Hoverspace / Thirdspace Architecture Studio

Architects: Thirdspace Architecture Studio
Area: 1,200 m²
Year: 2020
Photography: Andre J Fanthome, Suryan and Dang
Lead Architects: Praveen Bavadekar, Namrata Betigiri
Design Lead: Praveen Bavadekar
Structural Engineering: D. L. Kulkarni & Associates, Belagavi
Client: KLE Society
City: Belagavi
Country: India

Hoverspace, designed by Thirdspace Architecture Studio, expands the headquarters of the KLE Society in Belagavi through a restrained yet transformative architectural gesture. Conceived as a hovering structure above the existing two-story office, the project balances structural ingenuity with cultural sensitivity. Supported by only eight cylindrical columns, the new volume lightly touches the ground, allowing uninterrupted operations within the existing building. Wrapped in a verandah that moderates sunlight and fosters social interaction, the design integrates contextual, climatic, and institutional considerations into a singular architectural expression. By bridging history and contemporaneity, Hoverspace redefines the organization’s identity while preserving the character and memory of its long-standing campus.

Hover space / thirdspace architecture studio

Hoverspace began as an inquiry into whether an expansion could honor the integrity of the original building while introducing a forward-looking presence. The architects faced the dual challenge of adding space without disruption and asserting a new identity without erasure. The solution evolved into a distinct yet harmonious composition that both hovers above and converses with the existing structure, symbolizing continuity and renewal within the historic educational campus.

Situated along a prominent arterial road in Belagavi, the site demanded a design that would serve not merely as an office extension but as a civic marker. The campus, with its century-old buildings and extensive tree cover, appeared introspective and enclosed. Hoverspace, occupying this strategic edge, transformed the interface between city and institution, creating a visible, contemporary frontage that signified the evolution of the KLE Society while maintaining respect for its past.

The architectural response rested on three principles: minimal structural intrusion, contextual adaptation, and uninterrupted function. By lifting the new program above the existing office, the design preserved the ground plane and avoided structural interference. The floating mass, shaped as an inverted L, anchors to the ground through a vertical circulation block while projecting horizontally over the older structure and the sports ground, producing a striking visual equilibrium.

A continuous verandah envelops the office volume, inspired by the regional tradition of shaded outdoor corridors. This element mediates between interior and exterior, creating a climatic buffer that tempers heat and monsoon rain. The verandah doubles as an informal social space, extending work areas into semi-open zones framed by deep-red trusses and layers of aluminum screens, sliding doors, and vegetation that soften the light and enhance privacy.

Inside, the spatial arrangement emphasizes openness and clarity. A central circulation spine beneath exposed trusses organizes the office, connecting the chairman’s chamber, private offices, meeting rooms, and open work areas. Natural light enters through clerestory openings and large glazed surfaces, reducing dependence on artificial illumination. The restrained palette of white walls, bright accents, and abundant greenery enhances the sense of calm and focus.

The glass elevator linking the old and new structures reinterprets vertical movement as a moment of reflection. Positioned to overlook the sports ground, it offers shifting views of the campus as occupants transition between levels. The terrace of the existing building serves as an intermediary landscape—part garden, part gathering area—where the organization’s heritage and its new architectural language intersect.

This interstitial terrace also becomes a symbolic and functional hinge between eras. Accessible through both a conventional staircase and a sculptural circular stair, it fosters interaction and provides a break from enclosed office spaces. The juxtaposition of the solid base and the hovering addition above creates a dialogue of weight and lightness, of rootedness and aspiration, that defines the building’s character.

From the street, Hoverspace reads as a linear, screened volume—reserved yet expressive. Its subtle presence amid foliage integrates the new structure into the larger campus ensemble while establishing it as a contemporary marker. As a threshold between the city and the academic precinct, it embodies both institutional dignity and architectural modernity.

In its synthesis of structure, light, and context, Hoverspace demonstrates how an addition can transcend utility to become a statement of identity. It neither mimics nor negates what existed before but amplifies its significance through contrast and restraint. Thirdspace Architecture Studio’s intervention exemplifies a thoughtful approach to adaptive expansion, proving that renewal and respect can coexist within the same architectural frame.

Hoverspace ultimately redefines what an institutional extension can achieve in a heritage setting. By combining technical precision with contextual empathy, it preserves continuity while projecting confidence, ensuring that the KLE Society’s headquarters remains both a custodian of history and a beacon for its evolving future.