An oasis was built over five months on the outskirts of Bangalore. Constraints are an inherent part of every design project, often presenting significant challenges. The Brigade Oasis marketing office, located in a new developing area with views of the famous Nandi Hills, posed such challenges. The project brief was clear and straightforward: transform a prefabricated, linear structure into an oasis.
The team had a multi-bay vaulted structure with a tensile roof to work with, aiming to create a marketing office where user experience was a primary focus. The design was intended to offer an unconventional experience by seamlessly integrating the built structure with the surrounding unbuilt space, using light and landscape as guiding and accentuating elements.
Typically, transitions from exterior to interior spaces are abrupt, but in this case, the transition was designed to be gradual. This allowed users to become attuned to the light and landscape before experiencing the soft glow of the vaulted tensile roof. Users were able to engage with the space and environment from the moment they exited their vehicles.
This gradual transition was achieved through a chequered bamboo pergola interspersed with landscaping along the structure’s length, covering a lush green area to evoke the feel of an oasis. The design created a scale of reference that made users feel warmly welcomed and comfortable.
Upon entering, the oasis welcomed visitors with seating areas accentuated by the pergola’s dramatic shifting shadow patterns, which created a dynamic and vibrant atmosphere. The green surroundings and the soothing presence of a nearby water body tied together an experience that was nothing short of an oasis.
The prefab tensile roof was utilized to its advantage, exposed to allow for the soft glow of filtered light during the day. The ceiling featured a single central AC duct and minimalistic lighting. The central duct was also designed to house custom-made linear lighting, inspired by Louis Kahn’s drawings of the Kimball Art Museum.
During the day, the tensile structure glowed with sunlight, highlighting its form and color, while at night, the roof emitted a soft glow, with the light sources seamlessly integrated and hidden from view.
Inside, the walls greeted visitors with natural textured tones of beige and brown, emphasizing the temporal quality of the space. Accents of wood and jute in the furniture and custom-made lights broke the linearity of the prefabricated structure, imparting a unique and earthy character.
Overall, the design, both inside and out, presented a clean form that guided visitors through the space effortlessly. It demonstrated a strategic use of natural elements and careful planning. By prioritizing user experience and environmental considerations, the project successfully fulfilled its brief and delivered a serene, inviting oasis.