Sabu Francis & Associates · 2008-07-26 · Sabu Francis & Associates Architects & Designers Sabu Francis & Associates (SFA) was formed on March 1, 1987.Sabu decided to consciously

Sabu Francis & AssociatesArchitects & Designers

Sabu Francis & AssociatesA104, Shiv Chamber

Sector 11, CBD-BelapurNavi Mumbai

400614Ph: +91-22-32987842, +91-9869616428

Email: [email protected]: www.sabufrancis.com

http://www.sabufrancis.com/


Sabu Francis & Associates (SFA) was formed on March 1, 1987. Sabu decided to consciously move away from a conventional office set up. He was an associate of one of the top architects in India, Hafeez Contractor. Sabu started SFA after having experienced the inefficiency found in most conventional offices.

The management style at SFA allowed for the office to develop into aseries of pyramidal management structures, rather than one single pyramid. This ensured that everybody is accessible, even if the firm became big. No cabins. No closeted discussions. The account books are also to be kept out in the open. The logo of SFA reflected the multi-pyramidal structure. Today the firm has successfully branched out into diverse fields of activity like research & software development.

The main policy of the office was to base the office both on updatedArchitectural academic theories as well as the very latest practicetechniques; like usage of computers. “No design is going to be anisland”, Sabu had decided from the very beginning. All the data that theoffice generates should be part of an overall knowledge framework. Thatsearch lead Sabu to propose a new taxonomy for Architectural elements.This gave him the 1991 JIIA (Journal of the Indian Institute of Architecture) award for Excellence in Architectural research.

Based on this taxonomy, another department in the office designed a software, called The Architect’s Desktop (TAD)

Design for the real world


Today, SFA is the one of the leading Architectural firms in Navi Mumbai

Navi Mumbai is a satellite city coming up from across the creek to the South-East of Mumbai. It is certified to be the largest real estate development in the world. The sheer size of the place, the fact that it is all coming up from reclaimed marshland and the fact that it is a nascent project in a developing country brings in some very unique problems. Nevertheless, SFA has managed to design and see thecompletion of some unique projects at Navi Mumbai.

This includes the Church at the Nerul Brahmagiri hillock, The GreatEastern Galleria; a large commercial centre for the properties division of the Great Eastern Shipping Company, a housing colony for Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. (KRCL) and scores of other works, amounting to over 3 million square- feet today.

KRCL had appointed SFA to design and supervise the interiors of their headquarters at CBD. Some Japanese consultants to KRCL had pointed out that such a project (15,000 sq.ft) could not be undertaken in 45-60 days allotted for the project. SFA not only managed to design and get the job finished within that time frame but finished it within the specified low budget.

After 17 years, KRCL again approached us in 2006 for designing the interiors of a new floor of approx 11000 sq.ft. It probably is a good indicator of the long lasting nature of our design approaches.

Several unique projects


SFA is called in for the toughest assignments: The Western Railway approached SFA to design the complex extension to Churchgate Railway station. Due to the open policy kept by SFA, it was possible to form a design consortium that involved the Nabars — an architectural firm with good theoretical knowledge regarding air-rights over railway property and Rachana Consultants Pvt. Ltd; a structural designing firm. The final design was even appreciated by the chief of the railway board.

The Tangent Software department at SFA handles software designing, specifically for the construction professional. TAD is the world’s first truly object oriented CAD program for Architectural Design. . SFA is already on the web at: http://www.sabufrancis.com and very shortly, the web site should see some dynamic interaction of architects and designers.

Mr. Sabu Francis keeps an open mind about innovative design ideas and management methods. He writes extensively both on the web as well as in print. The Indian Architect & Builder has published many of his articles.

He has attended on the jury at IDC (Industrial Design Centre) at IIT Bombay and at NASA (National Association of Students of Architecture)

Multi-faceted approach


Sabu Francis graduated with first class first from IIT Kharagpur in 1984. He broke a ten year record that year. He was also first in thesis and viva-voce. Indian Institute of Technology is a premier institute in India. There are seven such institutes, and of them the one at Kharagpur has been rated as the best technical institute for the years 2000, 2001, 2002 by surveys conducted by a leading journal in India (India Today).

