Values in Action: A Unique Design Experience

Via Design India LLP's Innovative Approach to Brand Communication

At the heart of every organization are its values, the guiding principles that align the vision with the everyday actions of its people. For Via Design India LLP, these values became the core driver of design for their project, Values in Action. Instead of relying on environmental graphics for brand communication, the design team drew inspiration from the construction of the brand logo itself, incorporating it into the design of the space.

The project brief was divided into two distinct functions: a Training Academy and a Brand Experience Centre. A series of movable colored glass panels were used to mimic the overlaid transparency of the client’s logo. These panels serve a dual purpose. Functionally, they can be used to subdivide the space to create different settings. Symbolically, they serve as a manifestation of the brand values, allowing users to physically interact with and change the space itself.

The realization of this design was not without its challenges. The main technical hurdle was the execution of the embossed text feature wall. The final product was built with multiple layers of CNC cut MDF tiles, finished with a simple coat of eggshell finish emulsion paint. This was achieved after creating multiple mock-ups, starting from computer-simulated 3D blocks, paper models, and full-scale alphabet mocks to identify the nodes for the text.

The space planning is fairly simple with the arrival/plenary hall bridging the two functions. The plenary hall, with its exposed ceilings, rough oak wood paneling, and concrete floors, displays a sparse sensibility which contrasts against the gloss of colored glass panels. The client experience center is accessed via an enclosed passageway with the message “Re-imagine the possible” spelled out in laser cut metal panels, releasing visitors into a warm and inviting hospitality space.

The project commenced in July 2018 and finished in September 2018 in Gurugram, Delhi NCR, India. The design process involved extensive consultations with the client, from design program development to ideating on the visual vocabulary for the project. The client agreed to eschew environmental graphics in favor of architectural design elements to convey the brand in a more subtle way, paving the way for the design as it stands today.

The design was awarded Golden in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2019. This accolade is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. They are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.