POOL 44 by Designindia Magazine

POOL 44

www.poolmagazine.in

Sajith Ansar pg 32 | Photographed by Pankaj Shah Aniruddh Ghosh 04 OrProject’s Vana 12 Aarti Karwayun Chawda 18 Valay Gada & Michael Rodrigues 26 Akshat Bhatt 44 Karishma Jhalani & Ashwin Jain 50 Sayyed Arshad Ali 56 Cagri Cankaya 61 Obituary - William Drenttel 62

February 5-19 at Weschool,Mumbai, India

2014 Icsidinterdesign Mumbai

Invitation to Designers

(Participation is Free for selected Participants) ICSID 2014 InterDesign Mumbai 5th Feb through 19th Feb 2013 Welingkar Institute of Management (WeSchool) Mumbai Theme â&#x20AC;&#x153;Humanizing a Metropolisâ&#x20AC;? An Immersive Real Life International Project-Cum-Workshop 2014 Icsid Interdesign is a hands on immersive real life project-cumworkshop to be held at WeSchool under the Aegis of the International Council of Societies for Industrial Design (ICSID) 40 designers from India and abroad will work together with local experts for an intensive two-week period. The participants will explore design issues of regional, national and global importance. Who can Participate Participant would ideally be a practicing industrial / Product / UX designer or other disciplines of design including architecture/space design. Participation is Free for selected Participants (ICSID InterDesign Jury will select the participants) Apply Now Down-load form : www.interdesignmumbai.com Mail the form to : registration@interdesignmumbai.com (you can attached detailed information/portfolio with form) Important Dates for participants Application deadline Notification to selected Participants

November 30,2013 Mid-December,2013

For more details : www.interdesignmumbai.com www.interdesignmumbai.com/CallForParticipation.html Media support www.indidesign.in

Editor in Chief | sudhir@indidesign.in

February 2014 | # 44

POOL 44

www.poolmagazine.in

Sajith Ansar pg 32 | Photographed by Pankaj Shah

Design in Politics Either you are happy with what you have, or you change. Change can be natural - an accident that happens quickly, or slowly, over time. But when you decide to change, it is always by design. You need to identify what has to change, you have to figure out how it should change, and you need to organize many things for it to take effect.The design process is a potent tool of change for every one.

Aniruddh Ghosh 04 OrProject’s Vana 12 Aarti Karwayun Chawda 18 Valay Gada & Michael Rodrigues 26 Akshat Bhatt 44 Karishma Jhalani & Ashwin Jain 50 Sayyed Arshad Ali 56 Cagri Cankaya 61 Obituary - William Drenttel 62

www.poolmagazine.in facebook.com/poolmag twitter.com/poolmagazine info@poolmagazine.in

Designindia was founded in 2002. It was started as a platform for interaction for the design community in India and abroad. Over the years it has grown into a forum spread over many social and professional networking domains, linking design professionals into an active, interactive and thought leading community.

http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/designindia International Design Media Network Participant

You cannot think of design as producing objects anymore. You may also not recognize design as an active political activity. But every decision you take in design is political; it decides how people should live, communicate and behave. Design is being used as a political instrument in the form of activism, as a medium to spread, discuss and decide what is better. Politics itself will gain from the tools of design thinking, since it is all about planning, deciding and devising laws. In the coming elections, we will see a lot of the material dimensions of politics and the political dimensions of decisions playing out on us through various debates and angles. I just wish and hope that as a democracy we quickly learn to understand the design behind the politics that is going to affect us.

Sudhir Endorsed by

Supported by

Get your pr POOL Maga POOL 42 lmag

azin

e.in

POOL 41

L 43

POO

L 43 O O P

.poo www

zine.i www.poolmaga

pg 32 Jasleen Bindra

phed togra | Pho

ma Shar dhir by Su

41 POOL

an by Neetika Devg | Photographed

dry 'Ek Type' foun Fair 2014 16 gar 12 India Art 58 04 MIXIN, Srina 50 Manreet Deol Suresh Venkat ti 44 Anais Basu 26 Manish Gula are Nanv t Anan

63 kaya ht 18 32 stSig Cagri Can e pg @Fir Love parna 58 ghad rni 14 ji Av &A Kulka Deepak Tan2a8 ra hu 52 Mad pg Kapur k 10 Star Dhruv efan a 42 04 St am Rahej ishra R Rit M Darji 26 n Mithu

32 | i Dhar pg Shivan

Photogr

t0 Showka 02 Uzma a 22 Kakroo eer Gupt Anubha n 14 Ab Krishna Devika

POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I

To avail subscriptions & offers w

You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww

rint copy of azine today! POOL 40

ww w.p

oolmaga

b by Goura raphed

zine.in

Expe r onlin ience th e ve e Lo r a Mut ual F n Again y fir st With s u n d s and t Share only a 5-minu s, from te Insu Baja princip ranc Our j Fin le ap Loan e* to A s

