HELLO! future of designJuly 2022 DS HIRES

HELLO! FUTURE HELLO! FUTURE portfolio into the hospitality arena. THE FUTURE OF DESIGN “The one learning we adhere to is the lesson of unlearning. Hence, we identify as novice designers WHAT MAKES FOR GOOD DESIGN? CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, with a hunger to relearn at the beginning of every STYLE AND FUNCTION, AMONG DOZENS OF OTHER FACTORS. IT’S project,” the architects emphasise. BLENDING SUCH FORM AND FUNCTION WHILE MAINTAINING AN AESTHETIC APPEAL THAT POSES A CHALLENGE — ONE THAT FEW Among the Indian designers and studios they CAN CONQUER. IN COLLABORATION WITH ABHINAV KHANDELWAL, admire are Rahul Mehrotra, BV Doshi, Spasm and MANAGING PARTNER AT FCML, A MARKET LEADER IN INDIA’S RETAIL Sameep Padora. “Internationally, we like Studio MK27, Singapore-based SCDA and Bedmar & LUXURY LIFESTYLE SEGMENT, HELLO! HAS SCOUTED THE BEST Shi, Japan’s Kenzo Kuma and many other greats.” NAMES AND PRACTICES SHAPING INDIA’S DESIGN LANDSCAPE, A TALENTED CROP OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS AND ARCHITECTS SHOBHAN KOTHARI addition to overseas projects! “ADND’s design philosophy TO WATCH OUT FOR & ANAND MENON reflects modern aesthetics with ADND, MUMBAI a balance of understated elegance and timelessness,” they say. “Design Architects Shobhan Kothari and philosophies that resonate these Anand Menon, co-founders of values have always appealed to us.” Mumbai-based ADND, built the From first-home bungalows and towers for firm into a boutique multidisciplinary industrialist families and second homes as offering of bespoke luxury spaces. A growing getaways, to luxury apartments and corporate body of work with UHNI names has helped offices, Kothari and Menon have done it all. The them make their mark across the length and studio is currently in the midst of expanding its breadth of the country — from Delhi and Bengaluru to Mumbai and Kolkata — in SAHIL JAIN MORPHLAB, MUMBAI The Principal Architect of Morphlab, Sahil Jain uses light, space and colour to create the perfect balance of contemporary chic aesthetics, offering “unique lifestyle experiences”. His spaces reflect the inspirations and palettes he finds in natural contexts, further infused with modernism and minimalism. For Jain, the design process is a “contextual parametricism, not constrained to the form but involving the overall spatial experience, feel, textures and materials”. The young architect has worked on projects at different scales — from interiors and architecture to urban interventions. Some of Morphlab’s most “interesting and challenging” projects undertaken recently include TPH (a skyscraper in Mumbai), Weave House (a floating quadruplex in a residential tower), The Courtyard House (built around an indoor courtyard), and Urban Park (a parking lot repurposed into a pedestrian zone). Among the many practices he admires from around the world include Heatherwick Studio in London, Japan’s Kengo Kuma and Singapore-based WOHA. “These are a few names from which we draw our inspirations,” he says, adding a massive shout-out to Ajinkya Manohar, Senior Associate at Morphlab, for his contribution to each of their studio’s projects. VRITIMA WADHWA fashion designs centred around Hungry Monkey, Café Diva and jewellery brand  human experiences. Outhouse’s store in Delhi, and Shantanu & Nikhil’s PROJECT 810, NEW DELHI “While each project comes factory space in Noida, besides the homes of the HELLO! JULY 2022 119 with its own constraints, we’ve city’s prominent gallerists. She’s now excited about From crafting innovative overcome one major challenge: we completing an Ayurveda centre in the capital, furniture to building expansive no longer look at space and furniture Rahul Mishra’s office in Noida and a number of interiors, Vritima Wadhwa of New design as separate pursuits. Furniture residential projects. Delhi-based Project 810 has an plays a critical role in any space, so we try impressive portfolio ranging from retail, to dedicate ample time to prototype furniture and Over the years, the designer has found hospitality and workspaces to residential fixtures in most of our interior projects.” inspiration in the works of Geoffrey Bawa, Le projects. Although rooted in contemporary India Wadhwa is the creative mind behind several Corbusier, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. “We also and a style largely leaning towards clean lines memorable interiors projects, including The admire David Chipperfield, Tadao Ando, Yabu and the use of natural and local materials, her Pushelberg, Rajiv Saini and Ashiesh Shah.” “biggest influence comes from the process itself ” to 118 HELLO! JULY 2022

