Rice Office

Rice Office
© Amol Chakraborty

Rice Office

SALT

ARCHITECTS
SALT

PHOTOGRAPHS
Amol Chakraborty

AREA
10000 Ft²

YEAR
2013

LOCATION
India

CATEGORY
Office Buildings

The design brief for Rice Office was to create an “unoffice” like atmosphere that is tranquil, inspiring and iconic. The two-level office was conceived as a central white floating object holding meeting spaces which would be fed by the peripheral work areas on the ground and mezzanine floors.

Rice Office
© Amol Chakraborty
Rice Office
© Amol Chakraborty

The two areas are separated by a double height corridor that wraps around the object. Above a bridge creates the connection between center and periphery on either side of the box.

The initial requirement was to double the real estate by creating a mezzanine floor throughout. We ultimately convinced the client to be more strategic and apply this only to the work areas while keeping the common areas taller and giving them a unique monumentality.

Rice Office
© Amol Chakraborty
Rice Office
© Amol Chakraborty

The materiality of the spaces emphasize differentiation of four entities. The opaque white jaali of the central object floating on a pebbled bed is intentionally contrasted with the continuous texture of the travertine floors, the lightness of the glass side walls and the infinite black ceiling.

The entrance to the space is formalised by a portal of wood and stone. The front lobby is a large expanse of travertine on which the jaali box floats. The travertine floor also wraps around the object into the corridors areas to create continuity.

Rice Office
© Amol Chakraborty
Rice Office
© Amol Chakraborty

Tall cylindrical lights hang from the invisible ceiling to cast a dimmed effect. The travertine floor spills into the waiting lounge below to the right. Natural light from the windows above create a blue hue and tints the glass differently.

Being a skin application, there are two sides to the central walls - the outer jaali face and the inner wood of the board room.

Rice Office
© Amol Chakraborty
Rice Office
© Amol Chakraborty

The jaali skin peels off to reveal the wood and the double height board room inside through large windows/niches that are uplit for future displays.


Rice Office
Floor Plan
Rice Office
Floor Plan


Rice Office
Diagram