Indian architecture practice Iksoi Studio has converted a former family-run factory into its own headquarters, drawing inspiration from memory, heritage, and local materials. Named Mana, the 186-square-metre project is located in Ahmedabad’s industrial zone, where siblings Dhawal and Mansi Mistry reimagined their father’s former power loom unit into a contemplative architectural workspace.
The site, which had sat unused since its closure in 2009, was passed down through the Mistry family. It originally produced spare parts for textile machinery. Iksoi Studio’s design retains the two existing structures—a boundary-edge linear block and a central hall—now repurposed as a design studio and warehouse, respectively.
Memories in brick and stone
The project’s name, Mana, is a tribute to the family’s pet dog, who is buried beneath one of the compound’s trees. The transformation is as emotional as it is spatial.
“The design inspiration is drawn from memories, familiar forms, and emotional attachments of the past,” explains Mansi Mistry, now a partner at Studio Saransh, who co-led the project while at Iksoi Studio.
The architects raised the level of the central courtyard, giving the appearance of the original structures being partially sunken into the landscape. Meanwhile, what were once the factory’s large industrial doors have been replaced with arched windows, offering views into the calm workspaces while retaining a sense of the site’s industrial legacy.
Colour, texture, and reuse
A bold material intervention defines the project’s visual identity. The existing grey factory walls—weathered and marked with age—were coated with lime plaster and finished in a soft muted pink, blending cement and lime for a textured, earthy surface.
Inside, the elongated layout of the former machine hall was broken up with arched doorways, dividing the space into intimate work cubicles. At one end, the principal architect’s office faces a private courtyard, creating a tranquil and focused workspace.
Throughout the site, local stone plays a key role: granite slabs were laid indoors, while cobbled limestone was used in the outdoor areas. Much of this material was sourced or processed next door, lending another layer of site-specific sustainability.
Cultural cues and crafted elements
In a subtle nod to Gujarat’s maritime industry, original Danish mid-century chairs were salvaged from Alang, the state’s well-known ship-breaking yard. Playful gargoyles and sculptural accents are discreetly positioned around the site, designed to evoke a sense of curiosity and mystique.
Mana was completed in 2024, marking one of the final projects of Iksoi Studio founder Dhawal Mistry, who tragically passed away at the age of 40 last year.
“The project continues this journey of carrying nostalgia by holding Dhawal’s presence; not in a literal sense, but through atmosphere,” reflects Mansi.
She is now overseeing the completion of three more designs by her late brother, continuing his legacy in built form.
Iksoi Studio is known for adaptive reuse projects, including a PPE factory built on a defunct textile mill. The practice’s work often highlights material honesty and contextual sensitivity, qualities also seen in recent projects by contemporaries such as Studio Saransh and Vastu Shilpa Consultants in Ahmedabad