Location: Vadodara, India.

Architect: art & architecture associates.

The client of this project is a cement dealer in Gujarat who purchased an old 40-year-old residential building with the intention of converting it into an office. The ground plus two-storey structure has a long, narrow footprint measuring 50 feet x 12 feet, covering a total area of 1,200 square feet over two floors. The flooring has been replaced with an in-situ white cement terrazzo, while the walls are a dark grey. Anchoring the spaces in the centre lies the staircase, and the approach to the main door is a narrow strip flanked by other properties. The ground floor houses the reception, sales staff and Manager’s cabin. This office is sustainable and cost-effective, using cement on floors, walls, lighting and furniture surfaces to create a low-maintenance design that is meaningful in its context.