HELLO! FUTURE HELLO! FUTURE TUSHANT BANSAL MANGESH LUNGARE TUSHANT BANSAL INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO, NEW DELHI MANGESH LUNGARE, MUMBAI & ALIBAUG It was his love for playing with shapes, colours, materials and mediums that led Tushant Bansal down the design path, away from his earlier career in In the heart of charming finance. His studio in New Delhi today works on a wide range of projects, Mumbai lies Mangesh Lungare’s both residential and commercial, also dabbling in bespoke furniture, home eponymous boutique interior accessories and lifestyle products. His varied flexible design and built from and architectural design studio. experience accrued in India and abroad lent his projects a clean, minimal An ardent admirer of industry and contemporary aesthetic. veterans like Tadao Ando and the late Geoffrey Bawa, Lungare, “I love mixing styles, but my core aesthetic remains constant in every the principal designer of his firm, project. I’m exploring maximalism in a few projects and having fun at that!” takes pride in running a practice that’s essentially a collaboration An admirer of designers Robert Kime, Vincent Van Duysen, Axel with clients, creating spaces that Vervoordt and Rahul Mehrotra as well as Case Design, Bansal has had the are a “true extension of their opportunity to work on projects in various locations, each of them “fun, style, character and aspirations”. challenging and special” — be it a villa in the hills of Mukteshwar, a Parisian apartment, a modern home in Romania, a “Each of our projects is colonial flat in a lush green neighbourhood different, carved out of a story of London, an art gallery in Delhi, or a of an individual or family, which bespoke Pen Cabinet for a collector. makes it a unique expression of details,” he explains. “There’s a “Working on such diverse projects continuous exchange of dialogue always has its challenges, though they come with even greater about the philosophical learnings,” he says. and practical aspects of their lifestyle and ways to honour their culture by reviving art and craft.” Form and function find equal consideration in Lungare’s projects — mostly centred around Mumbai and Alibaug. Sharp, clean lines dominate his sense of aesthetics. India’s rich culture and the people for whom he designs and builds are his biggest influences, setting each of his works apart from the other. SHRUTI JAIPURIA NIKITA PAI  MAIA DESIGN STUDIO, BENGALURU NIKITA PAI DESIGN STUDIO, MUMBAI HELLO! JULY 2022 121 At Maia Design Studio, Shruti “We strive to create homes that tell a story and Jaipuria lays emphasis on storytelling, exude warmth, serenity and precision,” says function and offering a unique, interior designer Nikita Pai. all-encompassing experience. With a portfolio spanning the F&B, retail, For Pai, it’s paramount that she create residential and commercial sectors, her calm, uncluttered spaces exemplifying a work entails exploring material and textures modern, contemporary style. Her elegant and study of human behaviour that results designs adapt to the lifestyles of the in one-of-a-kind projects, each unlike the other. inhabitants, her design sensibilities greatly influenced by Rajiv Saini, “Our work is contemporary but with a timeless quality and warmth to it. with whom Pai has worked. We draw inspiration from everything around us — people, objects, culture, material, art and history,” she says. “We don’t have a particular style or “The passion, energy and eye aesthetic but approach each project mindfully, staying sensitive to the client, for detail he brings to work is second to none,” she adds. context and the specific requirement of each project.” The Nikita Pai Design Studio in Mumbai is a young firm, “but is A hallmark of Jaipuria’s work is extremely agile and driven, enjoying collaborating with artisans across the process of creating beautiful India to integrate traditional craft into spaces”. Their projects span the entire the immersive spaces she puts together. gamut of interior design — from high- end residential homes and boutique offices to a “The projects where clients are restaurant, across India and the Middle East. open and willing to use local crafts are the most special for us,” she adds. “So “Every project has its intrinsic challenges, far, we’ve worked with Thikri glass tricky locations or layouts, demanding timelines, work from Udaipur, Channapatna tight budgets or specific client requirements. It’s woodwork from Karnataka, Dhokra been a steep learning curve. But at the end of from Odisha and white pottery from the day, happy clients and well-designed spaces Kambar in Kutch.” make all the effort worth it!” Jaipuria admires American Besides Saini, Axel Vervoordt, Vincent designer Tony Chi for how “he blends Van Duysen, Clement Design and Bijoy Jain his Chinese legacy with modern are the other designers, studios and architects contemporary design beautifully”, she admires. though Geoffrey Bawa remains a constant inspiration. 