OPEN ATELIER MUMBAI Masterfully weaving the past and present, preserving Architectural Elements and Breathing new life into TOAST Events’ office in Mumbai.
Mumbai is a city with scarce land but a rich history; demolishing heritage structures to adapt to the present and new ones risks diminishing the city’s unique historical identity. To avoid an excessive loss to the city’s historic fabric, Open Atelier Mumbai envisaged the reuse of this heritage building, transforming it into an office space for TOAST Events, an all-inone experiential marketing firm.
Completed within a record time of 25 days, the TOAST is located within the charming Green Gift Bungalow in Bandra, Mumbai. The bungalow reflects colonial-era influences while seamlessly integrating into its lush surroundings with its striking yellow facade and green sloping awnings. The project’s characteristic concept is rooted in a commitment to preserving the integrity of the built heritage. Engaging in an adaptative reuse strategy and non-intrusive interventions helps respect its history while allowing the original architectural elements to shine.
A Space for Fluid Collaboration
The design rejuvenates the heritage space through minimal design intervention, creating an ethereal space that bridges past and present. This threestoreyed, 2,000 sq ft space integrates a dynamic spatial configuration with a free-flowing layout, championing productivity and collaboration among its users.
With a unique design character, the winding staircase welcomes visitors to the first floor, guiding them through various spaces. The first floor opens into a spill-out area that leads the visitor to the workstations, pantry, accounts department and conference rooms. The non-hierarchical nature of the studio is demonstrated through the seamless connectivity through the second floor, where the founder’s workspace is located, along with the concept room and the terrace area. With the terrace area, the second floor creates an informal space that fosters community building and interaction.
Preserving Heritage Through Colourful Accents
The design approach mindfully preserves the existing structure, avoiding intrusive interventions and minimising damage to the original walls. This thoughtful strategy forms the foundation for a distinctive concept: incorporating minimal pop-up pastel colours throughout the edges of the space. These delicate hues accentuate fenestrations, juxtaposing the original door frames and roofing details with a fresh, modern flair of playful colours and geometric patterns. Carefully curated pastel shades endow each space with a unique charm, breathing life into the outlined surface edges.
A characteristic set of pop colours helps highlight various architectural elements within the space. For instance, shades of green, blue, orange, and red are used in the work areas to add a sense of intrigue, vibrancy and detail to the otherwise white-washed walls.
Accentuating cornice details and roofing elements bring to the forefront and celebrate the intricate, historical fragments of the space. Subtle additions, such as ornamental paintings or patterns in transitional corridors, add a sense of character reminiscent of the heritage while following a strictly modern design methodology.
The amalgamation of heritage elements with modern patterns and colours adds depth to the visual experience for both the visitor and the user, breaking the monotony of the prevailing whites on the vertical plane and creating a sense of movement within the space. The original, 100-year-old flooring tiles are carefully retained and refurbished, adding a vibrant contrast to the white walls. This preserved element beautifully harmonises with the minimalist outlines, creating a visually engaging and balanced space.
A Tapestry of Illumination, Suspended in Style
A linear lighting system featuring a combination of luminaires runs seamlessly through all spaces in exposed conduits. This design choice preserves the historic structure’s integrity while introducing a dynamic, contemporary element. The suspended lights not only illuminate work areas but also act as visual connectors, unifying and harmonising the various zones within the office.
Strategically placed, these lights double as statement pieces, accentuating the space’s architectural details and design motifs. As one moves through the office, the subtle sway of the suspended lights creates a captivating interplay of light and shadow, reducing glare while fostering a sense of fluidity and spatial unity.
With just 5 days allocated for design and 20 days for execution, the plan of action had to be exceptionally concise and practically achievable to prevent cumulative delays. The emphasis on efficiency led the team to prioritise using modular and prefabricated furniture, the majority of which was sourced from IKEA.
Minimal and restricted interventions in the design ensured the completion of the project within the strict timeline without compromising the space’s aesthetics. For instance, the walls were painted white with accent colours, consciously avoiding panelling and laminate work to ensure shorter turnaround times.
Overall, the careful undertaking of an adaptive reuse strategy throughout the space bridges the gap between past and present, seamlessly transforming the historic structure into a lively, collaborative workspace. The design approach used is a testament to our team’s commitment to purposeful design, efficient execution, and, most importantly, an emphasis on reusing space as a sustainable way forward.
