The gallery is placed in the retail arcade at The Oberoi, Gurugram, overlooking a stunning 36,000 sq.ft reflection pool, with a 15 ft high floor-to-ceiling picture window that lines the corridor of the arcade to let in plenty of natural light. The high ceiling further accentuates the sense of space and serenity, creating a mood just right for some pleasant pampering.
The facade of the gallery distinguishes itself from its neighbours with a glass and gold-striped transparent screen, subtly accentuating its verticality. The entrance is nested with intimate, red-carpeted seating on either side, inviting the passer-by to refuge into the space. Piercing through this harmonic facade is a gold-finished steel beam wearing the word ‘Trump’ that appears to almost float. The glass screen is flanked with a layer of opaque white curtains and sheer drapes that veil the interior space to create a seamless white canvas whenever required.
Colours like White, Gold and Charcoal set the mood of the space, sprinkled with elements in wood, fabric, metal and leather, thereby creating an experience that is simple yet stylish. The volume at the rear half splits itself to contain the lounge on the ground level and the office and conference space at the mezzanine level, overlooking the double-height exhibition gallery in front.
The exhibition space has been conceptualized as a ‘White box’. A mere void realized via a white-walled double-height volume with a floor of natural Grey Oak planks arranged in a fishbone pattern. The focus of this seamless expanse of white is a large model stationed at the centre of the space with a series of display panels depicting the timeline of the company. The exhibition space is an outcome of tactful design that conceals all the services to put forth a plain, three-dimensional canvas jewelled with a delicate yet iconic Moooi chandelier constructing an ambience that is intriguing and introspective at the same time.
Caved under the mezzanine is a space clad in charcoal-hued fabric, defined by gold bands at the joints, to be used as a lounge. The Grey Oak of the gallery spreads further into this area, organized in a straight-planked fashion. The aura of the lounge can be described as exclusive and cave-like, actualized through the variation in scale and proportion and the dark-coloured palette. The decor is minimal yet opulent, with tan leather upholstered furniture that adds a hint of warmth and cosiness to the experience.
The passage adjacent to the lounge terminates at a staircase with a pantry housed beneath the soffit space. On proceeding upstairs, one arrives at the office space ending with a 260 sq ft large conference room overlooking the exhibition space on the lower level. This visual conflict is screened through a series of elegantly pleated frosted fabric panels encased in gold-finished metal. The conference room manifests a decor similar to that of the lounge, complete with charcoal fabric walls. It houses a 9-seater black conference table with a central stile, surrounded with nude leather chairs with black legs complimenting the table.
The Trump Gallery is an experience that is bold yet modest, minimal yet stirring. It uses a neutral shell and a handful of iconic features and contrasting elements to create an everlasting impression of the space.
