New In Office Design: Look Inside Sony Music, Carlsberg And Hero FinCorp’s Swanky Work Spaces

The steady evolution of workplaces has resulted in office designs dictated by the different work styles of their users and the core messaging of their brands. Consequently, workspace designers are upping their game, creating spaces that incorporate the brand and its persona, much of which often seeps into the design of the office and lends to its character and quirks. These new offices are testimony to the interplay of brand identity and design language, and the need to conceptualise spaces of work that are human-centric, activity-based, and performance-driven.

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#1 Sony Music Office By M Moser Associates: A Creative Destination For All Things Music 

Crafted by M Moser Associates, legacy brand Sony Music’s office is wholly Indian in design but future-forward in its vision, bringing the brand’s core values of diversity, passion, innovation and collaboration to life. Located in India’s entertainment hub, Mumbai, the 17,000 sq-ft space celebrates local and global music cultures in a modern-day music lounge-style environment. “From our client’s bold vision for change, we created a unique club-like experience that resonates and inspires,” says Addy Walcott, Associates Director, M Moser Associates.

To define the unique design language of the workspace, the design team chose colours like red, ochre, and gold, which hold strong significance in Indian culture. This is reinforced with the use of timber, terrazzo and concrete, as well as textured carpets, artworks and brand installations that integrate global influences with Indian traditions.

At the centre of the office is the Library – a hub for interactions and circulation, bordered by workstations, meeting rooms and private cabins for individual and group tasks. At the other end of the spectrum is the Music Lounge, designed for music aficionados to not only feel inspired but also indulge their passion for the art. With a recording studio, a DJ station, a curated vinyl collection and a stage, this intimate and vibrant space is apt for creative workshops, recording sessions, cultural gatherings, and private events.

Conceptualised along the vein of its underlying theme, the dynamic work environment offers opportunities for formal and informal exchanges, all of which appear equally immersive yet bespoke. With the focused goal of encouraging talent recruitment and fostering creativity and innovation among India’s thriving music community, the office wholly embraces the genesis of the brand, combining it with the heritage of Mumbai and the traditions of India. 

#2 Hero FinCorp By Ultraconfidentiel: An Open-Plan Corporate Office For State-Of-The-Art Sophistication

Sleek and sophisticated, the new office of Hero FinCorp and Housing in the capital city has the kind of unfettered spatial play one would expect from a free-thinking, contemporary organisation. It was put together by the team at Ultraconfidentiel by building on an open floor plan with an understated material and colour scheme of glistening marble flooring, rich wood panelling, bronze wall cladding and plush furnishings in grey, beige and brown. The fluid layout, as it swiftly progresses from public to private work zones, encourages collaboration and interactions.

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The office has been designed to put people first, with their productivity and well-being at the forefront. Besides capitalising on every bit of sunlight streaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, this also involved partitioning the 1,00,000 sq-ft floor plate into dedicated zones. In keeping with Hero’s synergistic work style, employees have the option to flit between their cubicles and cabins to the multi-purpose collaboration space and work cafe, phone pods, conference and meeting rooms and the pantry lounge. Kitted out with state-of-the-art technology, custom lighting schemes and advanced climate control systems, all these spaces seamlessly integrate efficiency and comfort within the overall people-centric design aesthetic.

In upholding its agenda of boosting the efficacy of its inhabitants, the design team brought in a mix of modern and traditional elements, from large digital screens and high-end furniture to Vaastu-based strategic workspace placements. This seamless integration emphasises the fluency of the space, creating a refined environment that combines functionality and aesthetics in equal measure. The hindrance-free work zones and easy connectivity from one area to another are core to the design language of the office, emphasising Hero’s business goals. 

#3 Carsleberg By Studio IAAD: A Vibrant Workspace Brewing With An Iconic Design Narrative

A heady mix of colours and graphics enlivens the 17,000 sq–ft office of Carlsberg India, conceptualised by Rachna Agarwal of Studio IAAD. The brand identity is interlaced in the design in the form of rich shades of green and integrated product illustrations, which give the office its unique character while also aligning it with the brand’s global workspaces. 

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The design aimed to reflect Carlsberg’s legacy, and this comes through in the visual details of every space. A private entrance lobby leads visitors to the expansive reception area, where bright green couches and wall art of the brand’s signature beverages set the tone for the rest of the office. On the other side of a semi-transparent partition sits the main work zone – a large column-free work hall with a raw ceiling slab adorned with stencil drawings. Fringing the edges of this area are individual cabins, meeting rooms and boardrooms, as well as an informal cafe and lounge for employees to unwind in a relaxed setting.

Binding the different spaces of the offices are unique art elements such as dramatic Indian art, a brand history wall, and quirky wallpapers that not only complement the statement green but also lend each space its distinct character. Also tethering them together are subtle glass partitions, and the iconic vivid beverage bottles that are seen on spare shelves, in line prints on doors, and as a life-size revolving model at the entrance. 

For a brand with a 180-year history, narrating its story within four walls may appear to be a challenging exercise. But with a nuanced approach to the design, and the simple addition of colours, motifs, and art, Studio IAAD visually communicates Carlsberg’s work style and ethic, while staying true to its legacy through and through.

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These unique spaces demonstrate that successful office design is about more than just aesthetics. Visual additions aside, the spaces spell out the experience and culture of the brand, conveying what it stands for. It’s this approach that enables each space to hold its own and leave a lasting impression.