In 1991, Sabu Francis was awarded the JIIA (Journal of Indian Institute of Architects) special award for excellence in architecture research. This was for a taxonomy that was developed by him for representing architecture using computers. He is probably the youngest recepient of that award. (He was 28 years old at that time)

Awards

Our work is our award


Recognitions

The real awards that we have got are those from the real world out there. Here are some of them: We finished the Konkan Railway Corporation headquarters interiors in a record 45 days. That was 15,000 sq.ft. of interior space, from design to completion of works at site. It was executed strictly as per a low budget of Rs 300/- per sq.ft.

This is what Mr. S.D. Limaye, the erstwhile chief engineer of Konkan Railway Corporation, had to say about the project (on record):

"Your design for the headquarters of KRCL was an inspiration behind all our works"

The interior can be glimpsed in the BBC serial, Tomorrow's world when they interviewed the dynamic CMD of Konkan Railway Corporation, Mr. E. Sreedharan who, we believe, was the actual force behind the entire project (BBC Tomorrow's World : Friday 2nd February 1996 : Tomorrow's World Bombay Special)

The software developed by Mr. Sabu Francis, TAD (The Architect's Desktop) is one of the few that tackles the unique representation problems faced in architecture. Equivalent efforts in other parts of the world (University of California, Berkeley, Switzerland, Sydney, etc.) are all institutional efforts. TAD is the only one that is the work of one individual.

Recognized by our users

SFA Staff and Design Methodology


SFA Staff

Designers

Chief Architect : Sabu Francis, B.Arch (Hons) IIT Kharagpur

Associate Architect : Binoy , G.DArch

External Associate Consultant: Pravin Jadhav, B.Arch (Hons), M.Arch, IIT Kharagpur

External Associate Consultant : Arvind Saxena, B.Arch (Hons) IIT Kharagpur

External Associate Consultant : Vinayak Nabar, B.Arch (Hons) IIT Kharagpur

Administration

Manager : Baburaj Francis

Accountant : Raphy Paul

Draftsmen & Juniors

Milind Moghe

SFA also employees people over the Internet using a “just-in-time” employment process


Our research work

Mr. Sabu Francis has believed in John Zeisel's book, Inquiry by Design right from college days. He keeps referring to his life as Jekyl and Hyde existence. By daytime, he is an architect and by night time he turns into a demonic programmer inquiring into why things work or don't. As SFA kept going forward, his inquiries went backward right into the representation of architecture.

Stephen Covey refers to this aspect in his book The Seven Habits of Most Effective People. Mr. Covey says that one characteristic of effective people is that they "Begin with the end in mind". This phrase basically means, that you must be focused on the eventual objective. This is what Covey says:

"Begin with the end in mind" is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There's a mental or first creation, and a physical or a second creation of all things.

Research into the mental creation is what has occupied Sabu in much of his career. It is a difficult enterprise with the kind of manpower and logistics issues that an architectural practice throws up in India. Yet, Sabu was successful in writing a software; TAD (The Architect's Desktop), to assist in the design and other activities in an architect's office.

TAD has been successfully used in almost all of SFA projects.

Design+Research=SFA


TAD has also been successfully used in two research projects with Dr. J.K.Nayak and his team at the Energy Centre, Mechanical Engineering Department, IIT Bombay. TADSIM, was an energy simulation packaged developed on top of TAD at IIT Bombay. The project was sponsored by the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources. See this discussion here: http://www.gard.com/ml/bldg-sim-archive/msg00906.html

The poet+architect Mr. Masood Taj had referred to Sabu's approach as that of an archer: Everyone sees the archer's hand as going backward. But that is the only way the bowstring can be tightened, and only if the bowstring is taut will the arrow shoot off towards the target, there would be more likelihood of hitting the bulls-eye accurately

Hitting the bulls-eye

http://www.gard.com/ml/bldg-sim-archive/msg00906.html


How we design

TAD Designer (TAD=The Architect's Desktop) is used to create and verify our design at each step of the project. It sees applications in many areas where objective analysis are needed

We believe that all design need to proceed iteratively, where the concepts in the design gets honed finely through each iteration. As we proceed with our designs, we make 3D walkthroughs in our software which aid us take decision even regarding aesthetic aspects such as massing, proportion, etc. When needed, we also make fully rendered perspectives using our software along with a high quality free software called POVRay

We use this process to handle for all our designs from large layouts, builders projects, institutional projects, interiors as well as product design such as chairs and tables!

