groupDCA opens a new chapter with a Gwal Pahari studio that unites eco-conscious design, heritage, and the spirit of innovation.
groupDCA celebrates a new chapter in its 27th year of fostering design legacies. The studio’s context changes from the bustling environment of Sultanpur to a quiet, peaceful retreat located on the border of Gurugram, Delhi. Developed to nurture the team’s creativity amidst nature’s embrace, the space manifests the studio’s core values and philosophies of promoting eco-conscious design solutions that utilise locally sourced materials, paying homage to traditional craftsmanship.
Untouched by urbanisation in the Gwal Pahari area, the verdant 19,046 sq. ft. property provides respite from the chaos of the city and is conveniently accessible from both New Delhi and Gurugram. The design adopts a fragmented scheme with smaller, distinct blocks with an outward-looking approach, each crafted with a unique character and function. This layout weaves through the landscape, creating a journey of exploration and a sequence of experiential spaces that meld into the surroundings.
The layout comprises four rectangular blocks of varying footprints that house functions like the reception area, meeting rooms, workstations, principal architects’ offices, administrative department, cafeteria, etc., intertwined with lush lawns and shaded under the dense canopies of trees, embodying an optimistic setting that promotes the team’s passion for design, the spirit of collaboration, inspiration from nature, etc. All the blocks respond to the principles of climatology and Vastu. Oriented along the East-West axis, the blocks are constructed with dressed rubble masonry to shield the interiors from the harsh sunlight. While all the north-facing walls are porous and adorn large, glazed windows that open onto the shaded verandahs, the southern walls have small fenestrations that modulate heat and glare. These design strategies ensure the studio is unaffected by the scorching summers while welcoming the gentle winter sun, furnishing the space with diffused natural light that promotes clear thinking and frames refreshing views. Along with the well-insulated roofs, walls, and surrounding greens, the studio embraces the simplicity of nature to cultivate a serene workspace. A winding entrance leads to the reception block, connected to two meeting rooms. The humble scale and intimate heights establish an immediate, welcoming connection with visitors, creating an illusion of a small studio space. The second block accommodates administrative functions, a materials studio, a staff cafeteria, a stationery store, an accounting office, and a pantry near the reception. The principal cabins are a separate entity, visually connected to the studio and the ecstatic views outdoors. There is a multi-purpose lounge that forms a buffer between both principal offices. This space is where meetings and brainstorming sessions happen; it also caters to clients for entertainment or even a space to host friends. This thoughtful design strategy allows for discussions to extend into the principal’s cabin and simultaneously provides autonomy to the team. The fourth block, and the largest of all, houses the workstations for the staff adjacent to a presentation room for client meetings. Basking in the quiet rear end of the site, the studio block spills into the outdoors on one side, with an overhang that shades the glazed facade and creates a buffer, perfect for brainstorming, some alone time, or a cup of coffee during the rains. Small shading devices on the opposite facade cut the harsh sun and filter in fresh air.
“The design approach stimulates creativity through a sensory interplay of sight, sound, touch, and smell. The layout is fragmented and connected through unbuilt, open spaces with inherited trees and organic pathways, promoting convenience and physical wellbeing. As team members move between the studio, cafeteria, and washrooms, they encounter enriching glimpses of the outdoors, the crunch of gravel underfoot, and unplanned interactions with colleagues. The dynamic use of light and shadow during the day introduces varying degrees of shading in shared spaces and spillouts, while at night, the dense foliage casts intriguing shadows that lend an air of mystery, creating quiet, secluded areas for reflection. The structure encourages movement, offering breaks from the constraints of desk work. Shaded spaces provide shelter yet maintain a sense of openness, allowing employees to engage with nature—whether a squirrel darting across the lawn, the soothing calls of birds, or the refreshing drizzles during monsoons. Each space spills into a common area, perfect for hosting gatherings of clients, artists, and industry experts, embodying the firm’s commitment to contextual relevance and social responsibility.” Says Rahul Bansal.
The material palette enables easy correlation to nature and is sourced within a 200-250 km radius of the site, reducing carbon emissions incurred during transportation. The simple, low-rise blocks feature dressed rubble stone masonry walls that seamlessly blend in with the natural surroundings. The thatched roof, a part of northern India’s design vocabulary, is integrated with the studio block’s morphology by local artisans and helps maintain comfortable internal temperatures.
Explaining the finer details, Amit Aurora adds, “Terracotta brick flooring enhances the connection to the natural setting. It also cools down the space, working on the same principle as an earthen pot when sprinkled with water. It forms a harmonious composition with the loose gravel, or Bajri, and the green lawns that enable water percolation to maintain the groundwater levels. Aero concrete panels, which interlock with each other and allow quick on-site assembly, are expressed in their raw grey texture and contribute to the scheme’s frugal palette.”
With a tapestry of textures and memorabilia, the interiors reflect the workspace’s reigning theme of simplicity and simultaneously celebrate Indian heritage. Repurposed from the previous office, intended to carry forward the DCA ethos, each collectable carries the essence of the practice and nostalgia into the new workspace. Ornately carved wooden columns sourced from an old demolished Mangalore house support the principal cabin’s roof at the entrance, emulating a traditional home’s verandah. Eighty-year-old blue-coloured British lights cast a subdued glow in the space within. The central table in the room is composed of a combination of doors from various Mangalore homes that are a century old with diverse patinas, resulting in an object rich in texture and colour. Even the table in the principal office is left raw, in its unpolished manner, reflecting an old charm from the inception time of the firm. The office is populated with memorabilia and the associated stories, allowing each individual to personalise their setting and celebrate the team’s collective spirit.
The existing trees are left untouched, and the blocks are planned around them. Raised circular seating constructed to protect the roots of the trees serves as a breakout space for the users, where they can unwind and relax under the shade of the canopies. A few iconic plants, like the hibiscus, bougainvillea, and ficus creepers from the old office, are also transplanted into the site, a sustainable strategy that is also a nostalgic reminder of the fond memories of the old studio.
groupDCA Studio is a workspace developed in tandem with the allure of nature, fostering innovation with respect and nurturing creativity. It is the culmination of the firm’s journey, mirroring its design process of honouring slow craftsmanship and heritage to create spaces that endure and are inherently responsive to the climate and in sync with the cycles of nature.
The workspace unfolds as an experiential journey that cultivates a conducive environment for the physical and mental well-being of the users, where each corner provides different experiences, instilling a sense of discovery, delight, and contentment.
Photography Credits: Niveditaa Gupta
