut out over the lotus studio. One knows this is a truly open-minded space because most of the furniture pieces are mobile and many of them are also multi-dimensional to facilitate multiple uses. Architecture & Beyond not only has built for itself a slick space to work out of, but like the best of purveyors has created its own advertisement of skill as well.