We design for the real worldsolving real problems

SFA Projects


A odd, triangular-shaped plot at the vista formed at one end of an important Road-Over-Bridge at Nerul, shaped this the design. It has asan Indian atrium within the building and 3 sky-bridges that act as themain circulation elements binding the two L shaped wings. The in-between space forms the partly open-to-sky atrium. All shops open into the atrium, and the windows facing the roads are deliberately sloped toprevent reflection and misuse (the height of the shop windows are such that people cannot use them as entrances).

Great Eastern GalleriaCommercial Complex

Location :Plot 20, Sec. 4, NerulProject size: 10000sqmYear of Completion: Nov. 1997Client:The Great Eastern Shipping Company Pvt. LtdConstruction cost: Rs. 7800 per sqft.


This 15 storeyed building rises above the landscape at Nerul. A dome on the top makes the building a landmark. The building accommodates duplexes and unobstructed views are afforded from the corner windows as there are no mullions in the center.

A middle income apartment blockBalaji Darshan

Location :Plots 113, 114 Sec 18A, NerulProject size: 1760 sqm.Year of Completion:July 1998Client:Anmol DevelopersConstruction cost:Rs. 5400 per sqm.


A series of 9 buildings arranged around a large central, private playground area (not seen in the image) gives good definition to thecomplex. These buildings have inner ventilation wells which is used to ventilate the living rooms of the flats using the stack effect.

To provide privacy, windows looking into these inner wells have traditional jallis (screens) — incidentally, the complex is occupied predominantly by muslims (largely, because of a nearby mosque) and the jallis seems to suit their lifestyle

A middle income group apartment complexVighnahar Housing Society

Location :Plots 1, 1B, Sec. 21, NerulProject size: 15040 sqmYear of Completion: 1994Client:Mayuresh DevelopersConstruction cost: Rs. 4500 per sqm.


We used sloping roof to reduce costs, and improve the mutual shading of the roof to reduce heat. The external perimeter was strongly modulated, again for shading purposes. Notice the ending of the staircase — a small, cubby-hole above the staircase which is like a den forchildren to play.

In some areas, we experimented with rat-trap brick bond (a la Laurie Baker) — however social factors prevented it from being used extensively —the people involved simply did not like being unconventional!

A middle income group apartment blockAlaknanda

Location :Plot 15, Sec 19, NerulProject size: 10500 sqm.Year of Completion: March 1994Client:Chinmay Land Developers pvt. ltd.Construction cost: Rs. 4000 per sqm.


Location : Plot 34, Sector 29, Vashi, Navi MumbaiProject size: 1770 sqmYear of Completion: April 1994Client:National Builders & Developers:Construction cost: 57 lakhs

BlissA Residential project

This project came up on a corner plot, which was diagonally facing a large garden. To take advantage of the view, as well as to catch the prevailing winds, the project was oriented diagonally in the plot

The top two floors are duplexes. The rest of the floors contain large 2 bedroom flats (two numbers per floor)

We designed circular balconies in order to reduce the chance the they would get enclosed and spoil the overall appearance of the project


Two plots were amalgamated for this project. This would have necessitated two separate wings, if we were to use a conventional approach. That would mean one lift per wing: If any one lift was down for maintenance, the presence of a working lift in the other wing would not help alleviate the situation.

