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  • Completed Projects
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Mindpsace Architects
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mindspacearchitects

Architecture and design studio based in Bengaluru.

FAME India, Bengaluru : Detailing (Post 3 of 4) FAME India, Bengaluru : Detailing (Post 3 of 4) 

Detailing was one of the important aspects of this project —  railings, materials and had very specific detailing to cater to various physical and sensory needs. 

(Swipe to see the details) 

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Project Credits 

Architecture Team: Sanjay Mohe , @swetha.appalabhatla @mira_poonacha @arul.m099 

Engineer : Udaykumar

Structural Consultants: CRK Rays

Photographs: @abhimanyukv1 , @venkateshrm Mindspace

Visibility: Teachers and adults needed to be able to supervise the entire campus easily and it was critical to have no dark corners and hidden corners.

Safety: Physical safety was of utmost importance, and grills were designed to be 1.8m high at the courtyards. Later for the corridors, an extra level of invisible grill was added as an additional protection.

Railings: There were multiple horizontal supports and bands and railings at different levels (600mm, 750mm and 900mm), to cater to children of different ages and heights, and for wheelchair users too. 

An added challenge was to prevent horizontal supports from indirectly encouraging children (such as those with ADHD) to climb on them, so a final later of protection was added through an invisible grill.

Material: Wood was a prominent material throughout to add to the feeling of connection with nature and to add a touch of warmth .

Wooden louvers were used to provide ventilation, while also allowing for privacy or reducing distractions from outside movement.
FAME India, Bengaluru (Post 2/4) : Layout and plan FAME India, Bengaluru (Post 2/4) : Layout and planning 

There were three main parts to the campus: a school, a day activity centre for all ages, and a respite care centre for sensitive individuals who need more attention. There is also a home management centre, meant for young children from 6 months to 5 years. 
(Swipe to see the drawings and read project description) 

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Project name:  Fame India Campus

Architecture Team: Sanjay Mohe @swetha.appalabhatla @mira_poonacha @arul.m099 

Engineer Udaykumar

Structural Consultants – CRKRays

In a school like this, every step had to be designed with extra care starting from the bus drop-off that had to cater to different mobility needs and be wheelchair-friendly, allow for a systematic and safe system, and have a calm and friendly environment that does not create any negative triggers.

The school has  layers of security zones, restricting access based on the visitor’s purpose: 
- Visitor access is restricted to the shop which is located outside the main school premises but is connected to the school.
- Parents access is only up to designated areas on the ground floor, such as Admissions, Finance, Counselling, and the Parents’ Briefing Area.
- Access beyond these zones is reserved exclusively for the children and authorised school staff.

The specialised requirements like therapy rooms for physiotherapy and occupational therapy , assembly spaces, a gym, and sensory rooms are spread across three floors, and all of them cater to specialised mobility needs. 

Classrooms were planned based on the activities. Toilets were of especial importance, with a need for close proximity to classrooms to keep the movement quick and hassle free.

The design used colours as a tool to map different activities — for example, classrooms were designed with a green theme while therapy rooms used blue shades. Too many contrasting colours were not used, but complementing colours were used to create a palette where the users could associate each activity and space with a colour.
FAME India, Bengaluru : Introduction (Post 1/4) (S FAME India, Bengaluru : Introduction (Post 1/4)
(Swipe to see full description) 

FAME is an organisation that works towards improving the quality of life of persons with neurodevelopmental disabilities by providing long term, holistic interventions. 

This project in  Bengaluru in a 1 acre site is a meticulously designed campus, with the aim to provide not just a safe and functional space for people with special needs, but also create a serene and green haven that can contribute to overall well being. It is well known humans feel most at peace when connected with nature, and this is even more important for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities. 
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Project Credits 

Architecture Team: Sanjay Mohe, @swetha.appalabhatla @mira_poonacha @arul.m099 

Engineer : Udaykumar

Structural Consultants : CRKRays 

Photographs: @abhimanyukv1 , @venkateshrm 

#bangalorearchitects #mindspace #sanjaymore #contemporarydesign #schooldesign

A principal challenge in this project was to take care of all the specialised safety requirements of the school, while maintaining this sense of openness and greenery. The design introduced greenery at every level – courtyards on the ground floor with Aakash mallike trees planted on western side with their fragrance adding a sensory touch; the first floor classrooms opening into a green space , and the second floor housing a skylit courtyard and sensory garden, which gives a feeling of elevated ground level.

Over time, greenery has completely taken over the facade and internal open spaces, giving a character to the campus.

