ADA (Analytics. Data. Advertising) Bangladesh is an Axiata Digital company that designs and executes integrated digital, analytics, and marketing solutions. For a generative work sphere, and to better support the creative minds of the ADA employees, the design of the office by Nouveau Ink. Studioworks Ltd. creates a lively and cheery atmosphere by organizing fun and game zones, besides varied brain-storming and strong functional areas.
Designed on an open-plan layout, the office occupies approximately 5000 square-feet. The major challenge of the project has been dealing with the constraints of the compact space. Therefore, the arrangement of functions needed to be made thoughtfully to utilize every inch of space. In the first step, the office is divided into three basic functional zones which are resembled as square blocks.
The first grid is assigned to common areas and conference rooms. The second greater chunk of the grid is assigned for employees’ workstation and the third grid confines informal, interactive and socializing hubs.
“It has been a few years since a fixed, assigned work cubicle is no longer part of our working scheme. We designed a flexible workspace, plenty of nooks as well as a range of unconventional workspaces that allow everyone to pick up and work in the many open spaces distributed around the office”, says Qutbuddin Kapadia, head architect and managing director of Nouveau Ink. Studioworks Ltd. “The decision to propose an open office allowed the circulation between the departments to gather as one wholesome working zone, giving an important sense of unity”.
The interior puts aside all the unnecessary decorations to represent the most authentic characteristics of the materials. A neutral colour palette is adopted consisting of the grey exposed concrete in the walls, with one or two white masonry walls, and black metal detailing in the ceiling and glass facades. Amid this palette, the project highlights five prime colours of the brand – orange, blue, yellow, somewhat lemon-green and bright magenta. One of the crucial tasks for the design team has been to implement these five colours without being overpowering or too intense to the eyes. To achieve best the subtlety, the design team intelligently diffused the colours in minute details – such as painting few ducts in yellow and green, few columns in magenta, some sofas in blue, some lounge chairs in yellow, and some stools in orange, and again in green and yellow. The ultimate interior with the pop of colours injects a different punch of energy and more spirit to the creative minds.
Other programs of the office feature glass-enclosed conference rooms of various sizes for meetings in a wider and smaller group as well as a more informal work area and break-out areas. The best feature of the office for the employees is the game zone housing billiard board. Individuals can get from their desks and feel free to play a round of billiard during intervals. Needless to say, both the working rules and workstead design goes hand in hand – flexible and fun-equipped.
Architect Profile
Qutbuddin Kapadia is a Bangladeshi Architect and the Managing Director of Nouveau Ink. Studiowork Ltd, an architectural firm based in Dhaka. He aspires to change the prospect of architectural development in this country. Some of his notable works include sculpture at Shahabag Square, designing the factory of Denim Medona Group, Cotton Solution Office, CEO residence of Cute Cosmetics, CEO residence of Lucid Developer and many more. He believes design is a process and one needs to have the patience and commitment to go through it. This is the key, no shortcuts.
