How culture and creativity drive people-centric design focus

Design is not just about aesthetics, it’s about people. It involves comprehending and resolving a client’s issues, approaching the challenge from the inside out. Ultimately, it’s about earning their trust as a valued consultant.

Image: Adrianse Project (Singapore)

At Adrianse, we believe in exactly this approach; we are all about creating designs that put people first. Employees are recognised as the most valuable asset, and their growth and development are key to providing clients with spaces that deliver personalisation, enhance productivity and keep the people who use them happy.

The underlying philosophy at Adrianse is that creating meaningful relationships with clients is just as important as creating beautiful designs. Deepak Nagraj, one of our directors, puts it succinctly, ‘We’re in the business of making connections, and we do it through thoughtful, people-centric design.’

Adventure seekers

The fact that our founders are a bunch of adventure seekers, whether in their entrepreneurial pursuits or passionate hobbies outside of work, has undoubtedly influenced our business approach. It reflects in our recruitment strategy which seeks out kindred spirits that can be nurtured and empowered to soar within a supportive ecosystem. As such, Adrianse is made up of diverse and forward-thinking individuals who are thoughtfully recruited from disparate backgrounds.

Image: Adrianse Group

We recognise that an inclusive workforce constantly pushes the boundaries of what is possible, given the right environment and motivation – a thought process that is powered by the Adrianse Advance program. ‘It is extremely important to us that our design process takes consideration of our local cultural contexts and we deliver offbeat and effective designs with a global perspective,’ says PS Kochar, Director.

Cultural excursions

Image: Team Building at Hampi

On occasion, the entirety of the organisation, regardless of rank or designation, embarks upon a cultural excursion, with the dual purpose of fostering camaraderie and expanding their horizons. Giving our designers exposure to unique and immersive experiences through culture and art ensures they are consistently creative and innovative.

Image: Team at Kochi Biennale

Be it an off-site to Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site resplendent in ancient architecture, or a trip to Kerala to attend the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, a convention for artists, musicians and other creatives exhibiting contemporary art from around the world, the exposure to such deep, subliminal experiences infuses creative processes with new ideas, contexts and inspiration, resulting in design that is thoughtfully original.

The seeking of inspiration in art and architecture in particular, and life in general, helps us understand the core value of clients and keeps design true to their needs.

Multi-disciplinary approach

Our commitment to employees reflects in our relationships with our clients. By creating an environment where employees feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work, we are able to provide human-centric and future-ready workspaces, data centres, and healthcare spaces to our clients. We use a multi-disciplinary approach that combines research, strategy, design, and technology to provide pioneering and progressive solutions that are sustainable and achieved with the most efficient use of resources, both animate and inanimate.

Our use of avant-garde technology enables seamless collaboration and efficient workflow, obviating the need for in-person meetings or printed design materials, even for on-site personnel. As evidence of its effectiveness, one of our most triumphant undertakings was accomplished during the pandemic for an IT giant in Singapore, with cross-functional teams from Europe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and India working on it in sync.