120 HELLO! JULY 2022

HELLO! FUTURE HELLO! FUTURE MAHEK LALAN From interactions with Valerio Olgiati and Le Corbusier, PASHMIN SHAH & clients, dialogues within the Lalan’s SML Architects has SATYAJEET PATWARDHAN SML ARCHITECTS, MUMBAI team, travels, interests, the undertaken projects ranging from craftsmen they collaborate with… luxury homes and villas to commercial AMOEBA DESIGN STUDIO, PUNE His aesthetics appear to follow the ‘less is more’ His influences are wide-ranging. spaces and public buildings. route. Through fabrics, textures and furniture, “We hope to fuel our design Their studio is named after a formless organism Mahek Lalan of SML Architects weaves colour, “We enjoy working around endeavours with knowledge. We take our that doesn’t conform to a particular image, craftsmanship and functionality into his vision. constraints instead of finding ways to learnings from each project to our next. allowing for constant change — much like the design avoid them. So we’re always up for a The process is the ultimate prize. The idea is to philosophy Pashmin Shah and Satyajeet Patwardhan, “We are too young a practice to slot our work good creative challenge!” Lalan enthuses. have a constantly questioning mind!” co-founders of Amoeba Design Studio, follow. into any style. Though we do tend to incline towards simplicity,” says the director and principal An admirer of Ricardo Bofill, Antonino Cardillo, “Architecture and interiors are nothing but a response to architect of the firm. the place, people or environment,” says the husband-wife architect duo. “We represent the culture of contemporary India that’s constantly influenced by our travels, the people RUSHABH PAREKH “The client’s well-being is and luxury villas countrywide, spanning we meet, the food we eat and the art and architecture we see.” always our starting point. Our 10,000sqft to a mammoth 70,000sqft! RUSHABH PAREKH DESIGN STUDIO, MUMBAI designs focus on their lifestyle, and Besides his peers and the worlds of Every space they design is an extension of lifestyles, “a balance of competing needs and we work to enhance this aspect of fashion, art, architecture and philosophy, a connection to the spirit of place”. Proponents of the wabi-sabi ideology, their studio Rich textures, exclusive materials and luxurious their lives with our interiors,” he says. Parekh is influenced by the works of Gilles & specialises in residential interiors and architecture, destination luxury villas, farmhouses, furniture, all balanced in muted tones and a Boissier, Kelly Wearstler and Baptiste Bohu. restaurants and residential towers. While they find a greater muse in designs than subtle palette define a grand Rushabh Parekh The Rushabh Parekh Design Studio has an “My all-time favourites are Philippe Starck, designers, they feel a strong connect with the works of the late Geoffrey Bawa and Charles home. With a practice dedicated to built impressive portfolio of residential and commercial Joseph Dirand, Robert Couturier, Frank Gehry, Correa for creating spaces “traditional in their souls yet contemporary in their presence”. commissions and experimental research, Parekh projects to hospitality ventures like The House of Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid, Un Studio and focuses on developing contemporary ideas Medici for The Westin Pune, The Rockpool at W Peter Eisenman.” Shah and Patwardhan applied this train of thought in a home they designed in using form, materiality, modern technology and Goa (“Our most special and challenging project”) Talegaon, Maharashtra, which taught them “how important it is to cultivate restraint classical elements. in your craft”. “A space created with purity, soul and warmth doesn’t depend on any external elements,” they emphasise. H 122 HELLO! JULY 2022 INTERVIEW: SHRADDHA CHOWDHURY HELLO! JULY 2022 123