Simply Elegant

Empatio Architecture breaks away from conventional office design ideologies and materials to present a minimalistic, elegant workspace to a global apparel brand in the heart of Chennai.

Curated by: Rupali Sebastian
Photographs: Yash Raj Jain; courtesy Empatio Architecture

The entrance emanates a welcoming golden glow thanks to the cladding of clay tiles immersed in warm yellow light.

The site

The site is a 2,000-sq-ft space situated on the second floor of a 30-year-old mid-rise commercial complex building in Chennai. “The uniqueness can be attributed to the shell of the office space,” says Chandana Ramesh, principal architect at Empatio Architecture. “It is a long and linear floor plan winding around the building’s central stairway at unexpected angles with a shallow ceiling height of nine feet.” Compounding the constraint of shallow height was a criss-cross of deep structural beams, running along the length of the space. 

The brief

The clients wanted a clean and simple space synonymous with the aesthetic of their brand. Therefore too many elements merely filling up the space were avoided, and the design embraced functionality over ornamentation.

Swathes of wood, flowing effortlessly, lend a certain directionality to the narrative.

The design intent

“Factoring in the requirement for a functional and minimalistic space, we developed a cohesive system of connected zones which would follow an intrinsic flow from one to the other,” explains Chandana. “The deep structural beams were used as space segregating guidelines.” The intent for minimalism resonates with the philosophy of ‘Less is More’, and is articulated through clean, simple furniture in which storage elements become important design elements. 

The civil intervention

The location of the space within a larger building complex meant that the positions of box windows along the exterior facade were unchangeable. “We aligned our design with this necessity,” the architect tells us, “limiting the civil alteration to the toilet blocks.”

In-built storage banks become an important part of the minimalist visual narrative.

The spatial configuration

The office begins with a lounge space leading to a central workstation area positioned between executive chambers and conference room on one end, and a visually disguised pantry and dining room on the other, along a single spinal corridor.

The material palette

Embracing neutral colours, materiality is dominated by birch wood finishes, textured clay wall cladding, cement finishes and jute carpets along with fluted glass walls and partitions with functional brass accents. This blend juxtaposes elements of Scandinavian style with a touch of modernity, creating a light and airy space with quiet visual plays, interspersed with the warmth and richness of the materials. 

Executive cabins bear the intimacy of a home office, rather than an impersonal workspace.

“Incorporating this blend into the design allows the material textures of the organic palette to create drama with light,” elucidates the architecture, adding that the shallow office space suddenly appears to grow larger with this soft play of neutral elements. Colour is used in small bursts via vibrant artworks, bringing the neutral base to life with bright hues, almost imitating an art gallery.

Favourite aspect of the project

“My favourite aspect of this office space was the entire output which embodies not only the physical form that we had envisioned but also the exact same subconscious feeling of warmth and positivity that we had wanted it to radiate,” smiles Chandana.

Fact file

Project: Office for a global apparel brand
Location: Chennai
Area: 2,000 sq ft
Principal architect:  Chandana Ramesh
Design team: Palaniappan Muthu and Kumaresh S
MEP consultant: Air Treatment Engineering Pvt  Ltd