cRC Office, Serie Architects

This is the second time that I have come across some really interesting work by Serie Architects.  The first time, I saw something that I really liked from Serie Architects was on a DesignBoom blog post about their “tree” structure in their Tote project.  I was really impressed in the intricacy of the structure.  Structural design is usually brutal and the tree canopy really created a beautiful and interesting space.  Check out the link to that project on their site, but here are a couple pictures.

So the second project that I saw from this architectural firm based in London and Mumbai was a project they call the RC Office.  The first image that I saw didn’t catch my attention at first.  The outside of the building is simple (as a wall system and aesthetically) and beautiful and almost minimal.  The exterior envelope of the building has a series of screens that vary metal mesh density to control daylight.  These screens are outside the glass floor to ceiling walls.

The interior space of this project is what really caught my eye.  It is really graphic, beautiful and spatially interesting.  There are angled walls that create a series of internal spaces over a central courtyard-like space in the center of the block.  While the exterior of the project is glass and metal mesh screens, the interior courtyard is angular, more dynamic, planar and much more graphic than the exterior facade.  They are obviously sensitive to the environment because the exterior of the building will not strongly draw too much attention away from it’s neighbors, but the interior courtyard/atrium has the star architect touch.

Here is their description of the project on their website.

RC Office Complex, Mumbai.

The ongoing transformation of Kurla in north Mumbai is characterized by the relentless proliferation of new office blocks, where the typical 5-6 storey blocks adopts the exclusive corporate lobbies as a strategy to import the image of the CBD into this former small industrial area.

Our project seeks to resist this tendency to create clear separation between the public and the existing city and the projected and exclusive corporate entity. To articulate this strategy our proposal begins with the rethinking of the Lobby and Atrium of typical office blocks.

The RC Office can be seen as a single office block, sliced open into 2 smaller blocks but brought back together by a public void. The main atrium and lobby space as the new public void is conceived as a series of rotating volumes articulated by ruled surfaces. At each different rotation, the atrium and lobbies takes on a different programmatic role.

Starting from the ground, the typically exclusive corporate lobby is transformed into a public promenade, connecting LBS Road on the west side of the site to the existing lake on the north.

As the atrium rotates upwards, it dispenses other public program along its ruled surface – cafes, gym, roof decks and lounges.

The rotational atrium also acts as a light catcher, drawing light along its rotation, illuminating the ruled surface and reflecting light into the heart of the building.

Total Area: 10,000 sqm
Client: RC Group India
Date: Commission. Ongoing

Design: Chris Lee / Kapil Gupta

One thing that interests me about this firm is the organization of their project on their website.  They break their projects down into “types”.  I’m curious to know what it is that makes each one of their buildings fit into their graphic “types”.  Here is their description of their process, approach and their practice.

Practice:

Serie Architects is an international practice based in London, Mumbai and Beijing. Serie works in the diverse field of architecture, urbanism and design.

The practice is fascinated by the evolution and mutation of building types in today’s cities and the projection of these forms of intelligence into spatial solutions. Working typologically, or in our terms, thinking and exploring in series – harnessing the cumulative intelligence of building types – is key to the work of Serie.

The practice consistently pushes the boundaries of architectural and masterplanning projects worldwide and provides full architecture and masterplanning services for private and public sectors.

he work of our practice is closely linked to the research conducted in the renowned Architectural Association School of Architecture, London where the practice’s principle, Christopher Lee holds the position of Diploma Unit Master since 2002. He is also a visiting critic to various universities including the Berlage Institute, University College London and Cambridge University.

Kapil Gupta, principal of Serie India, is also director at the Urban Design Research Institute in Mumbai, which is leading several research projects on the City.

Another thing I like about this firm is the way that they describe their projects.  Their writings are simple, to the point, clear and unpretentious.  It also helps that their work, from what I have seen, is varied, versatile, customized and un-stylized.  By this, I mean that it doesn’t look like they are pushing for an aesthetic that will work everywhere.  They adapt to the site that they are working with and it is an important skill as architects.  I know that after time passes, some of their work will start to resemble each other, but that is the story with any architectural firm that gains notoriety.  I will keep an eye out for more of their projects.

Ronin

Categories: S P A C E S

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