Studio Saar’s modern industrial facility in India reimagines factory architecture
The new Secure factory in Sanand by Studio Saar brings industrial architecture to the 21st century
![Studio Saar, Secure Sanand from the air](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UBZyTfn7NNa3R8px6bNroV-415-80.jpg)
Studio Saar has just completed a contemporary industrial facility in India's region of Gujarat; welcome to Indian multi-national electronics manufacturer Secure Meters outpost in the city of Sanand. The architects, based between Frome, Somerset (UK) and Udaipur, Rajastan (India), have crafted a modern space that ticks the boxes for the state of the art production its function requires, while also providing a work environment that promotes wellness for its employees and sustainable architecture, through a strategic eco approach.
Indeed the user's experience was placed at the heart of the design process with this project by the young studio, which is headed by partners Ananya Singhal and Jonny Buckland. This means that the factory campus encompasses – beyond the main manufacturing facility, reception building and utility bay – a canteen and recreation centre for the employees to use. Spread across a lushly planted green site, the four buildings are connected by open air walkways that are sheltered by a white, geometric canopy structure.
The campus is further enhanced by a seasonal lake (which 'fluctuates between one to three acres in size to allow for rainwater harvesting,' the architects explain) and will have an additional 2,000 trees planted on the estate in due course. The presence of greenery and water is a nod to the site's previous life as a former lakebed, which has recently been repurposed and earmarked for industrial development. Meanwhile, solar panels take care of some 50% of the overall energy demand, and clever insulation and an integrated floor-cooling system help manage the temperature inside naturally.
The complex's overall aesthetic is clean and utilitarian, putting function at its core and alluding to its industrial use. Swathes of glazing brings light in, white plaster surfaces, concrete and grey natural stone complete a fairly restricted but effective and calming material palette that compliments the various uses housed within. Inside, high ceilinged, bright, open plan spaces are far removed from the conventional image of a hectic working factory, bringing the typology to the 21st century.
'We were keen to demonstrate to our client how factories should and can be inspiring places to work and bring joy to the people that use them. By placing the canteen at the centre of the development, we have been able to provide a place for workers to relax and unwind. This project has not been without its challenges, but through close collaboration with the project team and efficient engineering we have been able to create a series of buildings that are genuinely adaptable to meet the everchanging needs of the teams to ensure its longevity for future years,' says Singhal.
INFORMATION
studiosaar.design
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
‘Hedonistic and avant-garde’: Rabanne’s Julian Dossena on the legacy of the chainmail 1969 bag
Paco Rabanne’s 1969 chainmail handbag encapsulates the late designer’s futuristic, space-age style. Current creative director Julien Dossena tells Wallpaper* about the bag’s particular pleasures
By Jack Moss Published
-
Postcard from Paris: Olympic fever takes over the streets
On the eve of the opening ceremony of Paris 2024, our correspondent shares her views from the streets of the capital about how the event is impacting the urban landscape.
By Minako Norimatsu Published
-
The Mercury Prize nominees for 2024 have been revealed
Charli XCX, The Last Dinner Party and Beth Gibbons are amongst this year's nominees
By Charlotte Gunn Published
-
A Hyderabad apartment blends soft minimalism and ‘tangible luxury’
A Hyderabad apartment by Studio Design Inc wows with its balanced design that brings together soft minimalism and tangible luxury
By Daven Wu Published
-
Discover Third Space, a multifunctional hub in the heart of Rajasthan
Third Space by Studio Saar is a multifunctional creative and learning hub in the heart of Rajasthan, uniting the community through ‘openness, accessibility, and inclusivity’
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Four Mumbai apartments are transformed into an art-filled contemporary home
Designer Rajiv Saini unites four Mumbai apartments in the Indian city’s Colaba district into a single, expansive, art-filled home for a family
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
India’s Hampi Art Labs is a piece of architecture at one with its content and context
The world-class Hampi Art Labs by Indian architect Sameep Padora, near South India’s Hampi Unesco World Heritage Site, mimics the contours of the nearby Tungabhadra River
By Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar Published
-
House of Greens in India’s Bengaluru is defined by its cascading foliage
Nestled in Bengaluru’s suburbs, House of Greens by 4site Architects encourages biophilic architecture by creating a pleasantly leafy urban jungle
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Surajkund Craft’s Northeast Pavilion in India is an exemplar in bamboo building
The Northeast Pavilion at the Surajkund Craft Fair 2023, designed by atArchitecture, wins Best Use of Bamboo in the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
OpenIdeas has designed Link House, an expansive Gujarat family complex
Link House accommodates two households in high modern style in the Indian state of Gujarat, innovatively planned around the requirements of a large extended family
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
This Chandigarh home is a meditative sanctuary for multigenerational living
Residence 91, by Charged Voids is a Chandigarh home built to maintain the tradition of close family ties
By Tianna Williams Published