Studio Bilaang founders Akshata and Pritesh Kathod play with textures, colours and greenery to foster creativity in their own workspace in Aurangabad.
Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs: Photographix India; courtesy Studio Bilaang
The site
This was the office Studio Bilaang designed for themselves. The site is located on the Beed Bypass Highway, Aurangabad, an upcoming and fast-developing area. The building — of which the ground and first floors house the office — belongs to the founders of the studio, and therefore the programmatic and civil requirements were taken care of at the construction level.
The brief
“We were the client and we were the designers,” say architect Akshata Khatod and interior designer Pritesh Khatod of Studio Bilaang, “so planning and coming up to one final decision was easy here. The brief to ourselves was: This will be the first impression, depicting what and how we execute our work.”
The design intent
The founders were governed by the statement ‘Creative minds need a creative space’ when it came to formalising their workspace. “We wanted to stay away from an ‘office’ feel and make a ‘studio’ instead,” the duo tells us.
The visual expression
A contemporary design style filled in with green, grey and yellow was the design team’s chosen path when it came to embodying a space that would encourage creative thinking. The entrance foyer is planned through a balcony with landscape and wall mural denoting the meaning of bilaang — an ancient unit of measurement. A full-glass partition and door allows ample sunlight in the studio from the balcony, while the metal mesh divider placed between the staff and reception areas ensures adequate light and ventilation to the interiors. The cabin is placed overlooking the staff and reception area, which enables functional connectivity of the office. The conference area has been planned with a green wall, raw ceiling, planters and artwork, crafting an ingenious and creative vibe. All partitions and the cabin backdrop showcase geometric lines. In the latter, the grid-like pattern is broken by a surfing board-shaped element that also accommodates the logo of the firm.
The material palette
“We opted for the four basic elements used in architecture: concrete, steel, wood and stone,” explain Akshata and Pritesh. The walls of the cabin, staff and reception area feature a concrete finish, while the ceiling of the cabin and the partition are rendered in teakwood. Black stone shelves complement the harmony of wood and veneer in the cabin.
The challenge
“The main challenge in designing your own office is that you want every little element designed precisely because it reflects your work, taste and personality,” smiles the designer duo.
Fact file
Project: Designer’s Den
Location: Aurangabad
Area: 1,400 sq ft
Principal architect: Akshata Khatod
Principal designer: Pritesh Khatod
Design team: Anil Chavan and Roma Rochwani
Electrician: Mukne Patil
Fabrication: Shrikant Chavan
Painter: Subhash Chauhan
Artwork: Mahesh (AD Palette) and Disha Kankariya (Fancy Shades, for conference room)
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