When a space must do more than support operations—when it must shape culture, drive transformation, and amplify innovation—it ceases to be just a workplace. For HNI Global Business Service Centre (GBSC) in Pune, the ask was never about square footage.It was about unlocking potential.

As a Global Capability Center (GCC) at the heart of HNI’s global business ecosystem, the brief was bold: To build a space that could attract the best talent, evolve enterprise capability, fast-track innovation, and scale in step with global ambitions. But this vision came with a paradox: How do you create an environment that feels singular yet serves many—a showroom, a lab, a creative studio, and a cultural touchstone— without compromising utility or diluting identity?

In partnership with Space Matrix, HNI GBSC set out not just to solve this paradox—but to turn it into a design philosophy. The unifying idea: brand narrative, innovation intent, and human connection. This wasn’t just a design concept. It was a statement of how HNI sees its GCC: not a support function, but a core enabler of growth and transformation.

Layer One: A Threshold that Signals Purpose

From the very first step inside, the space signals its intent. The Grey Armani marble arrival zone, flanked by a transparent façade etched with HNI's signature furniture graphics, sets a tone of quiet authority and precision.

At its core: the Exploded Chair Installation— an artful deconstruction of product as metaphor. Months of R&D culminated in a centrepiece that isn’t just aesthetic—it embodies the GCC’s mission: to deconstruct, reimagine, and rebuild what the workplace can be.

For the talent walking in, it’s a first glimpse into a culture where design thinking meets engineering rigour. For global teams, it’s a promise that transformation starts here.

Layer Two: Brand Experience as Business Capability

Unlike traditional offices that display brand artifacts, this space allows people to experience the brand as space—each zone a living representation of HNI’s portfolio and mindset:

Gunlocke, visible through a narrow corridor, tells a story of quiet mastery—an invitation to deep focus and craft.

Allsteel, positioned for visibility near key collaboration nodes, becomes a conduit for real-time exchange and agile decisions.

HBF, precisely mirrored from its render, proves that intentional luxury can be delivered with operational precision.

These aren't just stylistic choices—they’re strategic placements that mirror how a modern GCC orchestrates talent, workflow, and brand fluency.

Layer Three: Spatial Intelligence that Enables Movement

Faced with a linear site plan, Space Matrix flipped the script. Rather than filling the floorplate with static desk layouts, they introduced collaboration zones—colour-coded, evenly spaced, and intuitively positioned.

These zones serve as both destinations and connectors, enabling casual collisions, encouraging idea flow, and breaking down silos that so often hinder cross-functional GCCs.

The result? A workplace that doesn't just support productivity—it orchestrates it, creating rhythms of interaction and independence across every function.

Layer Four: Innovation Made Visible

Too often in capability centers, the most innovative work happens behind closed doors. Here, it’s placed front and center.

The Material Library, anchored by a monolithic island, becomes a tactile playground where designers, engineers, and clients co-create and experiment.

The Product Testing Lab, located adjacent, allows real-time prototyping and feedback—transforming development from a pipeline to a live innovation loop.

By making these spaces visible and accessible, the design reinforces HNI GBSC’s identity not just as a GCC—but as an incubator of global innovation.

Layer Five: Subtle Architecture, Strategic Flexibility

Every element of the workspace was chosen not just for form, but for function and future-readiness.

Frameless glass partitions offer visual connectivity while preserving acoustic privacy.

The multi-angled mesh ceiling adds depth and dynamism, allowing easy integration of future tech or functional overlays.

A calming palette of light woods and white ceilings creates a refined canvas—elevating the furniture as hero, and giving teams the clarity to focus.

Beneath the surface, the workplace was designed to flex—with scalable infrastructure and modular layouts that allow HNI GBSC to evolve as enterprise needs shift.

This is more than a high-performing workplace—it’s a strategic enabler of HNI’s enterprise agenda. The space redefines what a GCC can be: a talent magnet, an innovation engine, a cultural hub, a capability accelerator, and a scalable model.

HNI no longer sees this as just a space—it’s a nucleus for capability, a theatre for storytelling, and a stage for enterprise evolution. The project’s impact wasn’t just internal. It was celebrated on a larger stage—winning Best Commercial Project of the Year at the 16th Realty+ Conclave & Excellence Awards. But beyond accolades, the true success lies in how the space continues to perform—as a living expression of HNI’s brand and a powerhouse of global capability.