Redefining Office Space: Wife HQ Spatial Design Wins India’s Best Design Project Award 2023

Wife is a creative agency specialising in all things related to strategy, content, design, and films. It is in a polygamous relationship with its brands as their better halves. When building an office for one’s own agency, one must not only disrupt norms but also make art functional; art that people can touch, feel, live, consume. After all that’s what they do, day in and day out.

Navigating Abundant Space

For many, abundant space is a significant advantage, and it was for the Wife HQ project too—but this new space presented a unique challenge. The vastness of the area meant endless possibilities, but it also required higher investments in both time and money. While the structure’s basic framework was intact, everything else had to be added. Moreover, the team had only 30 days to complete the transformation.

Crafting a Harmonious Blend

The design strategy focused on working with the existing foundation without altering the structure. The initial spaces felt like placeholders, akin to Lorem Ipsum text. The spatial strategy involved bringing together diverse elements from different parts of the world, blending various personalities and identities into a cohesive whole. Imagine a party where every space, piece of furniture, wall, colour, texture, and style interact harmoniously with maximalist features balanced by minimalist ones. This dynamic interplay between maximalism and minimalism was a first for the design team, creating an office space that feels like a party waiting to happen. The design aimed to create a vibrant yet balanced environment that fosters creativity and collaboration.

An Outdoor Experience, Indoors

One of the standout features of the space is the feeling of being outdoors while indoors, a key element emphasised by the founder. This modern jungle forms the heart of the space. The design blurs the boundaries between walls and ceilings, creating an environment reminiscent of Platform 9¾ from the Harry Potter universe, where spaces seamlessly connect. The 20-foot-high ceiling further enhances the liberating atmosphere, allowing for mental clarity and emotional openness. The space functions as an office, but also provides a comfort zone. While it doesn’t strive to feel like home, it acknowledges that people spend more waking hours at the office than at home.

The Wife HQ space is a raw representation of reality and emotions, characterised by transparency and a lack of pretension. This authenticity is crucial for fostering a genuine and productive work environment. The project showcases how thoughtful design can transform a vast, challenging space into a dynamic, engaging, and comfortable office environment.

Credit: Wife