Law-fice, Royapettah By AWOL Design Studio

Challenges often form the cornerstone of good design. With a tight timeline, the requirement for a bright, bold idea to convert an apartment into a law office, and an almost inflexible budget in hand, this project certainly presented a challenge and AWOL Design Studio rose to it. 

Breaking away from the heavy, drab décor that is typically associated with law offices, ‘Law-fice @ Royapettah’ is bright, colourful and yet, quite simple – much like the young lawyer, her team and her clients for whom this space was built. The concept that drove this design was based on the idea of using playful design elements and accent pieces to create an environment that feels open and vibrant, but still polished and conducive to serious work. The creation of such a space has not only elevated the working experience of the team but also ensured that their clients feel a sense of ease; something that is critical in their line of work.

Initially dubbed as an office space for the ‘youth’, this Law-fice that was designed and executed in only two months, has quickly turned into a fan favourite even among members from the older generations.

Well thought-out nooks and design elements such as interesting partition walls have been peppered across the plan. These have enabled multiple areas to become dynamic, multi-functional spaces. The library with step-seating is one such example. Placed at the heart of the plan, this room acts as a resource centre, an informal meeting area as well as lounge for the team. The frosted glass partition wall with a curious cut-out at the bottom gives the library some much needed privacy while also ensuring that the team has a visual connection to the adjacent, open-to-public spaces.

Minimalistic furniture with cleans lines juxtapose the quirky accent walls that provide each room with a different personality. These different personalities have been created keeping the function and users of the room in mind while also making sure that each of them contributes positively to the overall ambience of the project.

While speaking of rooms with quirky personalities, one cannot fail to address the conference room, its DIY hanging lights and the colour-block wall. The fact that the client and her friends assisted the design and construction team in assembling the hanging light in this room as well as some of the moving furniture in other rooms, not only created an additional sense of ownership but also empowered the client to understand how each of these elements can be altered and/or rearranged to suit her requirements and tastes in the future. The colour-block wall which was a big hit with the clients also solidified the designers’ belief that not every formal space needs to be serious!

AWOL Design Studio’s (unanimous) personal favourite element, however, is the big, bright red horn in the balcony! A blatantly odd element for a law office, but also absolutely perfect for it. This strategically placed feature cuts through some of the tension on the inside and also makes sure that it grabs eyes on the outside! Good for a laugh, but also good for business. And that, is an undeniable combination!

AWOL Design Studio
Instagram : @awol.designstudio
Design Team
Karran Kumar : @thetipsyarchitect
Inesh Sah : @baka.inesh
Photography
Yash Jain : @_yashrjain
Text
Namitha Kuttiparambil : @nams_kuttiparambil