Shipara is a new office building tucked into a tight urban site with overbearing buildings on three sides. The front edge faces a lush park in liberating contrast.
The programmatic functions are organized on alternating split levels. A circulation spiral orchestrates movement within the volume and links the various staff and management zones. Façade and roof apertures are strategically located to force natural light through, and swerve in different directions to capture defined views of foliage and tree-tops.
While much of the building’s expression is derived from an articulated internal experience, its perched form is further emphasized by a recessed, arched base. We imagined a muted material palette for Shipara; and only colored glazing offsets the concrete finishes, in reaction to the parks’ green hues.
Material/construction details : Composite structure - Structural steel with RCC. Structural steel used to optimise spans and member sizes. Facade - Smooth Cement plaster finish on cast in-situ ferro-concrete construction. Laminated glass(13.5mm) on stainless steel frames. Colored glazing used to offset concrete finishes, in response to the parks’ green hues. Other materials used include oxidised cement floors, mica panels for cladding, leather-textured granites, MS for architectural steel, sliding glass partitions.
Special features : 1- Spiralling circulation around central core. 2 - Fenestration design: i - strategically positioned skylights and windows for maximum daylight and ventilation in response ¬¬to dense urban context ii - for maximum views towards park 3 - Open plan, split-level design to optimise: i - floor plate efficiency( approx 900 sft on each level) ii - seperate staff and management zone 4 - Minimalist material palette in response to variegated streetscape.
