Architecture expressing synergy and a global spirit : Architect Rahul Kadam
Architect Rahul Ajeet Kadam graduated from the BKPS college of Architecture, Pune University, India and has a Master’s degree from South Bank University, London, U.K, in Health care Planning and Design. He was a student member at Architectural Association, London, UK. His quest for excellence has helped him to be part of award winning projects of repute in a career spanning a little over 2 decades.
He travelled extensively before beginning work with leading architects like Ar. Bimal Patel, Ar. Hasmukh Patel, Kamal Malik and Ar. Karan Grover. He has been a Director & Regional Head at Edifice ConsultantsPvt .Ltd for over 15 years, handling diverse portfolios like Hospitals, Hotels Special Economic Zones, IT campuses, Schools, neighborhood design, workspace environments etc. in a cutting-edge corporate environment.
Since the last two and a half years he has his own design firm The NGK Studio in Partnership with his Wife Architect Nandini RG Kadam. The ‘NGK Studio’, focus on a sensitive design approach and is working with prominent clients like Bajaj Auto LTD, Elpro International LTD, Mahle, INC, BHTC, JLL, etc.
Rahul Kadam is a strong follower of the need for Sensitive Design and Sustainability to pervade in all sectors of architecture and design, whatever the scale. He has taught and mentored in several architectural schools in India. Besides this he has lso presented papers on subjects related to Design and Planning in India and Overseas.
Here is a feature on the H.R. Facility for Bajaj Auto Limited (B.A.L.) which is one of India’s largest and oldest automobile. NGK was commissioned to design this project in April 2016 and the project was successfully handed over and occupied on 4th April 2017.
The project was envisioned by late Mr. Amrut Rath (The then President H.R. of B.A.L.) a true visionary and company loyalist who passed away tragically in a road accident soon after the project commenced. He wanted to create an H.R. facility which would be like a Centre of Excellence for imbibing Global thought process and motivating recruits. This project is also a tribute to the spirit and vision of late Mr. Amrut Rath.
The Client’s Functional brief was the Main Reception, Interview Rooms, Orientation Rooms and a nice informal Café on the Ground Floor, while the First Floor was to house Training Rooms and Library and the Second Floor for H.R. Offices.
The H.R. Functions of B.A.L. were operational in an existing staid building that was built in the 1970’s. NGK was commissioned to adaptively reuse the same building in line with the client’s brief and vision.
Rahul Kadam, reminisces, “From the beginning we wanted to recreate a transformation that is a catalyst of change in the future growth trajectory of B.A.L. and this has been done by deploying simple sustainable design principles of using the central court as the green lung of the project. We have used water in the courtyard as a medium to cool hot air using the south west wind axis. The Water Court acts as a landscape mirror to create a tranquil setting.”
The journey of transforming the existing building to a contemporary office with a unique identity has been painstakingly choreographed. The building had to undergo major structural modifications which included breaking of existing slabs to create a double height atrium and an entry experience, erection of a canopy that rests on apin-joint to shade the entrance and providing a glass bridge on the second floor of the atrium to create visual lightness.
In doing so every effort was made to connect the outside and inside by spatial effects of lights, color, landscape, material, textures, etc.
The Interior spaces have been designed to evoke a transparent and calm working environment that encourages collaboration and an international spirit. In order to evoke this environment pastel colors have been used, in order to represent the corporate palette of B.A.L. while ensuring that every work station gets natural light and the view outside.
Their effort has been to synergize architecture, Landscape and Interior space with careful attention to detail. The designers believe that this has created a sacred space that echoes the following:
“When architecture tries to express Synergy, flow, delicate details, global spirit, softness and sensitivity towards global peace, we get a building that is of today’s time”.
CREDITS
Client Project Team: Mr. Pradeep Bijlani, Mr. Lalit Pandey & Sushil Mohite
Client End-user Team : Late Mr. AmrutRath & Mr. Maharana Ray.
Architect: The NGK Studio: Rahul A. Kadam, Mrunmayee Velukar, Abholi Pradhan.
Consultants: Vastech Consultants LLP (Structural) ,AbhijitBidarkar (Electrical ) & MEP Consultants ( Plumbing) , HVAC ( Duracool Air-conditioning-Turn key), Divya Enterprises ( Facade -Turnkey).
Principal Contractor: Ace Buildcon and Infrastructure.
Photographic documentation: Atul Kanetkar
Architectural Commentary: Priya Gokhale
Edited by : Sibani Sarma, Founder CEO, Gallopper
