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Located on KG Marg, one of the primary roads leading into Connaught Place, New Delhi, M&A Office transforms a 650 sq.ft. chartered accountancy practice that had remained largely unchanged for almost two decades. The project coincided with an important transition within the firm, as a practice built over fifty years gradually moved into the hands of the next generation. Rather than treating the renovation as a cosmetic upgrade, the project became an opportunity to rethink what a contemporary professional workplace could be.

Like many offices that evolve over time, the existing space had grown incrementally. Storage had been added wherever possible, partitions responded to immediate needs, and every available corner had eventually been occupied. While the office continued to function, it no longer reflected the aspirations of the practice or the quality of its surroundings. Situated within one of Connaught Place’s older commercial buildings and overlooking Antriksh Bhavan, the office benefits from generous natural light and a strong urban context that became central to the design process.

The brief called for two private cabins, an open workspace, two washrooms, a pantry, a waiting lounge and extensive storage within a compact footprint. Rather than beginning with the cabins, the planning started with the waiting area. A simple circular gesture established the centre of the office and became the organising principle for the entire layout. From this nucleus, circulation, adjoining spaces and sightlines evolved naturally, replacing rigid corridors with a more fluid sequence of spaces. The result is a workplace that feels considerably larger than its actual area while accommodating significantly more people than the previous layout.

Natural light informed many of the project’s material decisions. Instead of introducing finishes that competed with daylight, the palette was intentionally restrained. Handmade beige clay tiles were applied only to the curved surfaces that people naturally touch while moving through the office, allowing the material to age gracefully through everyday use. Terracotta appears more selectively across the flooring, ceiling and washrooms, introducing warmth while subtly acknowledging the character of Connaught Place without relying on heritage motifs. Antique-finished metal details within the furniture and shelving add depth to the otherwise muted palette of clay, wood and concrete.

Lighting became one of the defining architectural elements of the project. The central ceiling feature underwent multiple iterations before its final form emerged, shifting from a sculptural object to a solution driven by function. A stretched fabric oculus anchors the waiting area, while a branching linear lighting element extends into the workspace, following the geometry established by the plan and distributing light where it is needed most. Integrated task lighting within the custom workstations completes a layered lighting strategy that combines ambient, functional and architectural illumination.

Every piece of furniture was custom designed for the project, with storage integrated into the architecture rather than treated as a separate layer. Existing archive files were individually measured before cabinetry was detailed, ensuring that decades of accumulated documentation could be accommodated without disrupting the firm’s established workflow. Suspended storage above the workstations increases capacity while maintaining visual openness and accessibility from both sides.

Working within an ageing commercial building required careful coordination of air-conditioning, electrical and plumbing services, allowing contemporary infrastructure to be integrated without compromising spatial clarity. The completed office demonstrates how thoughtful planning, context-responsive materiality and carefully considered lighting can transform a compact workplace into an environment that is efficient, adaptable and representative of a practice looking towards its future while remaining grounded in its history.

Design: Rootsense
Contractor: QS Interiors Pvt. Ltd.
Photography: TakenIn Studios