At a time when offices often blur into a familiar rhythm of sleek surfaces and generic layouts, AE Living’s design for the 20,000 sq ft. Cornitos’ headquarters in Faridabad offers a distinct and soulful departure. In this workspace, every element has been carefully curated to showcase the brand’s identity. It brings together sculptural minimalism, curated cultural cues, and an emphasis on emotional resonance over corporate sterility to set a new benchmark for brand-led workspaces in India.
Project Name: Cornitos
Studio Name: AE Living
Location: Faridabad
Project Name: Cornitos
Square Footage: 20,000 sq ft
Photography Credit: Chirag Patnaik
Stylist: Pratyaksha Kalway
Cornitos, being bold, rooted in Indian culture, and unapologetically expressive, the design of its headquarters had to echo that spirit without leaning on clichés. The office stands out for its ‘lived-in elegance’—a workspace that feels as warm and tactile as a home while powerfully expressing the brand’s bold, modern Indian identity.
The design draws from subtle cultural cues, textured materials, and a mood-driven layout that invites both focus and flow. Sculptural elements like the reception desk, carved to resemble a monolithic stone slab, signal the strength and stability of the brand, while details like fluted glass, brushed brass, soft leather, and curated curios lend the space an air of lived-in elegance. The palette, layered in tones of beige, warm taupe, soft grey, and deep brown, provides a calming foundation, punctuated with charcoal and brass accents that add depth and structure. Natural materials like wooden floors, ribbed surfaces, and tactile upholstery bring a sensory richness that makes the office feel not just designed, but inhabited. This is a place that embraces warmth over austerity, and culture over convention. One of the most compelling aspects of the design lies in its articulation of generational leadership. AE Living crafted three distinct executive cabins, each representing a different era in the brand’s journey. The Chairman’s cabin evokes a sense of timeless grace, with its rich leather furnishings, veneered cabinetry, and ambient lighting framing a hand-carved artwork. By doing so, they’ve curated an environment that commands respect without raising its voice.
The second-generation cabin plays with contrast, blending clean lines with old-world finishes to showcase a leadership style that balances continuity with evolution. In contrast, the third-generation cabin is filled with light, minimal, and expressive–tailored for a collaborative, forward-thinking mindset. Together, these spaces form a nuanced narrative of legacy, progression, and shared values, all under one roof. Throughout the office, lighting is used not just functionally but also emotionally. Natural daylight floods in through large windows, while layered artificial lighting shifts across zones. Every corner is designed to feel intentional yet effortless, with moments of pause built into the visual rhythm of the space.
Rather than isolating zones of work and leisure, the layout encourages movement and interplay. Collaborative areas are open, expressive, and high on material impact, while private cabins and quiet corners adopt a more restrained, calming aesthetic. Soft finishes, biophilic accents, and acoustic elements help manage sensory load, creating an atmosphere that feels inviting, not imposing. Even meeting zones stay away from the expected stiffness, opting instead for plush seating, sculpted forms, and personal touches that signal care. Playfulness is introduced not through loud colours or gimmicks, but through curation–art books, offbeat objects, and handcrafted décor that reflect the creative DNA of the brand. There’s a deliberate effort to make the space feel emotionally resonant, almost residential in its warmth.
This is perhaps AE Living’s boldest design choice: moving away from the detachment of conventional offices in favour of something far more human. A space that encourages focus without force, collaboration without chaos, and a sense of belonging without branding it loudly. The result is an office that doesn’t just reflect the Cornitos brand, it embodies it. Not in surface-level gestures or logo placements, but in the very texture of the environment, the quiet drama of its details, and the ease with which it allows people to feel both grounded and galvanised. It’s a space designed equally for work, as it is for presence and identity.
