Microsoft Offices – Noida
RSP DESIGN CONSULTANTS completed the Microsoft offices as a nurturing space for new and returning employees post-COVID in Noida, India.
For some Microsoft engineers in India, coming back to office after the pandemic restrictions are eased will be an experience like no other. They will be in a new workspace that brings together the company’s guiding principle of tech-driven infrastructure merged seamlessly with the local cultural influence . In that, it sets a distinct tone for not just there turning employees, but also those who will begin their journeys here. Spread across the top three floors of a six-story building in Noida, a satellite town of India’s capital New Delhi, this is the newest Microsoft India Development Center (IDC).
What sets the space apart from regular corporate work spaces is the historical context it draws from. Bathed in ivory white and punctuated with jaali work (a Mughal architectural style of perforated stone or latticed screen),arches, and domed ceilings, the IDC Noida campus’ architectural reference points, inspired by one of the world’s biggest architectural wonders, the Taj Mahal, are hard to miss. This is true that incorporating Mughal art and architecture impressions into a modern corporate office setup was quite challenging. Microsoft was extremely keen that the grandeur of the Taj Mahal and richness of the materials be brought into its Noida office. We took this as a challenge and in the brainstorming sessions of our creative team, we decided to take it a step further and bring into the office design not only the textures, elements like arched entrances, peitra dura, flooring patterns and intricate jaalis, but also its unique setting on the banks of the river Yamuna.
Needless to mention that Tech is“ubiquitous” and an underlying aspect of Work and Life today. We believe and as demonstrated through this office that “Tech” aspects can be seamlessly blended. So, on one hand, the space is a visual ode to a by gone era, yet it’s also a modern-day workplace. The Microsoft design language is a combination of general directions on what we want our offices to look like. It’s a combination of local culture, and being locally relevant, as well as incorporating hidden arte facts and items. The architects interpreted the Mughal architecture’s symmetrical and decorative aspects into a functional unit. They drew heavily from the Taj Mahal’s aesthetic materials including white marbles from Jaipur, along within lay work with semi-precious stones. More than just being a bespoke experience, the project also gives back to the local community in a great way, by hiring local artisans from Rajasthan to do inlays and hand painted elements, thus spurring the local economy and providing a platform for these artists.
It’s not a vanity office, it is clearly stating that “WE CARE”.
Design: RSP DESIGN CONSULTANTS
Photography: Suryan//Dang
