Architecture + Design

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The theme, aesthetically curated with dark green and cane work accentuated with golden details and a concealed wine bar, is not only functionally designed but it also becomes a welcome card to the rest of the space. features encourage customers to explore the space. A small entrance leads to the winery with wine bottles integrated into shelving alongside the long fluted bar. Amidst the wine bar, a community table is clad in green stone and accompanied by high chairs. Approaching the design through locally sourced materials, the entire space reflects Udaipur green stone with fluted members. One can spot nuances of Madagascar green and pale green with contrasting salmon colour seating that adds a not so subtle quirk to the scheme. The furniture and pendant lights were coordinated to reflect natural cane and fabric with dull gold accents in the form of traditional switch boards and wall lights. The ceiling forms the rest of the elemental nature of the restaurant through mouldings repeated in the entire span of the space. Maintaining the monochrome interior ensured the integrity of the space and reduced visual noise without shifting any highlighted details. The theme, aesthetically curated with dark green and cane work accentuated with golden details and a concealed wine bar, is not only functionally designed but it also becomes a welcome card to the rest of the space. Photo credit: Niveditaa Gupta FACTFILE Category: Restaurant and Bar Interiors (Hospitality) Clients: Kavish Khurana, Shruti Khurana Design Team: Sanjay Arora - Founder Principal Architect; Sanchit Arora - Principal Architect & Concept Design Head; Vandana Arora - Interior Designer & Decor Head; Virender Singh - Studio Technical Head; Jagdish Bangari - Architect / Graphics; Anushka Arora - Architect / Text; Akarsh Varma - Architect; Aayush Misra - Architect; Tarun Tyagi - Architect; Prityaanshi Agarwal - Architect; Janhvi Ambhurkar - Architect Built Up Area: 1,500 sq ft Lighting: IndiHaus Lighting, Nikita Jain Branding: Akshita Jain Year of completion: 2020-2021 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 51

Architecture for Hospitality

AN ODE TO LUCKNOW Project: Levana Rooftop Restaurant, Lucknow; Architects: 42MM Architecture This rooftop restaurant designed by 42MM Architects stands in reverence to the Mughal and French architectural heritage of Lucknow. ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 53

The project is a rooftop restaurant located in Hazratgunj, which is a 200-year-old market street in the heart of the city. It is one of the most contextually opulent city zones. The site is induced with layers of contextuality that Lucknow bears. Through time, the city has been embellished with Mughal and French architecture ornamenting it in its respective eras. While investigating the different iconic structures, the architects consciously brought the elements and style of a French structure, commonly known as the Lucknow Residency, onto the site. This added a layer of singularity and set the tone for the aesthetics as well as the structural characteristics like the imposing metal structure, vintage industrial joinery details, venerable and distressed skeleton. The terrace is planned inwards. It looks into an open courtyard that features a monumental truss. The restaurant sits as a backdrop to a 30’ high wall that gives a perception of a restored structure. The wall is brick cladded and held together with imposing metallic columns and tie bars. It gives a perception of an old structure that has been restored with metal and hence has withstood the test of time. Forty percent of the terrace is covered to create an air-conditioned space. However, the openness and transparency of the site are kept intact with the 54 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

The terrace is planned inwards. It looks into an open courtyard that features a monumental truss. The restaurant sits as a backdrop to a 30ft high wall that gives a perception of a restored structure. ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 55

A wall in the reception area mimics an existing structure of the Lucknow Residency. The distressed and broken look is used to draw a literal inference from the structure. The upper deck features a wood-fired oven. The intent was to frame a work area and open it as a visual treat to the visitors. 56 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

extensive use of glass. The detailing in the glass and metal features French industrial era influences. One of the striking elements is the floating glass box with a glass roof. This feature is the convertible dance floor of the restaurant. The dance floor is aligned with a large bar area that features a rustic wooden skeleton. The bar is clad with logs of charred wood, embellished with metallic buckles. The storage is made up of classic metal and glass that flaunts the joinery of the French industrial era. The adjoining dining areas feature rustic brick-clad walls that are restored with a metal mesh detail on top, to create the perception of restoration. The porous metallic screen detailed with industrial sensibility creates a partition between the dance floor and the dining area. A wall in the reception area mimics an existing structure of the Lucknow Residency. The distressed and broken look is used to draw a literal inference from the structure. The material palette is largely composed of brick tiles, metal, wood and concrete. The lights are carefully curated to complement the industrial touch. A conscious layer of green is superimposed to balance the visual weight of metal and bricks. The restaurant, from the outside, overlooks the dense city fabric and its iconic structures. From the inside, it exhibits the heritage and legacy of the city’s architectural history. Photo credit: Ravi Kanade FACTFILE Area: 6500sq ft Year of completion: 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 57

Architecture for Hospitality AN ELEVATED CLUB EXPERIENCE Project: PVR HOME, Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi; Architects: DesignEx Studio, Noida An amalgamation of class and magnificence, the exclusive HOME in South Delhi has been designed for an elite clientele who value modish and opulent aesthetics 58 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

Amembers-only club, HOME is named so with the tropical-themed blush bar, a colonial dining setup, intent of providing its distinguished patrons with and a pompous music lounge. Advancing further an atmosphere of comfort and luxury reminiscent towards the upper strata, a stairway with a minimalist of their own drawing rooms, where they can entertain balustrade design leads the individual into a domain and enjoy with their family and friends. The essence of that may be crowned as the epitome of graceful home can be felt from initiation to culmination, owing opulence. The phyllotaxy of natural materials like to the journey it takes the user on. It presents its crux wood and bushes have been mimicked in the soft as a fine blend of genres that have been adapted from furnishing patterns, creating a harmonious synthesis around the world, with sprinkles of relatability instilled of textures and tranquil colours. Encompassing as per the name suggests. saleable artworks that portray jubilance, the place exhibits an extraordinary style statement Casting an impression of a snug habitat, the highlighted through vital components such as vintage design is laid out to invoke a variety of experiences, showpieces, a set of Elkington candlesticks, a ranging from a den representing a reading corner, a ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 59

sequence of planters sheathed with a mirror back that grants an interminable look to the space. The entrance area leads to a lounge, the Den, which wraps in itself an epitome of class. Its library roots a long-lasting impression in the visitor’s mind. The theme of the place is contemporary, but with added elements from modern concepts like seating with striped patterns and a centrally-located atypical coffee table. The place maintains the intrigue of the patron with the furniture serving as an assortment of colourful hues from all over the world. A very uniquely designed door here that imitates a bookshelf, opens up to a distinctive expanse that cannot be envisaged by the patron. The city lacks a space that can provide entertainment along with an exquisite dining experience and PVR wanted to provide this to their niche clientele. The prime concept behind including a music lounge area was the client’s inclination towards the melodious realm. Thus, a double-heighted space with cove lighting was introduced. The performance stage was conceptualised with a bold red curtain, symbolic of the classy character that the entire layout poses. Tending to curate an interactive scheme, limited sofa seating has been provided just below the stage, encouraging the audience to be an integral aspect of the live performance. The entertainment of the guests was of paramount importance and thus the stage was born. The music lounge and stage was an inspired idea 60 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

