HOVER SPACE Extension to the KLE Society Head Office / Thirdspace Architecture Studio

Could an existing structure be extended without really disturbing it or even barely touching it? How can the new negotiate with the old so that each retains their own identity and yet are cohesive together? These were among the many questions we asked ourselves when a reputed educational charity institution needed additional space for their 50-year-old, two-story corporate office. The existing office, though nondescript, was nevertheless a space that had significance to the Institution’s collective memory, and it was sought to be retained out of a sense of historicity. The offices were always bustling with activity and had undergone a mid-life retrofit, so any addition to the top would have to be done in a manner that did not disturb or disrupt the workings of the office. Therefore the challenge was to intervene in a manner that the existing office would not be affected in its functioning nor would its interiors be damaged through intrusive structural works.