Ramp as a magical box

A ramp runs right through the school connecting all the levels, which was visualised as a fun space, almost like a magic box. In this space, the floor, ceiling and the wall are all in the same colour, a subtle terracotta shade. It was meant to feel like an object taken and dipped into paint, transforming a functional ramp into a fun and whimsical space.

Roof expression

The roof design draws inspiration from the mobility devices used in physical therapy, and the flight of a bird : symbolising support while embracing the idea of freedom. This is also reflected in the organisation’s logo.

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Brigade Freedom Fighters Memorial (3/3) Symbolis Brigade Freedom Fighters Memorial (3/3) 

Symbolism and Materiality 

The project aimed to be symbolic in many ways. 
The mosaic of Gandhi’s image was designed to spread to the risers of the steps. The picture intentionally becomes ambiguous as you get closer to the image. The user becomes part of the building as they engage with it. 

The displays at the memorial represent the past, while the landscape and the light entering from the gaps in the faceted structures represent the present. The gaps were created to maintain the inside as a meditative space but also one where one is also aware of the outside world. Finally, the school opposite represents the future. 

It was decided to select a material that represents struggle, and has a certain hardness that echoes the struggles of the freedom fighters. Thus, random rubble stone masonry was selected, with its raw and unpolished finish. The use of stone walls adds a sense of permanence and reverence. 

This was interspersed with faceted structures with smooth Jaisalmer stone inlays for displays. The idea of using both random rubble and smooth Jaisalmer stone with its vivid ochre colour was also meant to represent the idea of cutting through the rawness and jewels being born out of it. 

The memorial, while providing a meditative space that commemorates the past, was also meant to be a vibrant and active public space where people can connect. The basement has a cafe, which generates some revenue to maintain the place. 

The space has become an actively used public space. The visitors engaging with the space gives it the new layer of energy that makes it truly serve its purpose.

Design team: Ar Sanjay Mohe, Ar Shylaja (@shylaja_b ), Ar Sivaraman (@sivaraman355 ) 

#bangalorearchitects #architectureindia #modernarchitecturedesign #chikmagaluru
Brigade Freedom Fighters Memorial: 2/3 Design Evo Brigade Freedom Fighters Memorial: 2/3 
Design Evolution 

The design evolved through a series of iterations that experimented with the function, the nature of the spaces, the materials used, and the focal point of the memorial. Various iterations were explored, from a fully open site with a grid of oak trees and a channel of water, to dramatic faceted structures and water as a major design element that would reflect into a basement hall. 

Eventually, the design journey evolved into the final form that was practically feasible and responds to the local context, while still creates a striking and meditative space for visitors. 

The design uses a series of cascading steps that lead to the centrally placed iconic image of Gandhi with his chakra, made with tile mosaic. The mosaic also carries down to the risers of the step, lending a sense of abstraction to the image. Besides the main axis with the image of Gandhi, there are also multiple focal points on the side, with faceted exhibition slabs on the sides play tribute to India’s important freedom fighters.

Design team: Ar Sanjay Mohe, Ar Shylaja (@shylaja_b ), Ar Sivaraman (@sivaraman355 ) 

#bangalorearchitects #architectureindia #modernarchitecturedesign
Brigade Freedom Fighters Memorial (1/3) This is a Brigade Freedom Fighters Memorial (1/3)

This is a philanthropic project located in Chikkamagaluru, conceived and constructed by the Brigade group. It was the client’s wish to build a memorial to Gandhi, who he deeply admired, on his property. The memorial was also meant to be a reminder of Gandhi’s visit to Chikmagaluru in 1927 as part of his nationwide tour. Later, the scope of the project was expanded to make it a Freedom Fighters’ Memorial, paying tribute to important freedom fighters. 

The site is located near a wide city intersection, next to a local school where the client studied. 

In response to this, the memorial took the shape of a largely open structure, with cascading steps leading to a striking image of Gandhiji with Charkha made as a tile mosaic. The images of the other freedom fighters and information about their lives are displayed in faceted structures, along the two edges of the site. 

The large mural of Mahatma Gandhi in a meditative pose is powerful and central. It anchors the space emotionally and visually. 

Design team: Ar Sanjay Mohe, Ar Shylaja (@shylaja_b ), Ar Sivaraman (@sivaraman355 ) 

#bangalorearchitects #architectureindia #modernarchitecturedesign
Research Lab in Bangalore: Materials and Landscape Research Lab in Bangalore: Materials and Landscape (Continued from previous post)

Materials 

The materials for the new phrase were selected to have their own aesthetic while blending with the existing development. Exposed concrete, with its neutral palette, was selected as one of the new materials. Aluminium fins were introduced to shield the cabins from direct sunlight, while also serving as a distinctive architectural feature.
The building was segmented materially such that the bottom portion feels heavier, the middle feels lighter with a layer of glass shielded by fins, while the topmost is lightest with jali walls covering the semi-open service area on the terrace.