The essence of home can be felt from initiation to culmination, owing to the journey it takes the user on. It presents its crux as a fine blend of genres that have been adapted from around the world, with sprinkles of relatability instilled as the name suggests. AR SMRITI RAHEJA SAWHNEY Founder, DesignEX Ar. Smriti Sawhney was brought up in an architectural household. Her journey towards the architectural destiny started at TVB School of Habitat Studies where she learnt the intricacies of the built world. Tutored under practically oriented professors, her perspective about the thriving market scenario became distinct and definitive. She started off her career in Citadel India, offering online design research and solutions back in the 2000s. With her eyes set on making Indian architectural prowess, in 2001 she started her architectural firm naming it DesignEX - an amalgamation of design and execution. ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 61

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from jazz clubs of Europe that played host to artists from various genres the world over. Moving inside to the dining area, the design scheme brings to the fore an offbeat theme that narrates the story of a land far away. The walls are reminiscent of old British colonial homes with moulded panels and artworks bestowing an artistic feel all around. The low ceiling height being a crucial challenge was overcome by designing low height furniture, thus imparting an illusion of height. The painstakingly detailed ceiling and engineered wood flooring adds up to the disposition of the area. To further amplify the magnificence that is imparted by the music lounge, the adjacent bar is decked in ambient lighting, lending the requisite euphoric ambience. The bar complements the music, with cocktails mimicking the variety and genres of music. Stepping out of the dining area, a vestibule consisting of stained-glass wall and wooden panelling leads the patron to the washroom area on the right. Bold colour palettes signify metropolitan masculinity, and hence have been utilized to formulate the design of the Male washroom. Black and gold dominate the style of the private arena dedicated to them, whereas blush tones have been chosen for the female washroom, with an added oomph of glow for a feminine touch. The wallpaper by De Gournay of France perfectly sets the tropical ambience with a fresh blush backdrop. On the left of the vestibule is an exclusive lift lobby impersonating the entrance of a beautiful residence, modelling a London walk-up apartment. Black and white stone patterned flooring, green simplified casino chairs, tropical wallpaper from Ananbo vocalizes the style statement of the space. A stunning chandelier from Mud Studio in South Africa dangles from the ceiling. The area is cladded with mirrors, giving the space an infinite look, and adding a subtle yet exclusive ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 63

The divergent spaces have been introduced with varied yet apt lighting schemes. An amalgamation of dim and focused lighting has been utilised in the dining and bar zones, with the latter being used only on vertical interfaces to accentuate the exemplary pieces of art or wall décor. 64 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

persona to the entry. A carpeted staircase here leads up to the terrace. Al fresco dining on the terrace invites users to a lush, fresh and vibrant ambience enhanced with a fancy chic character. Contrary to the enclosed spaces, the terrace houses arched windows and dashes of green with profound usage of wooden pergolas, supplementing the existing environment with an added essence of vitality. The divergent spaces have been introduced with varied yet apt lighting schemes. An amalgamation of dim and focused lighting has been utilized in the dining and bar zones, with the latter being used only on vertical interfaces to accentuate the exemplary pieces of art or wall décor. Contrary to this scheme, the bar on the terrace hosts a shower of glistening jar lights that render it a spectacular panorama, in congruence with the enveloping greens. The landscape design, observed as a part of the terrace floor design, aims to infuse connectivity between the built environment, the users and the natural environment around us. With vertical planters as well as potted assets along the line of the walkway, the design makes a conscious effort to unveil the sustainable aspect of the structure. The presence of Spitalfields orangery, terrazzo Firenze & Spitalfields Toynbee, adds to the dynamism that the space stands for. The furniture pieces range from contemporary to colonial, depending on the defined experience that the space has to offer. While a few of the bar stools and chairs were imported from Soane London, all sofas and tables incorporated in the Den and Sapphire (music lounge) were designed by the in-house production of DesignEx. While the walls pertain primarily to white tones, colour is infused into the scenario through the furnishing incorporated. Rounded up to a total of 110 in number, the seating varies in configuration from booth style to segregated high chair set-up, in variant shades, complying with the prevalent palette of the space. For instance, the dining, adjacent to the music lounge, utilizes a splurge of mustard and vibrant blue furnishings, while the bar comprises smart cherry stools in a tropical theme. HOME is an amalgamation of class and magnificence worth savouring. Possessed with a character of style and worldliness, this place is designed for an elite and well-travelled gentry, who has had exposure and who value modishness and comfort. HOME, thus, not only offers a space to delve into an anomalous setting but also confers its users with an opportunity to experience a cacophony of essences, executed through this ostentatious design. FACTFILE Client: Renaud Palliere, CEO, International Development PVR Principal Architect & Interior Designer: Smriti Raheja Sawhney Interior Design Team: Smriti Raheja Sawhney and Tanya Chutani Built Up Area: 4,025 sq ft Year of Completion: 2019

Architecture for Hospitality HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT Project: PCO, Mumbai; Architects: Minnie Bhatt Design, Mumbai Located in an outdoor space, PCO’s new outlet in Mumbai takes the speakeasy approach and channels it into a secret garden with lots of foliage and natural tones 66 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

