Into The Light

Squelette Designs show us how an unorthodox idea and an experimental bent in design can help mitigate poor site conditions in the combined office of Ahmedabad-based Surya Enterprises and Varnika Components LLP.

- Carol Ferrao

Imagine being trusted with a site that had more constraints than positives while the brief demanded “distinctive and unconventional interiors”. Surely such a scenario isn’t unheard of in the world of design, but it’s interesting to see how Saumil Patel and Prashant Trivedi — principals architects of the barely two-year-old Squelette Designs — tackled this challenge. It was in a chance discussion with the client, who mentioned his plans to shift his office to a prime location in Ahmedabad that led the duo to this project. When the architects visited the site for the first time, they found the space “too gloomy”, the ceiling too low at a mere 8.6 feet and alone fenestration at the north end overlooking a busy main road. The only consolation was that there were no ugly offsets on the walls or the ceiling. What worked to their advantage in the face of these obstacles was that the client was open to new ideas.

Before they could transform the abysmal site, both Saumil and Prashant considered it imperative to study the previous office. “Analyzing their working pattern and type of work they are involved in made it obvious how the interiors could be moulded,” mention the architects. In itself, the brief was basic: a cabin, a conference room, an employee’s area, a pantry, a reception and a waiting area had to be accommodated. The client also wanted the office to be vastu compliant, and emphasized on minimum usage of hardware and fixtures. While the space had to function like any other corporate office, the design had to be informal in comparison.