Landscape

Landscape was a primary consideration for this project, taking care to ensure that all the existing trees were retained. The building footprint was designed to accommodate existing landscape. The two phases of the campus, twenty years apart, have successfully come together to create an aesthetic space that merges a service-intensive environment like a lab with a natural and pleasing work atmosphere. 

A bio-pond was designed as a central feature, around which shaded walking paths allow for quick breaks in the middle of the work day. Several of the meeting rooms and individual cabins look into this central bio-pond and greenery. With the bio-pool, the open lobby spaces and the abundance of trees, the entire campus has a pleasant micro-climate. The client was particularly invested in creating a lush, natural landscape, and a landscape was created with a dense mix of local, tropical species. Grass pavers and VDF flooring was used in the external areas.

Services

The project was highly service-oriented with extensive HVAC and exhaust requirements.There is an animal testing centre that is used for vaccine development, a discovery lab and a chemistry lab among other facilities. The service floor was thus created on the terrace to accommodate all the necessary infrastructure that is visibly shielded from the outside
through concrete jalis.

Design team: Sanjay Mohe, Pradeep Sidenur (@pradeepsidenur), Manjunath, Krishna (@krishnadhinesh ) 

Photos: @venkateshrm 

#bangalorearchitects
Research Lab at Bengaluru: Design and Planning T Research Lab at Bengaluru: Design and Planning 

This first phase building was one of Mindspace’s first independent projects that was completed in 2005. A second phase came almost two decades later, and the design merged seamlessly with the earlier development.

The first project comprised a large main entrance plaza, a central spine and a series of lab spaces with the lower level was largely left open. Over the years, the campus evolved into a green haven with several old trees. For the new proposal that began in 2022, preserving this greenery was a condition that both the clients and we as architects wanted to fulfil.

The design and footprint of the old project allowed for the new buildings to be designed to retain the existing trees while introducing more landscape elements. 

The two ends of the site have a level difference of around 4 m, amounting to nearly one storey. This site contour was maintained, with the building following the slope. Some portions of the new phase were built on former interior roads, and the central spine from the original project was retained to ensure smooth and comfortable circulation throughout the campus. A connection between the two phases was made at the second floor with the director’s cabin, to allow access to both buildings.

(Continued in next post)

Design Team: Sanjay Mohe, Pradeep Sidenur (@pradeepsidenur), Manjunath, Krishna (@krishnadhinesh) 

Photos: Mindspace 

#bangalorearchitects #contemoraryarchitecture #campusdesign #mindspacearchitects
Walk through the project : Casagrand Boulevard De Walk through the project : Casagrand Boulevard

Design Team: Principal Architect Medappa P N(@nareshmedappa), Ar. Ankur Srivastava(@ankursrivastava_cb)
Ar. Febin Frederick(@febinfrederick), Ar. Shiv Nayak(@shiv.nayak0)

Photos: @shamanthpatilphotography 

#bangalorearchitects #residentialproject #conmunitydesign #contemporaryarchitects apartmentdesign
Casagrand Boulevard: Design of Landscape and Ameni Casagrand Boulevard: Design of Landscape and Amenities (3/3)

The built form is organised around a series of outdoor courts that serve as green lungs and community spaces. These courts were planned at a comfortable,human scale to enable better neighbourhood interaction, and care was taken in the placement of inward-facing units to ensure privacy. 

The circulation paths within these open spaces follow a deliberately shifted axis, creating a sense of spatial dynamism and discovery as one moves through the site. The recreational amenities like the swimming pools, amphitheatre and gym, rather than being restricted to one ‘clubhouse block’, are integrated along these pedestrian paths. Each outdoor court has a different set of amenities, creating diverse experiences across the site. 

At its core, the masterplan aims to foster vibrant community life, access to greenery and an elevated quality of life for its residents.

Design Team: Principal Architect Medappa P N(@nareshmedappa), Ar. Ankur Srivastava(@ankursrivastava_cb)
Ar. Febin Frederick(@febinfrederick), Ar. Shiv Nayak(@shiv.nayak0)

#bangalorearchitects #residentialproject #conmunitydesign #contemporaryarchitects #apartmentdesign
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