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ABK Imports’ Office in Pune is conceived as a response to the company’s rapid scale-up during the pandemic. From a cramped shed housing 40 employees, ABK has grown into a 140-person team, becoming one of India’s leading distributors and manufacturers of pet care products. This 11,000 sq ft project is designed to reflect the brand’s identity and work culture, while at the same time acknowledging its four-legged visitors. The brand logo, a bright red colour, has been used to accent and highlight elements throughout the space, as a nod to the company’s work with pets.

In keeping with the brand’s identity, the arrival space is kept clean and composed, making it a pet-friendly space. A custom-built reception desk in quartz, paired with a sofa and centre table and armchairs, sets a neutral tone. A linear light fixture adds quiet structure to the ceiling, while planters bring in a soft, biophilic accent. The layout is modest, visitors aren’t expected to linger long, and the spatial planning reflects that. Immediately behind the reception lies a cloakroom and locker zone, a practical intervention designed to preserve hygiene. Staff store their bags, lunchboxes, or outerwear here before entering the main space, preventing clutter, odour, and the risks posed by pests in a pet-friendly office. At the heart of the plan is ‘The Savannah’, a centrally placed breakout zone that brings balance to the open workstation layout. The name, coined during the early design phase, pays homage to ABK’s identity and adds character to the space by being a breakout zone with a multifunctional purpose in the middle of this busy office. The space, not just for humans, can also serve as a play-and-rest area for their furry friends by removing restrictive furniture and inviting people and animals into this open space alike.

The space features custom-built mesh ceiling panels with fauna, suspended for visual depth. Seating options range from loungers and built-in benches to high tables and stools, arranged to support everything from casual chats to informal team huddles. Dual display screens face each workstation cluster, used for announcements, celebrations, or internal broadcasts. Pops of red in capsule lights and storage niches offer visual cohesion without overpowering the muted palette. The primary work areas are divided into two clusters: Workstation 1 with 50 desks, and Workstation 2 with 54 desks. Each desk was custom-made, detailed with red panels that echo the brand’s palette. Overhead, acoustic panel lighting provides glare-free illumination while enhancing sound absorption in the open space. At the end of each cluster is an executive pod, a semi-enclosed space for team leads. Enclosed with fabricated glass partitions, they offer a degree of privacy while maintaining visibility and approachability. Furniture in these zones includes chairs, with storage and seating tailored to each executive’s workflow. Floating pods serve consultants and part-time professionals, arranged in groups of four. Though compact, they’re acoustically sound, fitted with felt lights and desks custom-built on site.

Along the façade, two consultant cabins take advantage of natural light. One is used by a director, while the other functions as a flexible meeting room. All cabins are consistent in tone, with layered lighting, soft storage, and clean sightlines throughout. The director’s cabins are individually tailored. One includes a refurbished sit-stand desk, paired with a custom veneer-top credenza for administrative storage. Another feature is a lounge setting with a sofa and coffee table, suited for client meetings or informal catch-ups. A particularly considered addition is the reading corner, a quiet, plant-facing nook with armchairs and side tables. Meant for divisive thinking, this space is used regularly by one of the directors and doubles as a mini library for the team. The office houses meeting rooms of varying sizes, from 4 to 10 seaters. All tables were custom-built and paired with chairs, depending on the room. Acoustic performance was prioritised through felt ceiling panels and soft pendant lights. Every meeting room features a glass wall or back-painted glass panel to support note-taking and ideation.

The main conference room is the most expressive. A baffle ceiling, custom dog-art portraits, and layered lighting make the space functional yet playful. The dog illustrations each show a different personality, the diversity of people and moods the room hosts. The training room, accessible directly from reception, is designed for weekend sessions, workshops, or external visitors. It includes integrated storage, designated niches for laptops and projectors, and clean profile lighting detailed with red accents. The wall art, consisting of stylised dogs, uses them as a metaphor for growth and adaptability. Next to it, the open pantry and breakout zone includes standing counters and stools, subway-tiled walls, and long counters used during Friday snack times or informal catch-ups. The layout encourages relaxed interaction while keeping utility in mind.

ABK’s focus on digital storytelling led to the creation of a podcast room, marked with “On Air” signage and equipped with a simple accent sofa and sound-conscious finishes. The HR cabin, placed near a dedicated private meeting room, allows for discreet conversations while remaining integrated into the floor plan. A product photography studio is currently being converted into a showroom, soon to house the company’s top-shelf offerings for partners and clients. Throughout the office, details like custom planter boxes, wall lights, and artwork unify the environment by maintaining an even colour palette. Each zone follows a visual language of warm neutrals with strategic accents, a palette that feels fresh but grounded.

This office wasn’t designed to impress from afar. It was built to work, day after day, for a fast-growing team with clear values. From pet-friendly planning to staff-first thinking, the space adapts to varied rhythms without ever feeling rigid. There are spaces to focus, places to pause, and zones to connect. “The biggest feedback we received was that people feel more settled. More proud of where they work,” says Siddhina Sakla. “That’s what this project was always about.” ABK’s new headquarters offers a new blueprint for workspaces that are not about spectacle, but about balance, between growth and comfort, movement and stillness, structure and spontaneity.

Design: The Arch Studio
Photography: Studio Colourblind