One of India’s first speakeasies, the original outlet of PCO has been operational in South Delhi’s upmarket Vasant Vihar area for a few years now. Standing for ‘Pass Code Only’, it was conceptualised as a speakeasy cocktail bar with a very inconspicuous entrance without any signage. Their new outlet in Mumbai, an approximately 3,000 sq ft space in Lower Parel—a hub for restaurants and bars, is more of an outdoor space that has been visualised as a secret garden. The clients Radhika and Rakshay were very clear about the vibe they wanted for this space. Being a primarily outdoor space, it had an existing three-room structure that was used by converting one room into a kitchen, the second into the bar counter and the third into a private dining area. The designers removed the walls of the last two rooms, and replaced them with a metal grid with glass to visually open them up to the outdoors. There are two entrances here—one is from the back end of the property, where there is a phone lock to punch in the passcode to enter. Due to some legal issues though, ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 67

“Blues, greens and rusts were chosen as the colours of the upholstery, and the natural and neutral palette was maintained by retaining the existing rock walls all around.” —MINNIE BHATT, Founder and Design Director, Minnie Bhatt Design this couldn’t be used the way it was intended. Instead a wooden door now leads you through a narrow open-to-sky passage with a natural rocky wall to the left, filled with lots of plants. A green canopy has also been created in the form of an arch with planters and lights hanging from it. The passage has the kitchen structure to its right with faux colonial-style windows set into an exposed brick wall. The kitchen facade was created to resemble a colonial-style structure with wooden arches and louvres in distressed white paint. Opposite the kitchen is a couch seating with dining tables and a backdrop wall of large mirror frames, set amongst an abundance of natural greens in wall planters. The brand’s mascot is a bunny, and the designers created a gargoyle with a bunny head surrounded by an arched-shaped trellis with grapevine creepers climbing it. Outdoor tables in the central open area have marble tops and wooden and cane chairs. This seating also overlooks the PDR section, which has a facade of green painted metal and glass, with a wooden ceiling and turquoise blue chandeliers hung against a custom printed wallpaper. This section has colonial-style chairs in distressed white. The DJ station is placed next to the PDR on the 68 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN



outside; there is a cast-in concrete bench next to this serving as seating for a few dining tables. Here again, the existing black stone rocky wall was retained and filled up with lots of natural plants. The bar is a highlight of PCO—it’s an MS sheet structure with small arches cut into the metal sheets to form a larger arch on all four sides. The bar apron is in an interesting ivory and grey stone, which has a lot of character. Next to the bar, a raised patio section has been created with a flooring of diagonally-placed cement tiles and a canopy on top with creepers climbing over it. The backdrop of the patio features vintage colonial louvred doors in an antique distressed finish. PCO is separated from the other spaces next to it with a blue metal gate and divider screen. The theme of the bar is a secret garden, filled with natural finishes and lots of plants. The designers have retained as much of the charm of the space as was possible and enhanced it with various details even in the little things. Blues, greens and rusts were chosen as the colours for the upholstery, and the natural and neutral palette was maintained by retaining the existing rock walls all around. “The bar section and the PDR were the most enjoyable to design, but while the PDR didn’t pose any challenges, the bar posed many,” says Founder and Design Director, Minnie Bhatt. A glass box section had to be created for the bar apron to showcase the cocktail mixers and alcohol bottles. Designing this MINNIE BHATT, Founder and Design Director, Minnie Bhatt Design It’s been a little over two decades since Minnie Bhatt founded her eponymous design studio. Since then she has been responsible for some of the most spectacular and talked- about restaurants in Mumbai. “It started with Silver Beach Cafe and Nom Nom, and since then it has been a seamless progression from designing residential sites to designing restaurants and other commercial projects,” says the designer who is drawn to designs that endure and spaces that meld the classic with the contemporary. 70 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

“The theme of the bar is that of a secret garden, filled with natural finishes and lots of plants. We tried to retain as much of the charm of the space as was possible and enhanced it with various details even in the little things.” —MINNIE BHATT, Founder and Design Director, Minnie Bhatt Design ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 71

The bar section and the PDR were the most enjoyable to design, but while the PDR didn’t pose any challenges, the bar posed many. Besides this, we also had to conceal rolling shutters on all four sides of the bar to shut it off post operating hours. We managed to arrive at a solution, but it took a lot of thought and ingenuity to achieve it” —MINNIE BHATT Founder and Design Director, Minnie Bhatt Design took a lot of thought as the idea to do this came from the clients at a much later stage, when the bar was almost ready. “Besides this, we also had to conceal rolling shutters on all four sides of the bar to shut it off post operating hours. We managed to arrive at a solution, but it took a lot of thought and ingenuity to achieve it.” The existing rocky walls have been maintained on the periphery of the space, and natural red bricks and stone have been used for the floor, with lots of natural plants all around. 72 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

Bespoke Luxury THE MERCHANTS OF LUXURY Luxury has different connotations — it could be tangible or intangible. But whatever it is, all that matters is how it makes you feel! Luxury is no longer equated with labels, it’s a lot more profound than that. And the designers we have profiled in this section will reinforce that. We take you to the ateliers of Gunjan Gupta, JJ Valaya, Siddharth Sirohi and Sarita Honda. JJ Valaya is the undisputed king of couture, Gunjan Gupta is best known for reinventing and elevating traditional Indian crafts as modern heirlooms, Sarita Honda is a revered name when it comes to furnishings and Siddharth Sirohi advocates simplicity in design. ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 73

Bespoke Luxury GUNJAN GUPTA: REIMAGINING THE INDIA DESIGN NARRATIVE In Gunjan Gupta’s creative world, the traditional arts and crafts of India find a new meaning. INTERVIEW: SEEMA SREEDHARAN Gunjan Gupta needs no introduction. She is one of the first Indian product designers to reinvent the India design narrative and put Indian crafts, traditional art forms on the global design map. Her designs have been showcased at leading design fairs like Design Miami, Art Basel, Fuorisalone in Milan. Gunjan’s artistic interventions have led to the reinvention of traditional Indian craftsmanship, and her designs have constantly blurred the boundaries between design and art. Her works have been institutionally collected by MAD Paris, the Museum of Decorative Arts and most recently by the Vitra Design Museum in Germany. The designer describes her work as ‘a playful blend of Indian forms and rituals transformed into contemporary handmade objects having universal appeal that are functional and sculptural at the same time’. She recently launched her festive collection, IKKIS, which is all set to reinvent the art of entertaining. We go behind the scenes to understand and decipher Gupta’s design philosophy. Here’s an excerpt… A+D: What inspired you to work with Indian artisans and Indian crafts? Gunjan Gupta (GG): Indian crafts are languishing due to a lack of relevance and patronage, and in order to restore their desirability as collectible objects, one must consider the importance of contemporary design as a tool to integrate traditional Indian crafts with 21st century living. Historically, this was not the case around the 18th and 19th centuries, when Indian decorative arts found a place of prestige in the finest homes in Europe and palaces in India. A+D: How do you describe your design aesthetics? GG: My design aesthetic is inspired by India through the reimagination of traditional forms and rituals for an international audience. The creation of universal appeal and function with a strong cultural narrative lies at the core of what we do. Our main focus has been on re-engineering existing Indian product vocabularies to create a new vision and distinctive competitive value for an international audience. Being a voice in the domain of craft and design internationally is essential in repositioning craft in India today, and we adopted a non-conventional global business model, one that we knew would be slow performing in the beginning, but with the right marketing strategy, could eventually replace long-term incumbents in 74 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

