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    • Design

    Crème de la calm – Serenity meets wellness at this experiential centre crafted by The Architecture Company

    APR 19, 2024 | By Aanya Jain
    The treatment room doesn’t feel cold and uncomfortable. With walls filled with accessories, the space seems welcoming and calming. A wall light by Length Breadth Height brings in a contrasting rust tone; Styled by Salonee Thakre Krei Studios; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio
    Idyllic, the treatment room is awash in walls by Kemtex Paints. The seamless ceiling was done by Orange Ceilings. Flooring from Bharat Floorings adds a sense of texture and tangibility to the room; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio
    The workspaces are functional yet maintain the overall theme of restrained luxury; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio

    In Pune’s lively neighbourhood of Koregaon Park, this zen wellness centre serves as a meditative retreat dubbed Crème. The Architecture Company (TAC) crafts a haven where a surprising lack of vivid tones emerges to make the centre a soulful experience rather than just a clinic. 

    The brief decoded the desire for clean lines and concealed details to pair with light music and bespoke fragrance, charting a well-rounded, soothing experience. A calculated area of 600 sq ft, Manasvi Bachhav along with Rohit Walimbe, Kulsum Tambawala and Sachita Thakur stitch the space with curious details and an assembly of furniture, art and decor dotted throughout. 

    The Architecture Company
    In the lounge, a DeMuro Das sofa is paired with an Ek Design coffee table. A Harshita Jhamtani lamp and Ravi Vazirani cocktail table complete the frame. Decor sourced from Claymen and Princess Pea dresses the shelves. The wall finishes are by Kemtex Paints; Styled by Salonee Thakre Krei Studios; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio

    The shape of wellness

    What was once a space with three different offices within, the layout nodded for a restructuring of the walls and corners. “The design of the space plays on a central theme of restrained luxury and femininity which is elevated through soft curving walls, details of custom stainless steel shelves and sculpted furniture. Additionally, the use of earthy fabrics, cement floors and tonal wooden highlights deliver nuanced luxury,” explains Manasvi. 

    The Architecture Company
    The baffled ceiling infuses warmth into the spaces. Continuity in design is seen through the textures of the walls and the floors by Bharat Floorings. The ceiling lights are from Hybec; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio

    Throughout Crème, the emphasis on minimal luxury is evident, with every detail curated to evoke a sense of balance. With the entry foyer defined by curves and a rested character, one is enveloped in a sense of comfort from the get-go. It further leads to the lounge, pantry and office areas through an access-controlled pocket sliding door.

    The Architecture Company
    A Pottery Barn bench is coupled with Altrove stools to form this nook. Lights sourced from Clay Mango effortlessly complete the space; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio

    The treatment room, too, is reimagined as a cocooning sanctum. With organic shapes, soft furnishings and abundant natural light, one almost feels like staying and never leaving. The use of the lime wash texture on the walls, doors and even furniture, paves the way for the spaces to be visually smooth and showcase a consistency like its name; Crème. 

    The Architecture Company
    This transitory space offers continuity in the spatial experience with the lime-washed wall by Kemtex Paints and an earthy floor from Bharat Flooring; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio

    The white cement flooring transforms from one area to another adding a wabi-sabi charm to the otherwise clean surface. When the team at TAC were told by the clients that they did not “want a typical office space. It should blend with the theme of minimal luxury and flow seamlessly into the rest of the wellness centre,” they were challenged. 

    The Architecture Company
    The earthy elements subtly infuse feelings of warm texture, and the entire design palette permeates a sense of calm in all spaces; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio

    Crème indeed wraps in itself a sense of lingering calm, the cure for the concrete jungle outside. The meditative space slows down time and mind alike, encouraging one to take a step back, enjoy the soothing treatments and rejuvenate. 

    The Architecture Company
    The entry foyer has a 2-person waiting area and a sculptural custom oakwood reception table situated snuggly along a curving wall finished by Kemtex Paints; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio

    Crème de la zen

    For the designers to break away from the boxy-clinic feel, it was crucial to develop a sense of softness through materials and textures. Thus, they took on the concept of restrained luxury, creating a revitalising junction for the soul where time slows down and echoes of peace take over.  

    The Architecture Company
    Darker tones make a mark in the bathroom with an Italian green marble. The tones of the marble are picked by the Nestasia mirror and custom marble light from The Design Company; Photography by Nilkanth Bharucha Noaidwin Sttudio

    The spaces feel as though cream was poured from the ceiling down to the floors, allowing for seamless transitions. Crème embodies a philosophy of tranquillity and refinement. From its inception, the aim was clear — to create a space that transcends mere functionality, embracing a holistic experience of serenity and rejuvenation.

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