Dongle Desk
Architecture
Context
Designing a co-working environment requires more than accommodating desks and shared infrastructure. The space must support different ways of working while remaining adaptable over time.
This project draws from direct experience of both designing and using office environments. The intent was to create a workspace that feels open yet defined, allowing collaboration, movement, and moments of focused work to coexist within a single framework.
Design Approach
The material strategy is rooted in restraint. Walls and ceilings are finished in natural plaster, allowing the structure to remain visible and reducing the need for applied finishes. This creates a tactile and grounded interior language.
To introduce variation within this palette, the ceilings are articulated with a ribbed profile that adds depth and creates subtle shadow lines across the space. Select colour accents are introduced to differentiate zones without disrupting the overall cohesion.
Upcycled elements such as existing railing grills are reused within the design, reinforcing a resource-conscious approach. Along the southern edge, a terracotta jali wall acts as a passive shading device, filtering light and reducing heat gain while maintaining ventilation.
Spatial Experience
The workspace is organised as a series of interconnected zones that support both collaborative and individual work. Open work areas are balanced with quieter pockets and breakout spaces, allowing users to shift between different modes of work.
Filtered light from the jali wall moves across the interiors through the day, adding a dynamic layer to the otherwise restrained material palette.
