In Gurugram’s Oberoi Tower, Design Work Group crafts a 6,000 sq ft headquarters for Star Cement where natural light, refined detailing and calm material restraint elevate corporate workspace into an experience of quiet confidence.
Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs: Sebastian Zachariah + Jacob Nedumchira I Phx India; courtesy Design Work Group
The project
Star Cement’s new 6,000 sq ft headquarters in Oberoi Tower is envisioned as a workspace that brings together Star Cement, Century Ply and Namchic Tea Estate under one roof. Designed by Design Work Group, the office reflects the client’s deep appreciation for sophisticated, timeless design. With only sixteen primary occupants, the space is shaped as an open, refined environment that celebrates natural light, visual transparency and understated luxury.
The site
The office occupies a three-sided glazed floor plate overlooking DLF Cyber City. The full-height glazing floods the workspace with daylight and frames panoramic views, offering an unusually bright, flexible shell that served as a clean foundation for a carefully calibrated interior.
The brief
The client sought a workspace that would feel elegant without excess, contemporary without coldness and crafted without visual heaviness. Functionally, the space needed to encourage openness and connection among the small core team while maintaining a sense of identity and distinction across the group’s businesses.
The design intent
The design is anchored in minimalism — a restrained, timeless aesthetic that favours clean lines, calm surfaces and refined materiality. The aim was to craft an office that feels effortless and composed, where the architecture, proportions and natural light set the tone for quiet sophistication. Every detail contributes to a sense of balance, from the slenderness of custom furniture to the seamless integration of lighting and services.
The spatial flow
The plan opens with a reception flanked by two meeting rooms, marking the public zone. The corners of the glazed floor plate are given to the directors’ cabins, visually connected along an internal axis defined by a lush indoor garden. Between the cabins lies a lounge and an executive dining area that transitions into the boardroom.
The workspace flows organically, with manager cabins, individual desks and open workstations distributed along the glazing. Informal zones — a café and a compact library — soften the work environment, offering moments for pause and conversation. Circulation is intuitive and uninterrupted, maintaining a sense of openness throughout.
The material palette
The interiors rely on a triad of materials: natural veneer, glass and lime plaster. This restrained palette creates a serene, monotone backdrop that highlights the quality of light and the clarity of the layout. Slot diffusers replace conventional AC grills for a seamless ceiling plane, while slender, custom-detailed furniture keeps the environment visually light. Art, vibrant upholstery and layered planting introduce finely measured colour inspired by the brands’ red and green identities.
The challenges
The three-sided glazing brought in intense daylight from the east, south and west, requiring solar-control strategies to balance brightness and comfort. Introducing greenery into a sealed, air-conditioned environment demanded collaboration with HVAC and landscape specialists to create microclimates that could support real plants through fresh-air systems.
The highlights
The indoor courtyard serves as the office’s emotional anchor, bringing greenery into the heart of the workspace and quietly linking public areas with the directors’ cabins. The seamless flow from reception to work areas, meeting rooms, lounge and dining spaces reinforces the project’s emphasis on clarity, comfort and spatial coherence.
The takeaway
Star Cement’s headquarters embodies minimalism enriched by warmth — a workplace where restraint heightens elegance and design becomes a subtle expression of identity and grace.
Fact file
Project: Star Cement
Design firm: Design Work Group
Area: 6,000 sq ft
Location: Gurugram, Haryana, India
Principal architect: Dinesh Suthar
Design team: Jitendra Sabalpara, Bharat Patel, Hardik Padmani, Bhavika Suthar
Client: Star Cement
Photography: PHX India
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