We attempted (successfully, if I may say) to arrange six apartments per floor, around a large central staircase and common lift lobby for bothlifts. The arrangement also managed achieved privacy and the same time modulated the perimeter which provides good comfort in a hothumidclimate

Sicily ApartmentsA middle-income group apartment

Location :Plots 60,61 Sector 16A, NerulProject size: 3660 sqm.Year of Completion:Nov. 1996Client:National Builders & DevelopersConstruction cost:217 lakhs


This project involved building a structure on a site that is one ofthe most important railway stations of India, and also one of the two most heavily used termini in Mumbai. It tries to explore the kind of spaces that are generated as a result of this exercise. The project has innumerable critical factors to consider say, the economic feasibility, the feasibility for construction under the site restrictions, the possible usages of the airspace, implications on the urban-scape and last but not the least the image of this public place. The construction and the erection of the superstructure over a fully functional railway station was the most crucial aspect of this design. The brief comprised of a roof design over the northern end of the platforms that are presently open to sky, and an auditorium/multipurpose hall for the railway community.

The design had to respond to all the various changing contexts that could affect it. All contexts were examined with respect to change.

This project has so far been an exercise in identifying all the parameters involved in the design, understanding the context. What we have managed to do by now is to create that envelope which is both physical and conceptual; one within which the actual design development will be ensconced. Any design development would be built on the groundwork that has gone into the project so far.

Proposed extension of the terminalChurchgate Railway Station

Location :Churchgate station, MumbaiClient:Western Railway


A user friendly design to create a pleasant and stimulating work environment to better the performance of the organisation. Other thanoffice spaces for desk jobs, a workshop and space for storage of infrastructural equipment like computer servers, UPS, radio equipment, etc. are also required.

Optimum usage of FSI The fact that an F.S.I of just 0.5 was available was stressed on us from the beginning.

Flexibility in the planning is an important criteria for this project. Another point that was stressed on was the fact that this building has tobe designed as a low budget building.

Fugro GeonicsCorporate Office

Location :Sector-6, Sanpada, Navi MumbaiClient:Fugro-Geonics Private Ltd


A set of 13 hypar panels cover the main prayer hall of the church.It reduced the cost of construction and coincidentally also alludes to the chinese fishing nets of Cochin — a typical icon of many of the parishioners.

The apexes of the hypars have vents to promote ventilation via stack effect. The church was constructed bit by bit under much financial difficulties — this has resulted in a poor built quality, but it is still the pride of the community.

The church is an amalgamation of many concepts, images andserendipities. Many of the design elements almost shaped themselves as we went ahead. A few were in conscious response to the design context. For e.g.: The stark plaster finish is modulated by exposed basalt random-rubble work with recessed pointing. Much basalt was freed during the excavation and it was reused in the project

NerulProject Size: 900 sq.mYear of Completion: 1998Client: The San Thome Trust Of KalyanConstruction Cost: Rs. 4800 per sqm.

A church for middle and lower income parishThe Little Flower Church


Konkan Railway Staff Colony

Location : Nerul Project Size : 20000 sq.mYear of Completion : 1993Client : Konkan Railway CorpConstruction cost : 8 crores

A Residential Colony

This entire colony consisting of quarters for various grades of Konkan Railway staff and executives, an executive club house, a staff gymkhana, clinic, garden, etc. was designed on a 2 hectare land at Nerul

We used courtyards within the apartment blocks to feed breeze into the apartments – as we could not be sure that the prevailing winds will not get blocked by other apartments that were to come around the project.

We also used several other sensible climatic design features such as mutual shading and siting of the buildings at the right orientation to deal with the hot-humid climate


Gallilian

Location : Nerul Project Size : 166 sqm.Year of Completion : 1989Client : National BuildersConstruction cost :Rs.11220000

A middle income group apartment

We were trying to reduce the size of chajjas (sun breakers), by providing vertical fins to window openings. Rounded corners were introduced to soften an otherwise fairly conventional-looking design. As all the corners had the same rounding radius, we could afford to use steel shuttering for the end columns -- it did not increase the cost. We thought it was fit to make the vertical fins blend into the body of the building.

We also used a similar rounded vertical fins for the windows, which also gave a soft effect.

