Locally based architecture and design firm Lyth Design has completed a new 10,000-square-foot office for private equity firm ChrysCapital in Mumbai. Overlooking the Arabian Sea, the workplace spans the top floor of a tower in the Worli business district, embodying a narrative-driven design philosophy inspired by ambition and evolution. “The inspiration came from two parallel ideas. The first was the symbolism of the chrysalis as a metaphor for growth and transformation,” Lyth Design architect Apoorva Shroff. “The second was the idea of bringing together the timeless gravitas associated with traditional private equity firms and a more contemporary, collaborative workplace through materiality and spatial experience.”
Humanized materials and fluid transitions abound across open interiors. Victorian mosaic floors in reception imbue a sense of permanence, while sweeping curved brick walls divide the arrival area to accommodate an intimate banquette and acoustically insulated work booths. Overhead, an installation of butterflies catches and reflects light throughout the day while quietly amplifying the theme of evolution as well. Beyond the marble reception desk, a timber archway is carved through the brick wall into the main workspace. Rich wood panels wrap the office, where a central ideation space anchors the layout and casual stepped seating and a tranquil water feature screened with intricate metal jali serve as social magnets. Concrete floors are installed along with timber desks and other tactile materials, while large monolithic planters sculpted from solid Indian marble offset the muted gray and black palette with greenery. Subtle zoning resolves the need for partitions, conveying openness and framing sightlines all the way to the cafeteria situated at the far end of the office as well.
