The building presents itself majestic and stately in off-white.
Built in the classical style Bayer House stands out when
viewed from any angle. The site, opposite the picturesque
Powai Lake, with its lush green foliage, and against the
backdrop of hills, is magnificent. The building itself is located
on the most strategic position of the rotary at Hiranandani
Gardens. In order to establish a distinct urban character and
to make it a destination point we had decided to apply the
classical style to all the buildings in Hiranandani Gardens .
Though this took some convincing for our clients, each of
whom wanted a distinct look for themselves, we prevailed in
bringing them around to our point of view and succeeded in
fashioning a classical ambiance. The building has an
extremely strategic location, and the two shopping centers
nearby in the same classical style complement the whole area.
Once inside, the color white is predominant. The triangular shaped interior has an atrium which provides natural light to the entire work area. On looking down from the upper floors, one sees a large lion mosaic, the former symbol of Bayer, made with colored tiles in blue, peach and brown shades, imported from Germany. Our concept by the usage of color and decor. The interior ambiance is such that it does not segregate one floor from the other.
The sixth floor which houses the Managing Director's offices,
the boardroom and the executive offices, is a blend of modern and
international features, and Indian ethnic styles. The decision to use
antique Indian artefacts and not contemporary art was taken after
many discussions with Mr. Brenniser's (M.D., Bayer India Ltd.) wife.
Being a German firm the furniture is of international standards and
style, the Indian touch being provided by the antique columns from
Ahmedabad, Tanjore miniatures, and objects d'art like metal pots.
This combination though exuding a rich is not the result of a large
amount of money spent but, largely due to the knack of putting the
right thing in the right place.
The most important criterion was that the new office should have a
good working ambiance and better staff amenities. Open style work-
stations, shining brass railings, etched glass balcony walls, antique
wood carvings from Gujrat, an idol of Lord Ganesha and metal
screens were used for the decor. Each floor has a differently
designed reception area. The dominating colors of the interiors are
white, cream and blue. No walls are used to segregate work-stations,
thus giving the feeling of openness making the entire building feel
like one unified space. No stair-cases are visible from any point;
doors in brown discreetly shutting them out of sight.
The structure constructed on a triangular base, has an imposing dome. The dome is covered with Shaun tile mosaic, and houses the lift machinery and water storage tanks. The atrium has a polycarbonate double sheeting roof. The buildings pleasant ambiance and natural lighting is conductive to better productivity. Because of the central atrium, during the day time you require
less than other conventional buildings, thus conserving electricity and making it a most energy efficient building.
We believe that a discreet, 5-star ambiance is necessary. With
globalization, we have to be par with international standards.
What is a necessity abroad as of now is a luxury here. Inspite of
the tight spaces the impression one should get is that of an extremely
spacious interior. The usage of glass is a necessity for tight spaces.
It is a good material to work with and has many advantages like
transparency, easy maintenance. The central atrium too makes the
spaces appear large. The total area of the building is 60,000 sq. ft.
and with around 274 people, after taking off certain areas, it leaves very little area per person.