An added advantage of rounded corners were that it increased the viewing angle available from windows on a recessed wall as seen in the adjoining photograph


Green Valley

Location: Nerul Project Size : 1200 Year of Completion : 1995Client : National BuildersConstruction cost : 96 lacs

A Residential project

This project was at a junction in Nerul, and diagonally opposite was a nice CIDCO garden. It also caught the prevailing wind from that direction

We designed two large flats per floor – all of them taking advantage of the cross ventilation possible. On the top two floors, we designed duplex three bedroom penthouses

The design was modulated in such a manner that it used the principle of “mutual shading” to reduce the amount of heat in the building, by casting sufficient shadows. This is a extremely useful method that we have used in many of our projects


Location : Nerul Project Size : 680 sqmYear of Completion : 1995Client : Marathe BuildersConstruction cost : 49 lacs

AbhimaanA Residential project

This project was unique because it was situated on a small site which was divided in two halves. One half was at a higher level, and the other half was lower because some miscreants had illegally quarried away the murrum (good quality top-soil)

Though the project was very small, we managed to develop 3 bedroom apartments (two per floor) on the site and took advantage of the level difference

The chamfered corners at the ends of rooms not only reduced the heat load (as it modulated the surface and provided mutual shading) but it also improved the view from windows on recessed walls


Location : Vashi Project Size : 5575 sqm.Year of Completion : 1990Client : Shabi EnterprisesConstruction cost :~Rs. 360 lacs

Shabi ComplexA Shopping cum Residential project

This project situated on the main spine through Vashi. It had a large frontage with a shopping line below

We designed terrace flats above the shopping, with a few duplexes at appropriate location. The layout was U shaped to provide for maximum shops on the perimeter. This gave a private garden space for the apartment dwellers

CIDCO changed the FSI rules midway in this project, and part of the internal garden space was consumed by a narrow multi-storeyed building (seen alongside)


Aangan

Location :VashiProject Size : 1500 sqm.Year of Completion : Client :Construction cost :Rs.10500000

Shops cum apartments

This is relatively a small project that came up in the same area (Sector 12, Vashi) along the main spine of Vashi

Note the massing that allows mutual shading. A few double walls were used as elevational treatment. However we were careful to ensure that these elevational feature do not heat up areas of the apartments that are in use always, such as bedrooms


Manek Complex

Location : VashiProject Size : 4200 sqm.Year of Completion : 1991Client : Manek EnterprisesConstruction cost :Rs.3150000

A Shopping cum Residential project

This project was situated opposite Shabi Complex another important project of ours on the main spine in Sector 12, Vashi

The building-bye laws for this project had enforced a strict guideline on the amount of ground coverage. We solved the unique problem that this caused, by raising the plinth for the shopping and tucking a floor behind the shop above a low-height stilts area

Courtyards within the complex draw in air from outside and provide breeze and ventilation due to stack-effect

Today, the shopping line is very busy and inviting because of the large steps leading to the shops


Arenja PlazaA Commercial Project

Location : CBD BelapurProject Size : 6050 sqm.Year of Completion : 1995Client : Arenja BuildersConstruction cost :Rs.4000000

This project was designed at CBD-Belapur, at time where there was a lot of unnatural speculation in the real estate market. We persuaded the builder not to fall into the trap of going for G+6 and higher buildings where many builders in that area were doing. Instead, we designed a G+2 “U” shaped building with a central landscaped garden on the first floor

We thereby maximized the amount of shops that could be created, and this improved the profitability for the builder. At the same time, the architecture had some definite character which made the project stand out from the rest of the buildings in that area


Maruti Arcade

Location : Kopar-KhairaneProject Size : 3500 sqm.Year of Completion :1991 Client :Construction cost :Rs.24500000

Shopping Cum Residential Project for Lower-middle Income Group

A corner plot meant for developers usually means that the architect is under pressure to provide the maximum number of shops. Such a design usually leads to large terrace areas on the first floor. The geometry of the rounded corner also often creates cumbersome residential spaces.

