Activating Public Spaces Through Design
We create urban installations and functional furniture that transform static plazas into vibrant centers for community interaction.
A detail of the Red Ribbon Plaza. The bright red, powder-coated steel is folded to create a continuous surface that functions as both a bench and a table, providing a playful and highly functional piece of urban furniture for a tech campus in Bangalore.
The end of the "Red Ribbon" shows how the continuous steel plate elegantly folds down to meet the ground. This detail highlights the simplicity and sculptural quality of the design, which turns a functional object into a piece of art.
The Red Ribbon Plaza in use. The design encourages various forms of social interaction, from individual work to group conversations. It activates the outdoor space of the campus, fostering a sense of community and well-being among employees.
The undulating form of the Red Ribbon creates informal zones for dining and socializing. It's a perfect example of how we design "people spaces" that are not just functional but also add a playful, artistic element to the landscape.
This wider view of the Red Ribbon Plaza shows how the installation meanders through the space, connecting different areas and providing ample seating. It transforms a simple plaza into a vibrant hub for social interaction.
"Yello" is a 35-foot art installation we designed for a tech building in Hyderabad. We believe art should be integrated into the narrative of the built environment, and this piece was conceived as a central part of the landscape, not an afterthought.
The "Yello" installation acts as a gateway and a landmark. Its bold color and folded geometric form create a striking contrast with the glass facade of the office building, giving the entrance a unique and memorable identity.
Set against the city skyline, the "Yello" sculpture's simple, powerful form makes a statement. It provides a focal point for the public plaza and serves as a meeting point and a source of identity for the building and its users.
The "Yello" is an homage to the human condition, with its folded facets representing the different journeys and experiences that shape an individual. This view, with a person standing within its frame, highlights the sculpture's human scale and interactive nature.
An aerial rendering of our concept for sculptural seating in a tech campus. The red ribbon element is designed to maximize seating while creating a playful, artistic form that winds through the trees, facilitating dining, working, and interaction.
About Activating Public Spaces
Our process moves beyond the superficial to design spaces that invite actual use. For the Red Ribbon Plaza in Bangalore, we did not simply place seating in a courtyard. We fabricated a continuous, folded steel plate that acts as a table, a bench, and a social anchor, allowing different departments to gather, eat, and collaborate. By replacing standard, underutilized outdoor furniture with a singular, sculptural object, we transformed a vacant plaza into a high-traffic hub.
Architecture often treats outdoor areas as leftovers, filling them with disconnected benches and generic paving. We approach the public realm as an extension of the building's narrative. Public spaces in India's tech campuses are too often sterile; our goal is to design 'people spaces' that offer a tangible break from indoor monotony.
The Integration of Art and Function
We believe art should be an integrated component of the landscape, not an afterthought. For our 35-foot 'Yello' installation in Hyderabad, the sculpture serves as both a landmark and a meeting point. The design evolved from studying the human condition—its folded, geometric facets represent the different paths and experiences of the individuals within the building.
Our Process: From Prototype to Reality
Design is not just about the final render; it is about rigorous testing. Before fabrication, we build scaled models—like the ones we tested for 'Yello'—to study geometry, structural integrity, and how light interacts with surfaces throughout the day.
Why This Matters
- Democracy of Space: We design plazas that function for everyone, not just for aesthetics.
- Material Integrity: We use high-durability materials like powder-coated steel and heavy-duty granite that withstand both weather and heavy daily foot traffic.
- Human-Centric Planning: Every plaza we design starts with a pedestrian flow analysis to ensure the space feels natural to navigate.
When we design for a campus or a public precinct, we are not interested in visual clutter. We look for the simplest, most honest solution that encourages people to step outside, collaborate, and connect. If a plaza remains empty, the architecture has failed.
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