Architecture for Public and Work Environments
We approach public and commercial projects as urban interventions. Our work prioritizes human scale, site-specific logic, and structural honesty to create environments that facilitate interaction and community.
The exterior of an industrial project under construction, featuring polycarbonate and metal wall panels. The design focuses on creating a clean, efficient, and light-filled factory environment.
The interior of the industrial building reveals the steel truss structure and translucent wall panels. This system allows diffused natural light to illuminate the workspace, reducing the need for artificial lighting.
The "Hoverspace" office extension is supported by massive concrete columns, allowing the new volume to float above the ground. A red car provides a pop of color and a sense of scale.
Inside the "Figured Ground" sports arena, a lone athlete stretches on the court. The vast, column-free space is made possible by the complex steel truss roof structure, which spans the entire arena.
A group of athletes rests on the tiered seating inside the sports arena. The vibrant green and orange seats add a splash of color to the otherwise neutral interior palette of concrete and steel.
The seating tiers of the sports arena, with the expansive roof structure visible above. Clerestory windows bring in natural light without causing glare on the playing courts.
A basketball game in progress at the "Figured Ground" arena. The facility is designed to host a variety of sports and community events, making it a vital hub for the university.
The empty seating banks of the arena highlight the scale and rhythm of the space. The design is both monumental and functional, capable of accommodating large crowds.
The vastness of the main hall in the "Figured Ground" arena is emphasized by the single figure on the court. The architecture is designed to inspire a sense of possibility and achievement.
The motion of the basketball players contrasts with the static, powerful geometry of the arena's structure. The space is a dynamic backdrop for athletic activity.
About Public & Work Environments
When designing for public or work environments, we avoid the trap of generic, monolithic structures. Instead, we focus on the space between the buildings and the user's experience within them, such as how our 'Figured Ground' sports arena in Hubballi uses sectional shifts to descend into the earth, minimizing its visual impact while maximizing interior volume. This approach ensures the architecture serves the people using it, rather than just occupying the site.
Our approach to public and work architecture is rooted in the belief that every building must contribute to the urban fabric. We do not design isolated objects. We design connections.
The Urban Interface
In commercial and institutional projects, we analyze how a building engages with the street and its surroundings. For instance, our 'Hoverspace' office extension uses large concrete columns to lift the main volume, creating shaded public space at the ground level. This strategy turns a private office block into a contributor to the public realm. We apply this same logic to factory and campus design, using landscape berms and sunken volumes to manage scale and integrate large facilities into their context.
Structural Honesty
We find beauty in the mechanics of construction. Whether it is the steel trusses of an arena or the polycarbonate panels of an industrial unit, we allow these elements to define the interior character. Our goal is to create spaces that perform efficiently without relying on unnecessary ornamentation. In our university work, for example, we utilize clerestory windows and passive cooling strategies to ensure the interior remains comfortable and naturally lit throughout the day, reducing reliance on artificial systems.
A Collaborative Process
Public projects are complex, involving multiple stakeholders and functional requirements. We treat this as an opportunity for design innovation. By using physical models, 3D printing, and sectional diagrams, we test how different programs—whether sports, education, or commerce—can coexist in a single footprint. We invite our clients into this process, ensuring that the final design is not just a building, but a functional framework that supports their organizational identity.
Thirdspace
We are Praveen and Namrata. Since 2002, we have been working from our studios in Pune and Belagavi to find a balance between the structures we build and the people who inhabit them. We believe architecture is not just about the building, but how it touches the ground and fits into the neighborhood.
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