As seen in the photo, we managed here quite well. Again, note the use of shading devices like walls mutually shading one another, in a hot-humid climate. The built quality of the project was better than our other projects primarily because the builder himself was an engineer and had the wherewithal to do a professional job when asked for.

One of the reason for mediocrity is poor co-operation and understanding between team members. There are more chances of incorrect procedures being adopted when the decision makers are either apathetic or lacking knowledge of architecture. To have both good architectural and built-quality, the complete team would have to work sensitively and in unison


National Complex

Location : New PanvelProject Size : 7500sqm.Year of Completion :1999Client :Construction cost :Rs.52500000

Shopping cum Apartment Complex for Middle Income Group

A large, narrow plot necessitated a linear building with 3 wings. As usual, the external perimeter was modulated -- which is one of the effective methods in a hot-humid climate to provide cool shade. We also used ventilation wells that promotes stack effect to force ventilation through the rooms. The aesthetics was dictated by current trends, but not much superflous elements were used to artificially dress up the facades -- the modulated walls themselves provided much of the aesthetics. Grooves on dead walls (walls without windows) adds to the aesthetic treatment, and they also throw off rainwater which otherwise would have run down the surface without interruption


Jeevan Jyoti Ashram

Location : Sector 14, KhargharProject Size : 3000 sqm.Year of Completion : OngoingClient :Missionarie of CharityConstruction cost :Rs.231 lacs (estimated)

The design that has been revealed is prepared carefully after studying variousparameters that are unique to this project, interviewing doctors, patients and the Brothers of the Missionaries of Charity. Feedback on the design was also obtained from a leading hospital designer.

Case studies have been carried out one in Bangalore and two in Mumbai to elicit more information. We had also consulted standard references as well as sources from the Internet

As this is the home for dying destitute we have come across many constraints that were mutually contradictory. The comfort level for the inmates has been achieved by controlling design parameters such as climatology, functional planning, aesthetic consideration, hierarchy of spaces etc.

The final design is been evolved through an iterative design process that also included feedback from the clients right through the conceptual design stage. Each part of the process was aided by computer generate images of the project from our own software

Conceptual design in TAD

Home for Dying Destitutes


Mermier BalashramHome for Street Children

Location :Kopar-KhairaneProject Size :1400 sqm.Year of Completion : 1993Client : Jan Vikas SocietyConstruction cost :Rs.97.5 lacs

This was an honorary project that came up with several constraints. There was practically no money for the project – which was started due the vision of one priest (Fr. Francis Mullackal)

We designed a Stilts+3 floor building, with column-less spaces at every floor by providing coffer slabs. This gave flexibility for accommodating the changing requirements that is seen in such a specialized orphanage kind of project

The Jallis on both West and East side cut down the Sun, and it also gave privacy and brought good breeze into the project. They also reduced the cost of construction as we did not have to go for deep chajjas


The design brief here was a house that would be elegant to look at, well-lit and well-ventilated. At the same time the users had mutiplerequirements on this plot.

To achieve this all the spaces in the house are structured around a a central space that rises upto the topmost level. The centre of the house has a staircase well which brings in light from the top. The house breathes by cross-ventilation and through a vertical stack into which all the rooms open.

The use of glass blocks on the facade fronting the stack brings in an interesting play of light into the space.

The use of TAD has resulted in an edifice that would have been imperceptible.

Ajayan’s Row houseResidential project

Location :Plot no. 51, Sector 2, Koperkhairane, Navi MumbaiProject size: 128 sqmYear of Completion: 2002Client: Mr.AjayanConstruction cost: Rs. 4500 per sqm


This house, designed for a large joint family had an extensive brief that needed to be satisfied.

Our previous experience of getting optimum usage of space was put to test here and we managed to accomodate all the requirements quite efficiently.

