Dreams Come True

An open-plan, a colourful wall within a grey industrial setting all come together to create a contemporary space that radiates exuberance. This makes the event management company The Expand Loft live up to client expectations of making dreams come true.

Keeping to the theme of the corporate interiors of event management company The Expand Loft, the interiors of the corporate office is designed by the Quirk Studio. The studio founded by two interiors designers, Disha Bhavsar and Shivani Ajmera who came together in 2013 with the aim to depart from conventional ideas of luxury to cater to modern, novel notions of comfort and self-expression. The open-plan of the 2,400 sq ft office that their studio has designed is a concoction of elements that give the workspace a vibrant experience just as envisioned for a company that engages intrinsically with its clients and hence a design scheme that was encouraging interaction and collaboration.

The roughly14-foot-high ceiling immediately imparts a sense of space and expanse which is further enhanced by floor-to-ceiling fenestrations offering abundant natural light and panoramic views of the city. The design identity of the space is centered around the industrial-style design which is interspersed with bold hues of yellow, green, and red tones that create contrast against a neutral base. The result is an ingenious workspace with an impactful visual narrative. A sunny yellow as a hue is celebrated across the space in welcome doses and emphasises the company’s brand identity, a colour that has a key presence in their branding.

In terms of its spatial configuration, the office has been designed in the shell of the built floor to offer its inhabitants a functional, free-flowing layout of zones. The designated private cabins have been allocated peripheral positions in the layout, according to the two designers.

The conference and meeting rooms have a flexible layout that helps the end-users utilise the space in a versatile manner through the use of mobile partition systems. Services and community spaces like the open pantry and cafeteria have been kept to one side of the layout.

The central lounge space acts as the heart of the office where the team members can congregate and work flexibly. The open zone in the office also anchors the large hot desk section, booth seating, and a semi-formal arrangement for lounging using statement furniture and a quaint swing; conjuring a space that acts as a nucleus for conversation & rejuvenation. The ubiquitous usage of glass across the office creates a sense of visual seamlessness in the volume, giving it a larger appearance.

A highlight of the open office is the open pantry and cafeteria, a spot designed to bring people together over a cup of coffee or as a lively nook for the employees to enjoy mealtimes and brainstorming sessions. A community table, patterned floor tiles, quirky bar stools, and a thematic lightbox with the phrase ‘feed your dreams’ are the pivotal design highlights of the space.

Cement-finished surfaces, bold pops of colour, arched geometry, focal light fixtures, and an intriguing play of materials in various forms create the nuanced design palette at the office.

“We have designed around the end-user’s comfort, keeping that as a major factor for any design interventions. This has resulted in the creation of a workspace that bears the potential to evolve with its user’s needs while creating the quintessential minimal collaborative space for the enthusiastic team,” says the two designers.

 

PROJECT DETAILS:

Typology: Interior Design – Commercial

Name of Project: The Expand Loft

Location:  Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Name of Client’s Firm: XP&D, an Event Planning Firm

Design Firm: Quirk Studio

Design Team: Shivani Ajmera & Disha Bhavsar

Built-up Area: 2400 sq.ft

Completion Date: March 2020

Photographer: Pulkit Sehgal