Learning From The Curve

Inspired by its arched openings, Gaurav Kharkar & Associates transform a 70-year-old space into a warm, contemporary and geometry-themed office in Mumbai.

- Rupali Sebastian

To a designer, every project they undertake possesses a potential to teach lessons that incrementally add to their wisdom, knowledge and experience. For architect Gaurav Kharkar and interior designer Vidhita Kharkar of ten-yearold, Mumbai-based Gaurav Kharkar & Associates, the office of Regent Steel was a learning in reconciling the old and the new; marrying the vintage with the en vogue.

The clients were well-known to the creators, having worked together in the past. Thus, the mental rapport and comfort were already established — which is why the family, in the business of manufacturing steel parts, called the duo excitedly upon purchasing an office space in South Mumbai. The first visit to the 1,850-square-foot site was a pleasant surprise for the Kharkars. “We had assumed the office to be in a commercial building having this fancy glass facade. To our surprise, the property was located on the second floor of a 70-year-old building,” recalls Gaurav. “When we entered the office, we were thrilled to see the arched exterior windows… It also had a nice arched doorway leading to a long passage. These elements really excited us and we thought of restoring and retaining these arched elements by creating a theme around them.”