When one imagines a corporate office space, what comes to mind is usually drab, gray walls, white cubicles, maybe even a couple of glass tables and black chairs – functional and sleek maybe but not creative or beautiful by any means. But Bengaluru’s Zerodha’s co-founder Nikhil Kamath’s new office space housed on Church Street is breaking all these conceptions with a space full of character and warmth.
Traditional Yet Tech
A combined office for Kamath’s NKSquared and Gruhas Proptech, the space is inspired by traditional Indian art forms while also looking chic. “We translated the values that each of these companies stand for – a shared ideology of an India story – into the practical necessities for a venture capital office. It is rooted in tradition, yet a fully tech office,” says Sounak Sen Barat, founder and creative director of House of Three, the Bengaluru-based interior design studio – the brain behind the design.
For Barat, translating this vision into reality was aided by the fact of his long friendship with Kamath who was in his 20s when Barat first met him. He says, “Nikhil has blown out of proportion as an enigma and a global youth icon but he is still as humble and real as the old days.”
The approximately 4,600-square-foot office space features a mix of several Indian art aesthetics. “We created an open space with an industrial base – we changed the grey cement walls to a more earthy rural wall texture with murals and alpana on focal points. We then intertwined colonial, Bengali Dravidian and tropical elements in the mix through furniture, carpets, curios, and plants,” says Barat.
From East to West
A standout feature, according to Barat, is a striking reception area that features one-of-a-kind furniture from different parts of the country. “A wide entrance with an angular wall directs the eyes to the central seating – a mid-century modern sofa paired with two colonial carved chairs from Kolkata and a carved circular Rajasthani centre table, on a cane handmade circular chatai from Assam. The legs of the reception table are actual roots brought in from Darjeeling with a concrete, hand cut top in the shape of Buddha’s foot,” says Barat, explaining that the space is meant to convey a welcoming sense of calm. He says, “The handloom custom cushion covers on the sofa set the mood for the incoming guest – printed murals of Ajanta Elora, of Dravidian temple pillars, of Vasudeva Kutumbakam. The earthy calm tones, the wooden carved temple brackets, sharply designed lighting and tropical plants set a mood of calm, grounding and trust.”
Unique pieces like these are a feature of other rooms in the space too like a table with wrought iron legs and distinctive black colonial chairs placed in the CEO’s room. According to Barat, special attention went into making sure that items are sourced from within the country “There have been unique styles in Asia and India alone that have their own ancient history and evolution. We try to combine old methods with the new, with a keen eye on minimal carbon footprint. Every element in this office is made in India, sourced from across the country, from the finest ateliers, craftsmen and artists, with a curation of antiques, art, and custom upholstery,” he says.