Indian office Iksoi Studio has remodelled a former factory in Gujarat into its new headquarters, Mana. The 186-metre-square workspace was designed by sibling architect duo Dhawal and Mansi Mistry, who drew inspiration from “memories, familiar forms and emotional attachments of the past”. The compound, passed down through the Mistry family, was previously used as a unit to manufacture spare parts for power looms before being shut down in 2009.
The studio retained the original site footprint, enclosed by tall walls, and repurposed the existing buildings. The smaller building along the boundary wall now serves as the architecture studio, while the larger central space is used as a warehouse. The design features a raised courtyard, creating an “unexpected effect” of the refurbished buildings sitting partially sunken into the earth. The grey factory walls were lime-plastered and painted in muted pink, adding a touch of warmth to the space.
“The design inspiration is drawn from memories, familiar forms, and emotional attachments of the past,” said Mansi Mistry, partner at Studio Saransh. “We decided to retain the material but give it a very contrasting warm colour. And that is how these blocks became pink, finished with a mix of cement and lime.”
The studio features arches that transform the long and narrow building into a series of work cubicles. The building uses granite stone indoors and sand-cobbled lime stones outdoors. Original mid-century Danish chairs sourced from Alang, Gujarat’s ship-breaking yard, and playful gargoyles add to the site’s mystique. Mana was one of Dhawal Mistry’s last projects completed before his untimely death at the age of 40 last year.
Image Courtesy: Dezeen