Our main focus has been ‘Mudawalla’ Bicycle Throne, 2016 on re-engineering existing Indian product vocabularies ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 75 to create a new vision and distinctive competitive value for an international audience. Being a voice in the domain of craft and design internationally is essential in repositioning craft in India today.” —GUNJAN GUPTA, Founder, Wrap Art & Design the home space in India and be taken seriously as a product design brand internationally. A+D: Tell us the story behind Wrap. GG: My journey in Indian craft and design launched at 100% Design, a trade fair in London in 2006, with a trio of 24 carat gold leaf and pure silver wrapped thrones handcrafted in India, hence the name of my studio called Wrap. Wrap, in its essence, refers to the way we see objects in a new way. The thrones presented an out-of-the-box perspective on Indian handicrafts at a time when India was mostly known as a sourcing base for cheap and cheerful objects that were mass produced to cater to trends created by large international companies. Craft was considered pejorative in India too, led by foreign trends and imports, making it imperative to reframe the dialogue around the ‘made in India’ brand internationally with a focus on the originality of its design language and the quality of heritage-based crafts in order to make it attractive to Indians and design lovers all over the world.

‘Matka’ Stone Table, 2013 Luxury for me is about time—the luxury of having it 76 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN to make things that allow you to travel across time into other worlds. It’s also about timelessness, a key ingredient of luxury that spells quality and designs that last into the future.” —GUNJAN GUPTA, Founder, Wrap Art & Design A+D: Why did you feel the need to launch IKKIS? GG: Design at its core is democratic, and while the collectible design market for GG Collectibles is highly influential in its prestige, its outreach is limited to the top tier, much like the art market, due to its high price tag. I launched IKKIS, a functional and more accessible design brand in 2019 at Maison et Objet to tap a larger market with a mix of 21 objects in a vocabulary of Indian names such as ‘lota’ tiffin’, ‘chai’ stem glass and ‘matka’ jug, to name a few, marrying them with universal functions of eating, drinking and decorating. A+D: Tell us the story behind IKKIS.

GG: At IKKIS, our approach to craft embraces a larger vision for repositioning the ‘made in India’ brand involving a mix of industrial and hand manufacturing techniques through our unlimited collection of objects. Additionally, we offer a Limited Edition series of signed objects that are made in collaboration with master craftsmen, where the craft is celebrated in its pure form with the legacy of the artisan in focus, allowing the customer to buy into heritage craft without compromise. To call India a burgeoning market is an understatement. Indians today are shopping at the most expensive stores in the world. Social media and a post-COVID scenario have brought the focus on the home revealing its significance in the creation of identity and status for a new India. To bring Indian crafts into the home, products need to have a global agenda more so than ever, a retelling of the story, which rests strongly on the pillars of quality and design. A+D: Your designs have always been internationally acclaimed. You were one of the first designers to have put Indian design on the global map. Why do you think your designs have gained this critical appreciation? GG: The collectible design market is an elitist world that caters to the one percent of the international collector base comprising of gallerists, critics, curators and museum heads that are responsible for shaping tastes and influencing ideologies that last well into the future with the power to place objects in the most prestigious private homes and institutions alike. The cultural confidence of presenting Indian forms in an unconventional material palette and production technique, mixed with a long-term marketing strategy, has facilitated the inclusion of objects with a strong Indian vocabulary such as the ‘Bori Sofa’, ‘Matka stone tables’ and the ‘Bicycle Wallah Thrones’ into this primary design universe. In its 15th year, GG Collectibles have found homes in leading international museums such as the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, the Vitra Design Museum in Germany and the M+ Museum in Hong Kong proving the success of this strategy. Four years later, IKKIS is shipping worldwide from India and is also available at select stores across the world with an ever-increasing global clientele that is keen to dine and entertain in IKKIS. A+D: What is your definition of luxury? GG: Luxury for me is about time—the luxury of having it to make things that allow you to travel across time into other worlds. It’s also about timelessness, a key ingredient of luxury that spells quality and designs that last into the future. A+D: What next? GG: We intend to keep focused on adding newer markets to our footprint internationally through our designs and reposition the ‘made in India’ globally as a relevant and sought-after enterprise. A+D: Tell us about the latest collection from IKKIS. GG: Our latest collection, ‘One by Two’, which means ‘Ek ka Do’, a reversal of the numbers of 21 is a reimagination of geometric rangoli patterns for the festive tablescape. Playing on the idea of abundance, the Lego like playset can create never ending patterns for entertaining. With a fresh vocabulary of forms, we are hopeful that this collection will be globally appealing owing to the proportion of the platters and their potential use, which lends itself to almost every international cuisine in the world with colours that are universally appealing. ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 77

Bespoke Luxury SARITA HANDA: ENHANCING THE INDIAN DESIGN AESTHETICS Into the world of design maestro Sarita Handa… INTERVIEW: NISHA KAPIL Sarita Handa is a well-known name in the textile and home furnishing clan. Going back 30 years, Sarita Handa was launched in 1992 as a small, single-handedly managed operation that has metamorphosed into an undisputed hallmark in luxury home design. Her creative vision and passion for textiles and art have led the eponymous brand to take the Indian design narrative on a global platform. Sarita Handa believes in minimalist and sleek designs that are personalised for every individual. She takes pride in Indian art and textile design and inspires the world with its contemporary interpretations of age-old craft techniques. Talking to Architecture+Design, Sarita Handa takes us through her vision, philosophy and journey. Here’s an excerpt. A+D: What is your design philosophy? Sarita Handa (SH): The current standard of luxury is lifestyle choices that resonate with indigenous cultures and the interconnected nature of life. The evolved avatar of luxurious décor is about sustainable practices, natural materials, traditional essence and handcrafted fabrics with indigenous craftsmanship. Our design Sarita Handa, Samarkhand Cushion Collection Founder Sarita Handa 78 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

