Amit Khanna is featured on Global Linker

The full interview transcript and video is available here and will soon be added to the blog.

And we're back!!

After a long hiatus, we are back in action on the blog. 

We have spent a lot of time building our new website, populating it with new and upcoming projects. We have said good bye to some familiar faces and welcomed new ones into the office. 

To give you a teaser of the things to come, here are just a few of the new projects on the boards.

Check back on us soon.
Team AKDA

Infres Methodex Office

InfresMethodex is an organization specializing in niche office automation products like shredders and currency counting machines. They needed to comfortably accommodate their current team in a new location while providing sufficient scope for future expansion. The only brief from our clients was to create an office space that would foster the values of the organization – quality and efficiency.The site was in a generic office building located on the main highway to Agra, just beyond the city limits of Delhi. A peculiar characteristic of the space was the presence of a large atrium that virtually divided the space into three distinct zones.

The challenge was to create a unified office atmosphere while dividing the space programmatically into the three zones. The first part of the office was laid out for the reception area and the marketing team since they would have the most interactions with visitors. The accounts and technical section were positioned on the other side of the atrium while the main management area acted as the bridge between the two and enjoyed the best views out towards the highway. Services were consolidated and pushed to the lightless areas of the building footprint, where they could be easily ventilated into the building air conditioning system.

As a planning strategy, it was decided that enclosed cabins would face the atrium and the open plan workstations would face the curtain wall at the periphery, thereby allowing a better overall distribution of light in the space. The movement corridor divides the two spaces, allowing for a sense of privacy while still providing opportunities for mentoring. Even the walls between the cabins stop short of the glass doors of the corridor, enabling wider views from within and better transparency while walking. A sophisticated energy saving air conditioning system that allows for efficient zone-wise cooling was adopted to ensure to differentiate between occupied and unoccupied areas. Adopted from the hospitality industry is an idea to combine and divide meeting rooms by silent top hung acoustical panels. These can be stored away when a larger training session is required and pulled out for smaller discussions.

A light oak colour is used to offset the crisp white surfaces in the open plan areas and a darker, more mature oak is used in the cabins of the senior management and the board room. The reception area features a continuous ribbon of panelling that envelops the entire space while illuminated by an architectural fabric ceiling. A raised seating area is enclosed by a series of wooden beams that provide a fleeting glimpse of the interior from the entrance, carrying forward the overall theme of transparency and lightness.

Location

Faridabad,

Haryana

Client   

InfresMethodex

Typology

Commercial

Climate

Composite

Built-Up Area                

12000 Sq.Ft.

Completion

2014

Villa Ravine

The picturesque village of Baldeyan is near the erstwhile British summer capital of Shimla. Famous for its subtropical highland climate, the area is a popular tourist destination, providing respite from the fierce summer heatwithin a reasonable drive from the plains. The project was conceived as a second home for a small family based in Delhi that chose the site for its magnificent views and a seasonal stream that runs through a ravine near the property. Sited above the road, the brief was to have valley views from all the principal living spaces. This became the parti of the plan, two parallel linear volumes perpendicular to the view.

Approached from a lower parking level, the entrance is from the main deck on the south east corner of the house. The living areas are centrally positioned, ensuring large uninterrupted views andthe corner are given to the bedrooms, which get expansive views on two sides. The services, including the bathrooms, kitchen and the staircase are part of the thin block at the rear. A large open deckon the upper floor is created by pulling in the fenestration line below the pitched roof. The staircase is placed within a double height space, adding to the expansive feeling of the house.

Grey slate and military green roofs were chosen as a reference to the pre-colonial British architecture of the region. Gables toward the valley enhance the views from within, and the resulting complex interior geometry of the roof is panelled in a local deciduous wood. The result is a warm, yet modern home that allows for engagement with nature.

Location

Village Baldeyan,

Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Client  

Undisclosed

Typology

Residential

Climate

Cold & Cloudy

Built-Up Area              

3000 Sq.Ft.

Completion

2014

USI Store

Uni Style Image (USI)- a fashion brand aimed at the young professional had planned multiple store renovations and several new stores across the country. The design intent was to rethink their in-store concept; Their production facilities were also scattered and wanted to combine design, production and warehousing under one roof.

The strategy was to create 6 strong “designed objects” within the store- these would be flexible enough to be moulded to individual configurations, yet retain their character and help brand recognition. We also suggested incorporating the brands philanthropic initiatives with the in-store design, to foster brand loyalty. The 6 objects were:

The T-Shirt Wall – USI had a strong T shirt market and we emphasized that by designing a wall panel that would comprise of several T-shirt fronts stitched together

The Big USI Logo – An oversized logo carved out of wood, meant to be placed at a focal point

The Store Window – The typical mannequin arrangement was eschewed in favour of strong brand imagery

The Changing Room –The handles were designed as mini-USI logos and the spaces were made comfortable enough for two, eliminating the age old problem of peeking for approval.

The Big Wall – A panel highlighting the brand’s philanthropic initiatives

The Sheesham Furniture – Cash Desk, Gondolas, Accessory Stand, Mirrors and Benches; were all designed and manufactured in Sheesham, a hardwood native to Northern India.

Several stores were executed with this approach, and the high level of component standardization meant that raw space could be converted into a bespoke design with 4 weeks.

                                                

For their production facility, a complete audit of existing processes was undertaken and documented. The factory floor was then designed to optimise workflow and minimize inter-floor movement using the existing machinery and warehousing strategies. The design and administration offices were designed as open plan work spaces, occupying an area toward the front of the facility.

These projects were executed while collaborating with Mad Cow Design, a design initiative by Ms.Sarika Grover &Ms.RashmiSethi.

Completed –            2008 through 2010

Area –                     2000 sq.ft.through 6000 sq.ft.

Location -               Delhi, Patiala, Aizwal, Ludhiana, Noida

Playhouse Competition

BIG FAT MAGNET

 Magnetism is a source of wonder for all of us, the action at a distance remains one of the most evocative science experiments for children. The playhouse is a way to engage young kids and invite them the learn more about this fascinating phenomena. Consisting of a curved interior path inside the iconic shape, the magnet can be made from a basic wooden frame and covered with flexible ply. The trademark grey and bright red colors help define the shape. If the budget allows for it, magnets can be incorporated into the frame to allow children to experience the phenomena.

THE MAZE

The Maze is an architectural trick, a composition of passageways that lead to nothing and the elusive path to freedom. In the playhouse, an additional twist is added by way of vertical movement, with steps that lead nowhere and one set of steps that lead to a viewing spot, allowing children to experience the world from an adult’s perspective. Besides the photo opportunity, it also allows us to subtract volumes from what is essentially a modernist white cube. The interiors are painted in disorienting colors to add to the experience of being lost in a maze.

NUT & BOLT

The Nut & Bolt assembly is one of the great icons of the industrial age. Consisting of two simple interlocking components, they are a fundamentally recognizable shape. The playhouse is a means to educate children about how the simple act of rotation translates into a vertical movement. A locking mechanism is incorporated to prevent it from moving above the reach of children. Constructed on a basic wooden internal frame with ply covering, it will painted in bright contrasting colors.