At the core of the house was a dining space around which the staircase wrapped and opened into all the rooms of the house.This space, lit by a skylight at the top is a binding element and becomes a multi-activity space for the family

Gupta’s rowhouseResidential Project

Location :Koper Khairane, Navi MumbaiProject size: 100 sqmYear of Completion: 1998Client: Mr GuptaConstruction cost: Rs. 4300 per sqm


Citi ArcadeFriendsShaktiDr. Samani's BungalowAnmol ApartmentsRowhouses for Sanjay & RajeshRowhouses for a Dr. AjayanRowhouses for Mr. Gupta, a cloth merchantShakti HousingSicily Park

Citi ParkMallikaAmrapalliDharam ArcadeCiti Pearl

Other Projects

SatyamShivamSunderSantosh

Kopar Khairane

New Panvel & Old Panvel

Kalamboli

Project Size :100 sqm.-1500 sqm.Year of Completion : 1989-1999Client : VariedConstruction cost :varies @ Rs 700/800 per sft

NerulTrinity ApartmentsDiamond PalaceZeenat PalaceSree Sai RajKavitaVijay towers

Vijay Towers

Shakti

Citi Park

AmrapalliKavita

Sicily Park


Interior Design Projects

Other Interiors

● National Builders Office at Vashi● Dr. Ajayan's rowhouse at Kopar-Khairane● The Marnite Shop at Vashi● Okay Stores at Colaba● Bombay Dyeing Showroom at Vashi● Tangent Software office at Mahape

Location :VashiProject Size :100sq.m.- 1400sqm.Year of Completion : 1993Client :Construction cost :Rs.850000-Rs.9100000

This low cost interior was completed in a record time of 60 days from inception to handing over. As the budget was highly curtailed, we decided to use metal framework -- this allowed both speed of construction as well as reduction in the cost. The partition was clad in 6mm ply over 1.5" square section MS framework. Even the tables were made from the same section.

Plywood caps on the top beams allowed us to straighten the defects without spending for a complete false-ceiling. They also allowed us to distribute various service lines (electric, telecommunication, computer, etc.) -- again without going in for expensive concealed wiring. Sets of four vertical pipes brought down these lines wherever required into clover shaped workstations

Interiors of Konkan Railway Headquarters, CBD-Belapur Ajayan's Rowhouse

Bombay Dyeing Showroom (Rendering)


Interior Design Projects

Location :VashiProject Size :100sq.m.- 1400sqm.Year of Completion : 1993Client :Construction cost :Rs.850000-Rs.9100000

The second phase of this Interiors was asked of us by the clients, Konkan Railway almost after 17 years; in 2006 when they purchased an extra floor at Belapur Bhavan, CBD-Belapur

We designed special ceiling that was curved so that it diffused acoustic reflections; thus reducing reverberation in the two long halls of the interior project. Our software helped work out various options before selecting one.

The design brief given to us was that it should be modern and we should give excellent all around services. Though supervision was NOT part of the scope of our work; we felt it was necessary to handle to day to day requirements of the project and we simply did not hesitate in attending the project almost EVERY day when the work was proceeding.

Interiors of Konkan Railway Headquarters, CBD-Belapur (2nd phase)

Image shows simulation of the interior using our software


The Design requirement of this office necessitated an open officeplan, which arose out of a need for transparency in the working environment. As we had space restrictions, we tried to accommodate as many workstations without making the place look too claustrophobic. The workstations were designed to accommodate four people with provisions where individual users could change their direction of seating. This would work in a scenario where 2 users would need to communicate frequently.

Segregation of spaces was achieved by the introduction of chic mats to define a conference space and a CEO’s alcove. This allowed specific functions to be defined without deviating from the concept. To give a natural aesthetics to the office, planters were introduced at strategic locations. The open office plan is flexible to include more.

Tangent SoftwareCorporate Office

Location :206, Bldg 3, Sector 3, MBP, MahapeProject size: 150 sqmYear of Completion: Oct. 2001Client:Tangent Software Pvt. ltd.Construction cost: Rs. 6000 per sqm.

Documents

Sabu Francis & Associates · 2008-07-26 · Sabu Francis & Associates Architects & Designers Sabu Francis & Associates (SFA) was formed on March 1, 1987.Sabu decided to consciously