The Blank Slate Designs A Sustainable Kekarav Experience Centre, Inspired by the ‘Mor Chaal in Pune

Pratik Daulat and Bina Bhatia, Co-founders and Principal Architects of Mumbai-based award-winning Interior, Architectural and Urban Design firm The Blank Slate (TBS) have designed this sustainable Kekarav Experience Centre Concept in Bavdhan, Pune. The project Kekarav-personifies the grace and fluidity of a peacock. Kekarav is an exclusive gated villa community by TRU Realty, designed to be an experience in healthy, sustainable living that leaves behind a low carbon footprint. The concept was the firm’s submission for the TRU Realty Design Competition, of which they were one of the finalists!

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Perched on the hilly naturescapes of Bavdhan lies Kekarav, a scenic luxury oasis that boasts of a bevy of peacocks, amongst other fauna. 

A Fusion of Nature with Technology

The firm strived to create a microcosm of the Kekarav experience within the customer experience centre by capturing the essence of the project and its amenities, with an immersive technology-enabled journey encapsulated in a physical space inspired by nature.

Staying true to the ethos of Tru Realty, the space is an amalgamation of nature with technology, creating a virtual and aural experience, that keeps the user at the centre of the Customer Experience Center.

Taking Cues From the ‘Chaal’ of a Peacock

Inspired by the movement of a peacock or ‘Mor Chaal’, the space is fluid and graceful. Each zone is organic and seamlessly transitions into another. With a palette of soothing colours inspired by mother earth, and natural, locally sourced wood and stone, the place emulates the serenity of Zen gardens.

The furniture is sculptural, with each piece telling a story of its own. The space is peppered with colours drawn from a peacock. Elements from nature, like rocks and the stone flooring, with its free-flowing patterns that draw a person to explore space and discover the wonders of living at Kekarav.

A Realm of Fluidity

As one enters the experience centre, they’re transported to a realm of fluidity-Spaces that merge seamlessly into one another, yet holding their novelty.

Upon entering, a guest’s first pitstop is the waiting area, which is the best vantage point to the entire space. What better way to grab eyeballs? This is where a guest is handed their AR-enabled brochures that offer an immersive overview of the project.

Also Read: The Modular and Reusable Artistic Installation Features The Godrej South Estate Experience Centre in Delhi | Studio IAAD

Sculptural Furniture in the Reception and Waiting Area

The Reception and Waiting area are adorned with sculptural furniture, upholstered in beige and teal green, brought to life by hand-polished wood.

This space emanates a soothing aura, with a material palette of various shades of grey marble intertwining with each other, wood, leather panels, and brass accents. The ceiling is made up of meandering veils that form an element of grandeur.

Large Natural Rock- A Centerpiece

They can then move to the focal point of the experience- the project model. The experience zone has a large natural rock centerpiece on which the model is placed. A curved video wall encircles the model which enriches the experience by screeing videos about the project and its public amenities.

The statement chandelier is a cherry on top.

Respecting the Natural Context

The guests then move onto the Design Lab and the Sustainability Corner, which consist of pieces of technology like an iPad and an informative Touch Table embedded into materials collected from the terraneous site.

Raw natural elements dominate the Design Lab and the Sustainability Corner. Touchscreens masquerade as rocks against a backdrop of wood, with elegant grey limestone and Aura Marengo marble flooring.

A Collage of Distinctive Colour Schemes

Once they’ve made their choice, they discuss and seal the deal in one of the many visually separated spaces throughout the experience centre.

The spaces are a collage of emerald green raw silk upholstery, wood, concentric zen circles, grey marble flooring and accents of gold.

Pause in the Immersive Journey

Since every space needs a pause, a visitor can spend some time at the Coffee bar, going over the AR project brochures provided, deciding upon their future homes, while having a piping hot cup of coffee on their way in or out.

The Coffee Bar is made in marble, while the top is polished concrete, accented by wooden stools and brass decor. The communal zone is a melange of turquoise upholstery, a vertical garden, a cliff cut stone table and statement chairs.

VIP Cabin Bursting With Rustic Accents

The rustic-chic VIP cabin, equipped with a wet bar and informal seating, facilitates exclusive meetings. The VIP Room makes use of sculptural furniture pieces to impart fluidity to the space. The upholstery follows a palette of teal and beige, with beige flutes on the wall- colours drawn from nature. 

The discussion area makes use of different types of wood in the flooring, wall panels and furniture which also has brass accents. The space is enclosed by rope partitions, imparting a semi-open feel to it.

Engaging with the Senses

The experience centre engages with the visitors viscerally, engaging multiple senses and building a stronger, more impactful connection to the visitor. By making use of Mixed-Reality, visitors can embark on a project that enables them to learn, discover, wonder, interpret and reinterpret the project at their own pace and choosing. By layering physical interaction with augmented-reality content, the customer experience centre is a unique and unforgettable experience that allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in Kekarav, and what living there will be like!

Project Details

About the Firm

The Blank Slate is a collaborative design practice that focuses on Architecture, Interior and Urban Design. TBS strongly believes that architecture is a symphony of aesthetics, function and form. With each project the studio strives to not just embrace but challenge traditional methodologies of design and built typology and reinterprets traditional architecture and urbanism in the contemporary context of modern India. The firm has completed projects of various scales ranging from residential and corporate interiors to retail showrooms, private villas and master planning schemes.

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