Contemporary Linen by Sarita Handa The word ‘luxury’ is being Sarita Handa Bed Linen Collection re-defined as something that is handcrafted, indigenous and conscious of the environment. Today’s consumers are becoming conscious and mindful of resources and carbon footprint. As a brand, we have always interpreted luxury through the lens of craftsmanship and we continue to do so.” —SARITA HANDA, Founder Sarita Handa ethos is anchored in reviving traditional craftsmanship and marrying The word ‘luxury’ is being re-defined as something that is handcrafted, it with global aesthetics. indigenous and conscious of the environment. Today’s consumers are becoming conscious and mindful of resources and carbon footprint. A+D: What is your perception of luxury? As a brand, we have always interpreted luxury through the lens of SH: The word ‘luxury’ has always been seen as an indulgence. But the craftsmanship and we continue to do so. pandemic has in a way forced us to re-examine and rethink the word in the home design and décor ecosystem with a new perspective. A+D: Take us through the journey of your firm. When we speak of luxurious home décor, the focus has shifted from SH: I have always had a proclivity towards textiles and the regional buying expensive products to investing in designs that are timeless. diversity they represent. The innate curiosity to know and explore ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 79

Contemporary Linen by Sarita Handa Contemporary Linen by Sarita Handa The artisan and craft have always been at the centre of our design 80 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN ethos and we will continue to support and nurture our artisans and Indian craftsmanship. In addition, we are equally sensitised towards the delicate natural balance of our environment, and the need to not take its resilience for granted.” —SARITA HANDA, Founder Sarita Handa more about India’s reservoirs of textile history came true when I travelled the length and breadth of the country with my husband, who was an army officer. Whenever we moved to different cities, I ensured I educated myself on the state’s or region’s ingenious textile or craft. The inquisitiveness was driven by the deep desire to know and learn about textiles. At that time, I had no idea I would be founding the eponymous label one day. One of the encouraging moments during these sojourns came in 1972, when I came across beautiful hand-

embroidered linen at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, Bed Linen Collection by Saita Handa Tamil Nadu. I brought them to Delhi and sold them to friends. I was elated because it gave me confidence. Eventually, all the learnings A+D: Nowadays people prefer personalised luxury. What approach came together in early 1992, when, after putting in two years of do you adapt as a firm and as a designer to achieve this? meticulous research, I launched Sarita Handa. At that time, I had set up SH: Minimalism and sleek designs are at the forefront of luxury a small team of a few tailors at my mother’s home in South Extension, home décor design language. Individuals are looking for investing in Delhi. It was only in 1993-94 that we moved to a rented workshop in furniture and other home accessories that stand out for their sleek Tughlakabad. Though we began as a small line, we first entered the designs. For furnishings, individuals opt for handcrafted bed linens or international market for craft-centric home furnishings and ventured cushions that not only spell comfort, but are also anchored in a design into domestic retail after a decade, in 2012. language that is universal yet rooted. A+D: What is the material palette that you like to use? SH: My love for saris has always inspired us to do a collection year after year. The saris carry an imprint of India’s cultural legacy, motifs, textile traditions, craft and techniques. Moreover, Sarita Handa is not just about designing products, it is about curating lifestyle choices. We work towards becoming the ultimate choice in home design and home styling. Besides, our best-selling embroidery designs are anchored in age-old Indian needlework techniques and hand- embroidered designs. A+D: What makes Sarita Handa—the luxury home decor brand— different from other luxury brands available in India? SH: The artisan and craft have always been at the centre of our design ethos and we will continue to support and nurture our artisans and Indian craftsmanship. In addition, we are equally sensitised towards the delicate natural balance of our environment, and the need to not take its resilience for granted. As a brand, we take a holistic approach towards sustainability and have established a company culture of conscientiousness. Contemporary Linen by Sarita Handa ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 81

Bespoke Luxury SIDDHARTH SIROHI: DESIGNING TO ENHANCE LIFE In a candid conversation with Architecture+Design, multi-hyphenate Siddharth Sirohi talks about his design philosophy and his journey so far. INTERVIEW: SEEMA SREEDHARAN Siddharth Sirohi’s tryst with design is serendipitous. Initially, explode a given question into infinitesimal possible questions as he wanted to be a scientist, but eventually he found himself we move towards its many possible solutions. One must move designing theatre sets and gradually moved on to film divergently to explode the question into as many facets as possible, production. “As far as the conventional sense of it goes, designing and when you think you’ve understood enough, implore yourself for theatre stages in college as well as helping my father build our to find a few more. Upon building a more complete understanding home was my first tryst with design. In hindsight, however, I remember of the situation, we must find ourselves viewing it for its simplicity collecting random things from our house and using them to build rather than its complexity. Simplicity always follows the path of least all kinds of things, from model homes to cars and motorcycles to sit resistance, much like water. We all know what Bruce Lee had to say in. Long afternoons were kept busy by using torches for headlights about water. Design, to me, also must rest between the confluence and cassettes to build homes, complete with bowls of inked water of reverence and irrelevance. The sweet spot that makes life worth as swimming pools,” reminisces Sirohi. The designer, who is deeply living but not so precious as to not enjoy it. influenced by mid-century modernism, feels that design must rest between the confluence of reverence and irrelevance. “It is the sweet A+D: Luxury has many different connotations. What does it mean spot that makes life worth living but not so precious so as not enjoy it.” for you? SS: Luxury to me is the ability to devote undiluted attention to a He’s not one to follow or set trends. For him, design should be given moment. The ability to taste every nuance of a bite, bite after used to enhance the way we live. Here’s an excerpt from the interview. bite, because we are not rushing to be elsewhere in our minds. The attention to hear every note of a song, thereby enhancing A+D: Design to you is... our experience, not simply making do with music playing in the Siddharth Sirohi (SS): A process. It’s a process by which we 82 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

