The Soul of Alkove

Alkove-Design’s expanded studio space in Pune, reminiscent of a dwelling, combines old-world charm with contemporary elegance to create a sanctuary for the team.

Text by Rama Raghavan

Tucked away in the midst of myriad urban sights and sounds in a bustling neighbourhood in Pune, stepping into Alkove-Design Studio feels like entering a serene, sepia-toned cocoon, where time slows down.  The expansion and renovation project sought to transform the existing studio space to reflect the firm’s design ethos– one that melds the earthiness of Indian craftsmanship with the elegance of contemporary minimalism. 

The studio on the first floor of a commercial building, earlier accommodated workspaces in one linear zone. To ease out the workflow by creating more space, the architects decided to take over another chunk of the adjoining floor plate to carve out separate areas for client interaction and team meetings. "We envisioned the extended studio as an immersive space that captures the essence of our work, allowing clients to physically experience materiality and aesthetics. Walking barefoot on the natural kota stone or feeling the lime-washed walls, they connect with how textures and tactility bring design to life. It offers them a tangible glimpse into our studio's design sensibilities," says Ninada Kashyap, Principal Architect at Alkove Design.

The studio is wrapped in an earthy simplicity of sandy hues that invites one with its warmth. An entrance foyer opens up with the sensory river-washed kota that feels like ripples under the feet. A vendor-discussion area is nested in the backdrop of the design studio’s logo mounted on a lime-washed wall bound by a wooden grid accent. The extended floorplate that was earlier in a grid of smaller enclosed areas was reconfigured to free up space for the foyer, a pantry, two cabins and a conference space for team meetings or client discussions. Fixed glazing added to the upper portions of cabin partitions allows natural light from the west facade to flow deeper into the studio.

The entrance foyer that hosts the vendor-discussion area is crafted with wooden finishes and rattan textures that add depth and character to the understated simplicity.

A vendor-discussion table at the foyer is crafted with a sculptural, natural coffee-wood log sourced from Coorg, mounted with a table top of marine black stone.

A curated gallery in a wooden grid showcases significant projects of the firm in a classic black and white, to add to the overall vintage vibe of the interiors. 

Storage solutions are designed in an interplay of lines- linear and curved. The  bottom portion is in an oak wood finish with slatting while curvilinear cutouts in MDF on the top lime-washed portion add a striking yet harmonious accent to the design.

A cabin for staff  in tones of sandy-beige features a sleek wood work desk, complemented by a live-edge shelf that adds a certain rawness.  Crimson accent wall plates designed by artist Dhanashree Kelkar create an evocative interplay of the earth and sea.

A vintage-style door assembled with individually crafted components, along with ornate wrought-ironwork and frosted glass takes one back in time.

Walking past a compact pantry, two cabins open up on either side—one for the architects and the other for client discussions. At the corridor’s end, the conference room unfolds in honey-dipped hues. Divided into two zones, it features a ten-seater table and a cozy discussion nook by the window, creating an inviting space for the team to gather and ideate. A strip of windows with movable lattice screens marks the studio's facade and visual identity, visible from the street below. These create an ethereal play of light and shadow within, that spreads across the room in compelling patterns. 

A custom-designed ten-seater conference table with a table top of marine black stone, and a crafted wooden base anchors the room. Woven rattan chairs blend with the sandy lime-washed walls that come alive with the ceramic wall plates in hues of the earth and the sky. A movable lattice screen spans across the window, framing a visual identity for the studio on its facade, while creating a compelling detail to the interior.

The soul of the studio lies in the handcrafted details infused throughout the space. The door of the conference room, for example, evokes a vintage charm with its assembly of individually crafted wooden pieces, complemented by intricate wrought ironwork on textured glass. “A key facet of our studio’s design philosophy—and a common thread across all our projects—is our deep appreciation for craftsmanship and the spirit of collaboration. This is why we have sourced materials, art, and artifacts from a range of skilled artists and vendors,” says Komal Mittal, Principal Architect at Alkove Design.

A cozy window nook bathed in sunlight through the lattice screen offers a serene spot for discussions, tea, or a quiet read. Live-edge wood shelves add a rustic touch, embracing the beauty of imperfection.

An indigo-crimson pichwai painting in fabric and natural dyes from Vrajbhoomi serves as the striking centerpiece of the conference room. Wooden lounge chairs from the architect’s personal collection, paired with a custom-designed marine-black stone coffee table, create a serene setting for informal discussions.

“It had always been a dream for us to transform an old home into an office. While finding such a property in the city proved challenging, we decided to bring the essence of a home into our expanded studio,” says Ninada. “Now the studio has become like a second home for our team, and clients feel equally at ease here,” adds Komal. The addition to the office has added a new dimension and has fundamentally altered the dynamics within the studio. The transformed space encourages more organic conversations and fosters collaboration. Clients who walk through the doors no longer feel like visitors in a formal office, but rather guests in a thoughtfully curated space that reflects the ethos of the team. This new environment invites them to engage not just with the architects, but with the materials, textures, and design elements that define the studio's identity. 

The studio’s soul is woven into every detail—hidden in the grains of wood, etched into the wall’s indentations, interlaced with the weaves of rattan, and flowing through the ripples of natural stone. Together, they create a sanctuary for the team—one that feels unmistakably like home.

Project Details

Project Architects: Alkove-Design, Pune

About the Writer: Rama Raghavan is an Architect and Writer based in Pune. She strongly believes that multidisciplinary perspectives enrich design thinking and trigger critical discourses. Rama has worked as an Editor for the publication cell of an Architectural Institute in Pune. She is passionate about expressing her ideas through Research and Architectural Writing, and several of her articles have been published on various platforms.