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    • Design

    Inside Venus Communiti—An inimitable, multiuse workspace designed by Shraddha Kamath of Tangram

    JUL 8, 2021 | By Kashish Kaushal
    Combing different colours and materials with a strong focus on details, the double height lounge on the ground floor features custom made furniture by Kamal Furniture, centre table by a local contractor Bharath and fabrics by D’Decor; Photographs by Nayan Soni
    Decorative concrete texture finish and a simple yet attractive light fixture by Ashoka Lights, Chennai, graces the reception area. Custom made couch by Kamal Furniture and planters by Palasa bring in a sense of ease and tranquillity; Photographs by Nayan Soni
    Click and lock tiles in oakwood and red shades by Welspun Flooring tiles, along with amber teak shade paint by Asian Paints in the ceiling create an interesting composition on the mezzanine floor; Photographs by Nayan Soni
    The coworking area is effortlessly sophisticated with ergonomic chairs by LayerMax, Saint Gobain glass doors and birch ply flush door with custom metal handles; Photographs by Nayan Soni
    Puff panel roof ceiling, granite top tables and chairs from Layermax stand out in this terrace setting on the seventh floor. The wall finish encompasses Chapel grey shade from Asian Paints and Kajaria tile wall cladding with wooden moulding trim detail; Photographs by Nayan Soni
    Decorative concrete texture finish wallpaper with track lights from Prism Lights can be seen in the cafe style seating on the ground floor. Black and white tiles from Maruti Ceramics create an eclectic interior; Photographs by Nayan Soni
    Bar stools by Kamal Furniture complements the kitchen at the back which is designed with a grid of small squares and rectangles arranged in an order; Photographs by Nayan Soni

    Spanning across seven floors, Venus Communiti is an offbeat take on the concept of co-working spaces. Shradhha Kamath, principal architect of Tangram, along with co-founder Prachi Mathur is responsible for the metamorphosis of this extensive 8,000 sq ft space located in Kalyan Nagar, Bengaluru. The idea was to create a fluid space that is not just a regular working space but can also host events, workshops, art displays et al!

    Altering the essence of a typical workspace in India, this project doesn’t stick to one particular theme, rather it thrives on feelings. Owing to its design, people using this space are bound to feel more creative, engage in new friendships and foster collaborations. 

    The client picked the name ‘Venus’ for the building and that served as a starting point for deciding the look of the space. Brick red, orange, greys inspired from the planet Venus along with a few accent shades forms the primary colour palette. Sharing anecdotes about her design philosophy, Shraddha divulges, “As an architect, I gravitate more towards organised geometry and straight lines, which is an integral part of all my projects.”

    Wooden flooring and concrete tiles by Kajaria are used in the lounge on the ground floor. A planter by Palasa adds a hint of green to the double height space; Photographs by Nayan Soni

    Configuration of activities in the building include the reception and lounge area on the ground floor whereas the conference and meeting rooms are on the first floor. The second and third floor encompass the co-living space while the fourth and fifth floors are dedicated to the co-working area. The final floor comprises the terrace which hosts a cafeteria, used for socialising.

    A custom made blue couch by Kamal Furniture along with the centre table by the designer’s contractor Bharath overlooks an unhindered view of the staircase and seating area. Fixed glazed Saint Gobain glass windows bring in ample natural light into the space with the custom made hanging lights. Concrete texture finish and matt black
    paint from Asian Paints impart a striking backdrop to the lounge; Photographs by Nayan Soni

    The entrance packs a punch with its floor to ceiling glass windows that offers a glimpse of the open space inside. A subtle light pattern in the backdrop of the black matt PU finish reception table oozes warmth. Statuario marble plays off the colour theme and adds character to the reception area. 

    Concrete tile, a black and white pattern tile and wooden tiles visually demarcate the spaces in accordance with their disparate functions; Photographs by Nayan Soni

    What’s remarkable about the ground floor is that various material and colour selections complement the reception, lounge area, pantry and café cohesively. For instance, a light-coloured concrete tile at the entrance, a black and white pattern tile for the café and wooden flooring in the lounge area create visual interest. A banquet style seating with custom made chairs and tables comprises the cafe seating area. Textured and withered, a wallpaper with traditional wooden mouldings, designed by the team graces the area, rendering it a modern yet rustic look. 

    Custom designed matt black PU finish and birch ply cabinets underneath the staircase are meticulously aligned to achieve a cohesive look; Photographs by Nayan Soni

    To be used for events, a 9 ft by 5 ft island with a waterfall marble edge detail, and a fridge and storage inside forms a huge piece of furniture in the space. The backsplash in the kitchen is designed with a grid of small squares and rectangles arranged in an order with plain white quartz and grooves. Moving over to the double height space, a staircase leads to the mezzanine. The space underneath the staircase has also been utilised by adding built-ins and open shelves that makes for an interesting display.

    Phone booths for quick calls on the mezzanine floor exhibit tiles and a carpet within by Welspun Flooring; Photographs by Nayan Soni

    Another spectacular view from the mezzanine is provided by the customised dense hanging lights made from painted MDF. Concentric circles etched on the MDF enhance the effect of light and add a sculptural quality. “I loved designing the double height space and the pantry the most because of which the scale and the proportions have come out perfectly in line with my vision”, reveals Kamath.

    Amber teak shade from Asian Paints on the ceiling brings out a beautiful contrast with the wallpaper; Photographs by Nayan Soni

    The mezzanine floor comprises two phone booths with louvered shutter details in a soft pink tone. Geometric pattern flooring complements the terracotta colour in the ceiling. The biggest conference room amongst the four meeting rooms constitutes a jungle wallpaper on one of the walls.

    Venus Communiti is a colourful fun office which breaks away from the co-working stereotypes. The stepped seating is tailor made with birch ply and finished with natural polish; Photographs by Nayan Soni

    Different shades of paint create an interest in the co-living area on the upper floor. Due to the possibility of wear and tear, this space has been kept minimal in design. Borrowing the colour palette from the ground floor, the workspace area is a highly functional space punctuated with fun accent lighting. The terrace on the seventh floor is ideal for unwinding and enjoying the Bengaluru weather. 

    Meeting rooms on the mezzanine floor have birch ply flush doors with custom metal handles while the glass is procured from Saint Gobain; Photographs by Nayan Soni

    Throughout this co-working space, most of the furniture and lighting installations are tailor made by local contractors. Additionally, air conditioning has been planned in a way that only spaces which are in use will be ventilated, thus saving tons of energy. With provisions for rainwater harvesting and solar panels, Venus Communiti redefines the way co-working spaces are perceived.

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