Highback Marigold Plectrum Geek Luxury is also the ability to ride with every emotion of a story, where every word moves us and we are absorbed by it to the fullest. It is about living mindfully, for the purpose of expanding and absorbing our experiences rather than simply ticking them off a list.” —SIDDHARTH SIROHI, Founder, Baro Design India background, but listening as if the musician plays for us alone. Luxury is also the ability to ride with every emotion of a story, where every word moves us and we are absorbed by it to the fullest. It is about living mindfully, for the purpose of expanding and absorbing our experiences rather than simply ticking them off a list. A+D: Where you always inclined to design? What was your first tryst with design? SS: As far as the conventional sense of it goes, designing for theatre stages in college as well as helping my father build our home. In hindsight, however, I remember collecting random things from our house and using them to build all kinds of things, from model homes to cars and motorcycles to sit in. Long afternoons were kept busy by using torches for headlights and cassettes to build homes, complete with bowls of inked water as swimming pools. A+D: What inspires you? SS: The small things. A resting moth on a window pane. The patina on an age-old picture frame. Craftsmanship. Small and insignificant details that are almost invisible. Thought process. The desire to be better versions of ourselves. Introspection. Inventiveness. A+D: What’s your design philosophy? SS: That our happiness lies in the present moment is the philosophy that I operate on. How to use design to make our lives more mindful is the crux of that philosophy for us as a studio. It is by breathing life into a ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 83

seemingly dead environment that we can begin to engage ourselves with our surroundings. We must create objects that are alive and intentioned so that we can communicate with our world. It is by creating conversations with our world that we can slow down and listen. We don’t have to scream to be heard. An object created by hand and made with love has more humanness in it than all the shelves in Ikea. A+D: Take us through your latest collection. SS: I don’t work with collections per se. Somewhere there is an assumption of seasonality built into it. I try to work for longevity of purpose and relevance. I am currently working on a series of small objects. You will hear about them soon. I am also working on the idea of challenging existing norms in furniture. It is largely limited to its European ancestry, and it is time we recognised the complexities of our bodies and the different ways the rest of the ancient world conducted themselves in our living settings, whether it was the way we sat for leisure, the way we ate, or the way we worked. More importantly, however, this work honours the familiar without doing away with it entirely. A+D: From theatre to movie sets, and now furniture. How did the shift happen? SS: Long story, but to put it briefly, I stopped enjoying working in film. It was largely born from the boundless limitations that the industry presents towards creative work. Furniture had long been a passion, and it seemed like a very logical step. I had little knowledge of how to make real furniture. Something that would have a soul and not designed to look pretty for a week. The journey has since been a lovely learning curve. A+D: A piece of furniture/art/space you wish you had designed Flow and why? SS: As a body of work, I would say George Nakashima. He changed Freefall 84 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

Simplicity always follows the our world is flawed. Design would not exist in a perfect world. path of least resistance, much like water. Design, to me, must A+D: What’s your design process? rest between the confluence of SS: At the studio, we follow a five-step design process. Everything that reverence and irrelevance. The we do must rest on all these elements. The process must be marked sweet spot that makes life worth by an emotional intelligence that puts people at the centre of the equation. The specifics and nuances of each person must dictate what living but not so precious they live or work with. We then seek to balance the various variables as to not enjoy it.” that get thrown up in the course of inquiry. Sometimes we desire a quiet dynamism as well as an alert ease. Our job is to then balance —SIDDHARTH SIROHI, Founder, Baro Design India out the various strings that pull in different directions. Balance brings weightlessness and we strive for a ‘lightness of being’ in all our work. Ambrosia Through a process of elimination, we remove all the unnecessary and superfluous, but without losing a childlike curiosity. We refer to it as the way a large part of the world viewed design, combining rustic ‘playfulness in simplicity’. All our work strives towards sustainability, simplicity with avant-garde design. His work embodies a spirit that I not just with respect to materials, but also to live with. It must sustain seek. It is alive, beautiful, simple and playful. It carries an integrity that its purpose for its life. There is little point in designing something to is beyond himself and more towards us as part of a larger organism. last you a lifetime if you tire of it in six months. A+D: What do you do when you are not designing? SS: Design is a process. It applies to everything that I do. From A+D: Do you believe in trends? slicing garlic to practising yoga to climbing a mountain; whether SS: By definition, they are a quickly passing phase, and thus, of very I’m working on my car or drawing a curtain, I am not away little interest to me. from designing. It’s just the way I process life. I also love engaging with people. It throws light on so many different aspects A+D: For you, what’s the most satisfactory part of designing? when you see the world with a wider lens. Design for me begins SS: It is very hard to pick a single area. The joy is in ideating and going and ends with us as people engaging with our world, only because through the process of discovery is as satisfying as crafting the design in flesh. However, if I were to pick one, I would say the joy of working with people to understand the problem as well as the satisfaction of a relationship that is then built for life. I also really enjoy seeing our work after a period of time and seeing that it is faring as well as intended. A+D: What are you currently working on? What next? SS: Living Design. The idea is to use design to enhance the way we live. The approach is inside out, where we begin with the person and design around what is needed. It involves behaviour changes using design. The purpose of the dining table, for example, is not to look pretty or striking, but to invite you to sit at it and eat mindfully. It is different from interior design, as we do not prioritise the efficient use of space as most important, but rather how we live in that space and what our behaviour is and how we can affect that towards a more mindful and fuller experience. The process starts with us and what we need, and then it is applied to the space available. We have been working on several projects using this philosophy and the results are satisfying and unique. We are also working on new ideas to rethink seating and work design based on the tenets of yoga. The chair as we know is the root of some severe postural complications that almost everyone currently suffers from. Given the amount of time we spend sitting on chairs, the problem is now universal. Plectrum ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 85

