Karma

Corporate office in a small urban plot brings with it the baggage of paradoxical obligations: of being an insert in urban fabric while yearning to create its own identity, of being a universal space yet with its local image, of maximizing the efficiency of permissible built up space and yet long to invest in recluse spaces, largely an indoor environment yet connected to outdoors, mechanised comfort control and yet environmental efficiency, and so on...

Architecture is a sum total of culture, climate and construction.  Of Place, people and programme. ‘Karma’ is an exploration in creating an absolute resolute of these dictums. The place, being a small urban plot in terms of site geometry and prevailing norms for setbacks and built density, provided the skeleton of the foot print. The density of the built within the low rise mould led to four and half floor walk up. The urban response in terms of corner junction as well as view opportunity led to terracing and garden towards the Northeast versus the built mass towards the South west. This resolve was reinforced by the site orientation parameters with respect to the natural forces of Sun, Wind and water. The orientation to sun and wind offered the cues for shading strategy and thereby massing choice of South West going taller and terracing created towards the Northeast. Environmental management is further effected with passive cooling strategies. There is a dichotomy in orientation demands of the Sun versus the Breeze. South west orientation is adverse for the solar gain and heat while most appropriate for prevailing breeze and cross ventilation. Also paradoxical demands are of the long views of the fringe site versus vulnerability to external vagaries. These inherent paradoxes led to integrated strategy of multiple layering.  The south and western edges are essentially full face fenestrations with sliding glazed shutters from within to capture view as well as breeze, but these fenestrations have been overlaid with two layers of protective patinas from outside. First there is a layer of natural vegetation all along the fenestration within the overhanging ledge. These projecting ledge masses not only offer horizontality to the buildings but create soft green edge with live plants which cut out the glare, filters the breeze as well as micro cools the air. The extreme south western edges are further provided with an additional layer of operable opaque panel louvers on entire façade as the outermost veil. Louvers can very easily be manoeuvred manually from within to regulate heat, glare and haze of the direct Sun with its angle but allow for much needed breeze from south and west. They also continue to ventilate with south westerly breeze micro cooled through peripheral vegetation ledges. As against North Eastern edges of the building took the liberty of transparent glazing, of course with the layering of vegetation. The element of Jaali, found in vernacular built form, has been creatively interpreted, applied and integrated in the builtform. The Northern mass of the stair well is kept naturally ventilated through a stainless steel jaali encasing it. The cut outs in a jaali are designed in the form of crossword puzzle along with the symbols related to education and knowledge. Cut away alphabets and symbols not only provide for passage of air, natural ventilation, ingress of northern illumination and the views from inside out to glance outdoors; but they also animate the façade through interactive game of crossword puzzle. The idiom of crossword puzzle with words relating to education along with supportive graphic symbols stem from the programmatic clues of the building that  deals with publishing  as well as student’s higher study counselling and training, This makes for informative, indulging,  as well as inspiring built environment. The southern face of the reception hall, on the other hand, on every floor is overlaid with another form of jaali. Here jaali is carved within a thick board in the designed filigree inspired from the traditional monuments of Ahmedabad. The puncture size and board thickness tries to ensure sun shading for southern azimuth, while their filigree pattern create associational bond with familiar monument motifs and thus local identity of the region. Being southern jaali it also creates dynamically changing spontaneous shadow patterns diurnally from morning to evening and annually through seasonally with changing position of Sun all the time. Even natural vegetation is a recall of cyclic and dynamic notion of time.

Central position of the stair mass, with skeletal structure of modest spans, render much demanded flexibility of subletting as well as partitioning within the floor as well as building. Each floor, even though with similar footprint, has been laid uniquely as per the functional and spatial needs of the occupants per each floor. Thus it offers flexibility within consistency. All spaces within are also laid such that everyone gets an opportunity to views, daylight and natural ventilation to make the work environment cheerful, fresh and enduring.  The materials are largely local and natural. To give patronage to traditional folk art and craft, various walls are rendered with Warli painting, floors are animated with nature inspired mosaic patterning and stone inlaying, while spaces are charged with thematic sculptures and murals. Doors and windows have added value through overlaid architectural graphics enhancing visual comprehension of functions, identity of spaces as well as imaging the inspiring work environment.

In all, the architectural ensemble is designed to be functionally efficient, environmentally sustainable, perceptually engaging, naturally inspiring and kinaesthetically timeless...