RETALIA By DB Studios

Facing a lush greenbelt of a busy double road, this modern building is located on a corner plot in a busy commercial area of one of the oldest sectors of Islamabad. The structure is designed as a mix-use building with the retail section in the front and the corporate halls partially in the rear.
An important feature of the design is total segregation of both their circulations maintaining a smooth flow of both activities while sharing a single roof. This volume is punctured by the corporate entrance; which has its walls designed diagonally at such angles that they invite the user in, becoming a natural path to the inside of the building. The corporate zones enjoy pleasing views; while greenery punctuates the structure at the third and top floor offering an attractive open-air environment for offices in the form of the terrace and a roof garden.

The retail units are also designed from the practicality point of view as they get a maximum area for visual merchandising on all designated floors. Contrary to expectation the interior is bright in such a way that all floors get ample natural light as the sunrays sliver through all floors through a cleverly designed skylight. A very basic contrast in textures makes the building unique.

The glass on the North face is to assist displays of retail units while structurally it projects out as a cube, creating a certain juxtaposition of masses. Lifts shafts are methodically exposed, using them as part of the form. At first sight, the building’s proportions and scale combine to give it a visual simplicity that is rare in other corporate/retail buildings of the city. Adding class to the building façade is the striking white polished surface that stretches from bottom to top, the building stands tall as a bold statement. The final product provides design solutions for all the challenges laid out before the project’s initiation. The outcome is a play of solid and negative space that effortlessly wraps function within it.

Undertaking

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