Bespoke Luxury JJ VALAYA: THE KING OF COUTURE He is one of the first few couturiers who pioneered the Indian fashion scene in its early days. Three decades later, JJ Valaya continues to reign supreme with strong footprints in art, photography, jewellery and home décor. INTERVIEW: SEEMA SREEDHARAN PHOTOGRAPHS: ASHISH SAHI JJ Valaya is a name to reckon with. He was one of the pioneers of Indian fashion, and three decades later, he remains relevant, constantly reinventing, and experimenting with newer ways to express his inclination towards design. From fashion to jewellery, to photography and home décor, the undisputed king of couture continues to imprint his signature on all forms of design. This year, JJ completed 30 years in the industry. We caught up with him at the World of Valaya, Delhi for a candid chat. The store itself is a behemoth, over 12,000 sqft, spread across two floors. It incorporates different sections for the entire spectrum of Valaya’s interests. Here, one can experience the whole gamut of his different passions — fashion, jewellery, home decor, photography. Here’s an excerpt from the interview: A+D: From couture to jewellery to photography to home décor, you have established a distinct JJ Valaya signature in each of these segments. Tell us about this transition from one field of design to the other. JJ Valaya (JJV): The transition was absolutely organic. In fact, if you look at most of the top fashion brands across the planet—Armani, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Versace—all of them have progressed into a balanced theme with home décor. As a designer, I think it’s a very easy, natural sort of evolution from one stream of design to the other. The progression was absolutely organic. There was no sense of urgency or need to explore photography or home décor. It just came very naturally. I’ve always had a passion for interiors. Spaces are fascinating. This is probably why I gravitated towards architectural photography. Photography is like poetry for me. I like the fact that spaces and lines can do a lot. And then how do we break the lines and warm it up for people to call it their home. It’s fascinating. The whole concept of multiculturalism, layering, and everything else comes into play. So yes, answering your question, the evolution has been natural, and it has been an extremely important one. A+D: What inspires you—travel, culture, art, craft, tradition? JJV: I will be very boring if I were to interpret and get inspired by the same things over and over again. I mean, God has built this beautiful world for us to see and appreciate. Then, there’s no reason why we as designers can’t interpret it, in fact, reinterpret a lot of the beauty that we see. I think I find my maximum inspiration in the past. I feel most of it will invariably get lost, especially now in the digital era. 86 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

So, I try greedily to hang on to whatever I can find from the past and reinterpret it in a very contemporary, modern way so that people today can relate to it. And that’s my way of keeping the past alive. I’m a purely visual person. If I see something during my travels, which I had a need to, which resonates with me, I will immediately think of a way to interpret it into a modern style. And that’s really what I do; travel the world and bring it all together across various mediums. So even in this basic look, there’s leather, there’s glass, there’s stone, there’s wood—everything put together. So, it’s elegant maximalism. Take for instance, the current collection of Valaya Home, which is a take on the well-known adage of our brand, ‘the royal nomad with a penchant for art deco’. When it comes to art deco, I consider it to be the most glamorous and modern period—and that is also how I perceive my luxury interior line. A+D: You’ve often defined your style as refined maximalism. Tell us more about your design aesthetic. JJV: True. When we talk about Valaya Home, the essence of our brand is all about refined maximalism. While it’s easy to make a clean, minimal space, it isn’t so simple when working with striking, statement décor pieces. This is in no way suggests that I do not appreciate the minimalist aesthetic, but treading the maximalism route requires a much finer sense of understanding of styles. Putting together various textures, materials, surfaces, artefacts, and just about everything that is multi-cultural and multi-textural requires a keen eye for detail. Yet I deeply admire the minimalist style as well. In fact, I would love to take over a minimalist space and do it up in my signature style. It would be an interesting collaboration, don’t you think? It’s about bringing together two complete contradictions and making them work. I think that itself is hugely exciting to collaborate with designers with a completely different aesthetic and to be able to create something new. I’ve always had a passion for interiors. Spaces are fascinating. This is probably why I gravitated towards architectural photography. Photography is like poetry for me. I like the fact that spaces and lines can do a lot. And then how do we break the lines and warm it up for people to call it their home. It’s fascinating. The whole concept of multiculturalism, layering, and everything else comes into play.” —JJ VALAYA, Fashion Designer



I would love to take over a minimalist space and do it up in my signature style. It would be an interesting collaboration, don’t you think? It’s about bringing together two complete contradictions and making them work. I think that itself is hugely exciting to collaborate with designers with a completely different aesthetic and to be able to create something new.” —JJ VALAYA, Fashion Designer A+D: On that note, who would you like to collaborate with? there is an extremely beautiful conjunction between them. I also have JJV: Hmm…haven’t really thought about that. In fashion, it would be an undying passion for art deco. So, when we put these three together interesting to collaborate with Rajesh Pratap Singh. But in home décor, and spin them around in my own signature way, we get JJ Valaya’s maybe someone who works with stark, concrete spaces. Someone signature style statement. And I think art deco is a language that has who has an overt language of minimalism, and then to embellish it stood the test of time. And even today, it’s extremely modern and chic. with history and culture would be an interesting experiment. A+D: Your passion for photography. Tell us more. What would be really nice would be the amazing friction between JJV: Photography is my alter ego. I’ve always been fascinated by two creative powerhouses because, you know, we would both architectural photography. I love creatively expressing through my believe in what we do best, but how does that energy lend to such photography. Architectural photography is all about playing with diverse energies when they meet? Normally, either something very geometry. There is no beaten path to it. You must be your own best catastrophic happens or something incredibly beautiful, and obviously critic. Clothes have functionality, art involves fashion, but they’re both would want beauty to come out. meant to be that way. Creation and curation go hand-in-hand. It must also have character and beautiful lighting. A+D: What’s your definition of luxury? JJV: There are many definitions of luxury. Most people say that time is What gets me going could be anything. It just has to have an a luxury. And if you had more time, that would be a luxury. Some would amazing sense of composition and an amazing texture to it. And say time spent with family is actually so significant as to generalize that, I mean, externally and internally, people fascinate me. Buildings this definition. But, you know, I have lived a very luxurious life, and fascinate me. Travel fascinates me. As long as they see something the simple reason is that I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done, and to me, true which I know I can freeze in time and which is a quality only a luxury is being able to do what you really love doing all your life and photograph possesses. getting paid for it. A+D: What next? So, to me, that is a true luxury when it comes to professional JJV: Who thinks about next? It’s all now that matters. Five-year plans accomplishments. Personally, of course, it’s completely different. I are futile. You know, honestly, all you really hold on to is this moment think the essence of luxury, professionally, is something else, but that we are in. So, whatever’s happening will happen. This moment holistically, it is rooted in the fact that you were able to savour each gives rise to the next one and that’ll give rise to the next. So, let’s just moment of your lives. That, to me, is true luxury. enjoy the journey and look forward to surprises. A+D: Tell us about the brand’s tagline, ‘The Royal Nomad with a Penchant for Art Deco’. JJV: That’s the DNA of the brand. Whether it’s fashion, jewellery or home décor. We like it a little larger than life. And I’m a nomad at heart. I travel, I absorb. I also literally like the sort of character that nomads bring with them. It’s a by-line of contradiction because royal and nomad are on the complete opposite sides of the spectrum, yet ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 89

