‘The Den’ was conceived as a retrofitted and restored workspace for the client’s workspace by Pooja Bihani, Principal Architect, Spaces and Design. The project draws inspiration from Kolkata’s old-world charm, evident in the site’s features like Burma teak louvered windows and doors.
Project Name: TheDen At Landsdowne
Studio Name: Spaces and Design
Location: Kolkata
Typology: Office
Area: 2,000 sq. ft.
Date of Completion: June 2023
Principal Architect/Designer: Pooja Bihani
Design Team: Pooja Bihani, Anjana Chatterjee, Akriti Jalan and Soumadip Mondal
Photography Credits: Suleiman Merchant @toophotographed
Interior Styling: Samir Wadekar
The intermingling spaces with numerous openings, coupled with a facade echoing the city’s character, create a design that resonates with the quaint lanes and large trees of South Kolkata, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal.
Spanning 2,000 sq.ft., it houses the client and their workforce, creating a sanctuary of peace and harmony. However, balancing old and new in a restoration project comes with its challenges. Retrofitting while preserving the original elements requires a meticulous approach and integrating modern services and amenities without compromising the old structure’s integrity is a delicate task. Further, shortage of matching old wood with new materials add an additional layer of complexity. But Pooja successfully navigated these challenges and managed to maintain the project’s old-world charm while incorporating contemporary elements.
The Den at Lansdowne unfolds with a landing space leading to distinctive areas. The front door guides to the secretarial corridor and a rear toilet. The thoughtful layout, including a director’s space with personal lounge and working chamber, adds a unique touch. The director’s realm has a personal lounge and working chamber, both sharing a verandah overlooking a serene lane. Another door reveals a lounge and verandah designed for elite gatherings and entertaining, featuring state-of-the-art entertainment systems amid East-inspired furnishings. This lounge showcases a blend of modern technology with traditional cane and rope-woven furnishings. The addition of a pop-up gallery with a semicircular arch demonstrates innovative solutions for spatial challenges. The character of Den at Lansdowne is defined by its meticulous fusion of classic aesthetics and contemporary functionality, creating a distinctive and harmonious interior space. It stands out with key features like the integration of old-world charm through Burma teak elements, louvered windows and doors. The mosaic floor and high skirtings add another layer to the floors and walls.
The conscious choice of using, restoring, and retrofitting numerous Burma teak louvered windows reflects Pooja’s commendable commitment to sustainability. Additionally, sourcing materials within a 10 km radius aligns with eco-friendly practices, minimizing the project’s carbon footprint. Her incorporation of smart automation solutions further emphasizes a commitment to optimizing services for energy efficiency. These sustainable efforts contribute to the overall environmentally conscious design of the space and Pooja’s design ethos as well..
Pooja’s style can be seen distinctly in the meticulous blend of classic and contemporary elements throughout the space. Signature features include the extensive use of Burma teak, louvered windows, and doors, and the juxtaposition of state-of-the-art technology with traditional East-inspired cane and rope-woven furniture, all showcase a harmonious fusion of styles.
It was conceived and delivered as a modern work space with its feet firmly rooted in the old-world charm and warmth the city is known for. Though an office space, it is marked with a heart that beats in every element that makes up the ‘Den at Landsdowne’.
