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    • Design

    Can polka dots be professional? Sonia Gehlot brings a burst of creativity to this lawyers’ chambers in Mumbai

    JUL 20, 2024 | By Namrata Dewanjee
    The bright green shelf in the library with red and white stripes amplifies the eclectic personality of the space; Styling by Sonia Gehlot of Architecture & Beyond; Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal
    Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal
    The aquatint sceneries on the wall of the main cabin are by English landscape painter Thomas Daniell. Sourced from the neighbouring Jehangir Art Gallery, the tranquil illustrations lend an artistic flair that resonates with the heritage art district outside; Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal

    No, I cannot picture Harvey Specter in polka dots. Although, after taking a look at this lawyer’s chambers in colonial Mumbai, designed and styled by Architecture & Beyond, I cannot get the image out of my head. “Anything but typical,” was the brief given to principal architect Sonia Gehlot.

    Call her approach cheeky or call it subversive, she brings a visual language into the 1,000 sq ft workspace that you would not associate with the sombre cabins of law offices. She turns to Yayoi Kusama for inspiration. “YK’s art and its nonconformist energy are what I wanted to tap into for the conference room.”

    An ode to Yayoi Kusama’s non-conformist art, the conference room takes the polka dots a step further with an installation of floating balloons; Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal

     

    The bright green shelf in the library with red and white stripes amplifies the eclectic personality of the space; Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal

     

    The aquatint sceneries on the wall of the main cabin are by English landscape painter Thomas Daniell. Sourced from the neighbouring Jehangir Art Gallery, the tranquil illustrations lend an artistic flair that resonates with the heritage art district outside; Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal

    Glance outside and you might be left in disbelief. The dome of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya is framed by black and white polka dots that seemingly descend from all around. The practice of law is infamously intense.

    “I think the balance was to know where to stop designing,” confides Sonia. She continues, “I had to be very careful of watching the line of not overdoing the polka as it can become very overwhelming for people to work with daily.”

    Framed by playful polka dots, the dome of the sombre Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya stands out in vivid contrast; Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal

     

    Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal

     

    Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal

    Breaking away from the norm, Sonia incorporates unexpected elements, bold patterns and audacious colours, turning the experience of an office into an immersive feerie. Situated in the art district of Mumbai, the location of Kalaghoda also played a muse in the design process.

    In the main cabin, Thomas Daniell’s Indian watercolour landscapes sourced from the neighbouring Jehangir Art Gallery stand out in their serene simplicity. “I wanted something which would resonate well with the local artistic and historical ambience,” she states. The brilliant green and candy cane library, on the other hand, looks straight out of an illustrated children’s book. Although rooted in creative expression, the space maximises natural light and even offers verdant views of the mango trees outside! “That is what keeps the interest going when one walks through from one space to the other, eyes keep wandering to explore more,” concludes Sonia.

    Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal

     

    Photographs courtesy Khush Khandelwal

    Now Read: This luxurious yet introspective workplace designed by PR Design Group in Bengaluru looks inward into nature