Project Features A SEAMLESS WALK-THROUGH HOME Project: Residential Project, Ahmedabad Architects: Jetsons, Mumbai With a postmodern take on traditional materials and furniture styles, this house packs in warmth and leisure with its soft edges that does away with perpendicularity

4 1 2 3C 5 3D 3A 7 3B 86 1. ENTRANCE 4. KITCHEN 2. LOBBY 5. BEDROOM-1 FLOOR PLAN 3A. LIVING 6. BEDROOM-2 3B. BALCONY 7. BEDROOM-3 (MASTER) This house is located in a developed locality in 3C. PARTITION 8. BEDROOM-4 Prahladnagar, one of the most prominent and 3D. PARTITION exclusive neighbourhoods in the west of the city of Ahmedabad, with a mix of residential and commercial spaces offering a walk-to-work concept to its residents. The design of the house is inspired by the traditional homes of Ahmedabad, combined with a vibrant and modern look. The residence is an amalgamation of three elements—curves, concrete and lines, which are repeated throughout the house in various mediums in terms of material palettes, textures, edges and finishes. Curves are used to replace the perpendicular edges with soft rounded surfaces, concrete is used as a base material in different forms to tie the house together, and the repeating line detail is used as a binding element throughout the house. The interior design and aesthetics are inspired by our typical old-school iconic Indian furniture, but with a touch of postmodernism to it with the play of different materials. Each piece of furniture depicts the amount of time and detail spent behind it—from the way it looks to the way each texture feels, everything was given a thought. The idea behind such intimate detailing was to create a home where the furniture and the materials used would not only define the given space as home, but also make it feel like a home. Curves, concrete and lines were the major points of inspiration for this project, wherein soft edges, lines and curves are the main elements that help to pack the space with warmth and leisure. Concrete, cane and wood of different textures are used on the ceilings, walls and furniture pieces to show the relationship of materials in various forms. The sliding-folding partition screen in the living area is the highlight of the house. It separates the living and dining space into two ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 91

JEET SONEJI Founder and Principal Architect, Jetsons Jetsons is a Bombay-based multidisciplinary practice founded by Architect Jeet Soneji. The firm aims at creating spaces which are detail oriented and make a difference in the society, irrespective of the scale of the project. Imparting meaning to everything they build is the key, while focusing on creating spaces that are concept driven. Each product, be it a house or a piece of furniture, has its own individual identity and character that reflects in its make. sections when needed and is made in fluted glass, teak wood and cane. The screen is a folding system of interconnected collapsible partition systems, which can be arranged in six or more combinations. The apartment also has traditional materials like cane and fluted glass integrated with modern contemporary furniture. Olive, Nude, Yellow and Grey are the four prime colours of each room, which are fused with teak wood and birch ply to create a complimenting neutral colour scheme. minimalistic manner and bring the space to life. The interior spaces of the apartment seek the warmth from the ambient lighting on the exposed grey concrete ceiling. As an element, track lights, down lights, decorative concrete fixtures and coves help in bringing in a lot of play to the spaces, by means of highlights, shadows and colours. One of the most crucial aspects of this project was the execution of the collapsable sliding-folding door system. The 9’ ft height of these humongous shutters with added fluted glass, computed the challenge of its movement but head carpenter Suresh Gajjar made it possible like a piece of cake. It can be opened and shut into six different permutations- combinations to separate the living and dining area. As it unfolds itself, it teases a display of the dining space through the fluted glass. The blend of teak wood and cane with its integrated detailing, along with the vertical flutes and a few 92 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN

“Our design language is an attempt at creating spaces in architectural/interior context, where the design resonates with that given place and the people inhabiting it.” —JEET SONEJI, Founder & Principal Architect, Jetsons ARCHITECTURE+DESIGN November 2022 93

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We celebrate how textures, colours and patterns can change any given space. As a curator, the first element we bring to the canvas is vibe.” —JEET SONEJI Founder & Principal Architect, Jetsons open windows makes it a highlight of the house. In this project, the location did not dictate the interiors; it was the design that dictated the interiors. It was a blend of modern design forms and textures with a touch of some typical old-school detail and statement furniture pieces. This mix of material tactility has helped lend the place a touch of modern- contemporary look and feel. The ceiling is kept in its raw form of exposed RCC slabs with matte black light fixtures. Some walls are covered in a palette of grey in concrete finish and others in white as a simple paint finish. The half-rounded flutes and curved surfaces are the key features of the walls, which are deliberately repeated throughout the house. One of the biggest challenges of this project was the making and execution of curves to each of the surfaces. This was done consciously to eliminate the perpendicular edges from the whole house and replace it with curved edges to make the space softer and more flowy. The design ethos for this project was to create a space that says ‘home’ the moment you step in, with the designers’ take on a post-modern contemporary Ahmedabad house. One of the most interesting parts of this project was seeing the curves bring the place to life during its prefixal stage when things were still in their raw form; this made the architects realise what an impact detail-oriented designs can have on the space and its surrounding. “Our design language is an attempt at creating spaces in an architectural/interior context, where the design resonates with that given place and the people inhabiting it. Soft corners with modern ideas fused with a bit of practicality is the inspiration for our work. We celebrate how textures, colours and patterns can change any given space. As a curator, the first element we bring to the canvas is vibe,” says Jeet Soneji of Jetsons. Photo credit: Ishi Sitwala FACTFILE Design Team: Jeet Soneji, Tejanshi Shah, Suhail Panjawani Concrete Accessories: Concrete Crio Lamps: Harshita Jamthani Designs

Concept Photo credit: Archermit ONE WITH THE CLOUDS The Woyun Platform conceptualised and designed by Archermit is a public building integrating cultural display and scenic experience. The ground floor is suspended to form a completely open multi-functional public space, the middle and top are cultural display and leisure experience spaces, where there are mountains and water above the clouds, and a passion for life under the clouds. Woyun Platform expresses Archermit’s thoughts and explorations on people’s inner longing to return to nature, nature, and tradition. “We took the nature of Longmen Mountain as the inspiration for the design and came up with the image of ‘Reclining Cloud’,” says the team. 96 November 2022 ARCHITECTURE+ DESIGN



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