While industry leaders demand for long working hours, this office offers a fresh take with thoughtful outdoor spaces

Office spaces are often defined by uninspired, industrial aesthetics—endless rows of cubicles, glaring fluorescent lights and austere décor. It’s easy to become desensitized to the potential for beauty in these environments where we spend so much of our time. And with the demands for extended work hours becoming an accepted norm, the line between work and well-being often blurs. Yet, some places are challenging these notions by putting well-being at the forefront. Kiasma Studio, alongside Aamir and Hameeda Sharma’s latest project, a 2,000 sq ft experiential outdoor space for KEUS is redefining the conventional office.

A prompt welcome by a prickly cactus thicket, its angular forms clashing with the supple, tactile warmth of the wooden portico that stretches beyond. The contrast is pronounced—primal yet polished, mechanical yet natural—and it instills an instant tension. Each plant, each material, seems intentional, yet unstudied, as if it has emerged organically from the land rather than being forced upon it. The entryway entices one to unravel the duality of the space ahead, where contradictions will persist in shaping the journey.

Beyond this first threshold, one’s gaze is irresistibly drawn to the central courtyard, where placidness is distilled into an arid, yet evocative landscape. The polished obsidian granite serves as a liquid mirror, reflecting the sky above and the elaborate waltz of the neem tree. It conjures the sensation of water without actually being water. The surface, though static, pulses with life through its reflections, capturing the fleeting essence of the world around it. The courtyard lures one into stillness.

To the right of the central courtyard lies the first of the project’s many intimate enclaves. The corten steel walls, with their organic, serpentine curves, form a tactile boundary, offering both protection and space to breathe. As light filters through the surrounding trees, the walls take on a life of their own, shifting and changing, casting shadows that feel almost cinematic. The interplay of light, steel and foliage creates an atmosphere that is meditative.

In the backyard, the careful orchestration of corten steel, lush vegetation and water almost blocks the noise of the outside world (both literally and metaphorically). The quiet murmur of the water gently masks the sounds of traffic and life beyond the property’s walls. The dense canopy of trees at the rear of the yard forms a near-impenetrable barrier, enveloping the space in a sense of seclusion.

At night the KEUS lighting, a hallmark of the owner’s expertise, brightens up the space. “We enjoyed designing the backyard, working through Vastu challenges. There is something ethereal about water, metal and cactus for us” says Ar. Sowmya Lakhamraju from Kiasma Studio.

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The ask: “An experiential outdoor space that would act as a dynamic stage for demonstrating their automation and lighting solutions. The goal was to craft a contemporary outdoor setting with lush greenery, feature walls and water elements that would demonstrate the transformative power of lighting in exterior spaces,” says Sowmya.

80% of your day shouldn’t be spent in spaces that fail to inspire or engage. The environment we work in impacts more than just our productivity—it affects how we feel and think. This office shows how a well-designed outdoor space can change that. It proves that workspaces can be more than just places to get the job done.

FACT FILE:

Name of the project: KEUS

Firm Name: Kiasma Studio

Design Team and Designation: Designed by architect Sowmya Lakhamraju and senior associate architect Satya Prasad from Kiasma Studio, alongside Aamir and Hameeda Sharma

Location of the project: Hyderabad, Telangana

Area: 2,000 sq ft

Photo courtesy: Vivek Eadara