Foundation of Economic Development
New Delhi
Overview
Foundation of Economic Development and a group of independent non-government organisation (NGO) were all sister in concerns of Central Square Foundation (CSF) which itself is a NGO for school level education policy consulting. These NGOs work on the economic development side consulting and framing of business plans. As cluster of several mini organizations, each one with its own separate operational structure with a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and team, the work space needed to reflect this independence of firms, while still sharing some departments with other firms and CSF.
Concept
The concept was developed and executed in collaboration with RAT Lab (www.rat-lab.org). Our approach was like incubation center design that caters to a diversity of organizations in the same space. Workspace design needed to allow teams to sit in clusters, forming a non-formal division, and yet flexibly rearrange as per the growth and restructuring. It also needed to facilitate collaboration with flexibility, without fixing on to form and structure of any one organization.
Base case taken for four organization, the work space had four CEO based structure spaces, common places like the hall, eating area and meeting rooms that were shared. Most of the workspace arrangements called for variations in alignments to reflect task-based structure for better facilitation.
The concept also accommodated matrix driven collaboration, isolation of the CEOs, intuitive placed common spaces, specially enabled meeting rooms where the CEOs can hold quick session anytime. A board room was conceptualized to facilitate the monthly / weekly hurdles to be attended.
Design
Design revolved around play with open hall spaces and creating wedged angles that would give uniqueness to the space. Developed through iterations for accommodating site constraints, the final layout derived arranged hall in the longer direction. CEO cabins and the desk arrangements placed to create a linear relationship that allowed possibility of segregation within the space without having a physical barrier, ensuring flexibility in terms of collaboration.
The CEO cabins were grouped into pair of two, with meeting rooms in the middle. So, the entire two sides of the office were lined up by these rooms which were all made soundproof to allow the calls and meetings to happen without any outside interventions. The central area which has only desks were aligned in front of the respective CEO rooms so that teams can connect with the CEO directly whenever it is required.
The branding and the colors were kept very neutral to adjust with the hues of the different organizations. But what lacked in terms of a consistent brand was made up by the design through angles and representing those on the floor and the ceilings. The wedges kind of a design created a variation between the depictions that translated from the carpets all the way to the ceiling which was in turn fitted with series of acoustical tiles with linear likes. The wedge did not conform to the native orthogonal geometry of the space and this created the new shift within the office. So when one looks at it feels open, non-conformed and flexible giving it the startup look that one aspires.
Key features
Design as a bridge between incubation center and organisation centered.
Open and non conforming design to dilute the monotonous orthogonal factor.
Wedge kind design to portray a non conventional beholding.
Sorted arrangements and maintaining secrecy that is required for the functions.
Faster and quicker interactions within each mini organisation with appropriate positioning of work-spaces, CEO rooms and meeting rooms forming a triangular relationship for all four organisation.
Makes Impossible outcomes possible.