POOL 40

www.poolmaga zine.i

g pr `10 er v L Crore ainst Sh endin oval a s an Facil d co res, Mutu it g me w whe y to cho ith a al Funds n req o and bund uired se the se Acce In le sura ** of be curiti ss yo nefits nce ra es yo ur po Tran nge u ple : rtfoli sact from d o on ge w on yo `25 Enjo line ith th ur lo Lacs y fre on a an a e op e Inc real ccou tion ome time to sw nt th Write Tax basi roug ap th Retu to us s h ou em rn fi at fr r li Cust ng ame ome s@b r Port ajajfi nser al (E xperi v.in to kn a) ow m ore

Term s **Loa and co nd ns gi ven itions ap again pl st Ba y I *Loa ns gi jaj Fi ven nser | Photographed ag v Le ndin ainst Ba by Nandita Natt g ap oji prov jaj Allia Dr. Naushad Forb ed scrips Inz Life Insu Fina ra es 04 Malt nc e i Gaek e at ncwad Nasheet Shad 10 Gita Wolf th ani 16 Sarah Foth 28 Gaurang Shahe sole discre eringham 22 46 Karthtioi nKN Ganguli Raveendiran 54 of Ba jaj Fi Pooja Ajmera nanc 60 e Lim 10 ited Institute

POO L3

9 www .poo

lmag

azin

e.in

Indrajit Nattoji pg 34

nt to 58 velopme Jenny Pin Craft De Arora 52 04 The 44 Tinni ay Kaul 2 Aksh

Coll in W righ t

pg 3 Ashis 0|P h hoto Divya Kalpun grap & Nav d 02 C hed agri by K ya N C urt La iran jan 2 ankaya nger 09 4 Man deep Mihir Bh oley Nag i 44 10 T anay Rev ati G angal Kumar 14 52 O mka rC

hitn

is 58

ndroid, Web, Amazon and Windows 8 IN/Indi-Design/pool

write to info@poolmagazine.in

ww.poolmagazine.in

minimalistic

Simple and minimalistic designs are what define Aniruddh Ghosh. This award-winning young designer believes that India can find a prominent place for itself in the world design industry. What inspired you to become a designer? AG: Inspiration has always been there for me; I never had to look far away. Apart from all the designers and architects I follow, my parents and my sister have been big inspirations for me. My father is a brilliant architect, not only his architectural designs but also the amount of sincerity and hard work he puts into his work is what inspires me the most. My mother will always be an inspiration for me; she has taught me to believe in myself and has definitely helped to bring out my true potential. Since the early days my biggest competition has been my sister, and her achievements always push me to work harder; she will always be an inspiration. Tell us a little bit about yourself. AG: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Creative Head (Interiors and Product Design) of DesignConcept Creative Studio in New Delhi. I was never a bright student. I was not interested in studies at all; my notebooks would 4â&#x20AC;&#x192; POOLâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;#44

minimalistic be full of sketches and scribbles. I got into a Bachelor’s course in Computer Application and a Diploma course in Design, hoping to design computer games in the future, but I never completed my Bachelor’s course. I always had an interest in design and being the son of an architect, I was always very inclined towards designing houses. I wanted to go to a foreign land and study more about design and architecture, and London was on the top of the list. I did my Master’s in Interior Architecture from University of Westminster.

designer. After completing my education I worked under a Spanish designer, Rafa Garcia, in Barcelona. In both instances there was a lot to learn and take back from these designers. Working under them is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I hope to use these experiences to make myself a better

What did you do before starting your own studio? AG: Before going to London I worked in Delhi at a studio led by a French

Interiors for an apartment in Gurgaon

www.poolmagazine.in 5

6 POOL #44

minimalistic and challenging projects. I have learnt a lot about design and also myself, and there can’t be anything more fascinating than learning. But, having a studio of my own was always the dream since the day I decided that I wanted to be a designer. I just needed a lot of confidence to start my dream design studio. In Barcelona I undertook a lot of projects and was given quite a lot of responsibilities that helped me develop into a better designer. This experience helped me gain the confidence to come back to Delhi and start DesignConcept. The aim is always to be the best and achieve great heights. At the same time when I started DesignConcept, the objective was to give contemporary design a face in India and to provide high quality interiors and products.

designer. I also had the experience of showcasing my designs at the Barcelona Design Fair. When did you decide to start DesignConcept? AG: I have had the opportunity to work and learn under a few of the leading designers in the world. I have got the chance to work on really interesting

How has the journey been so far? AG: Being an entrepreneur comes with its share of responsibilities. I have become much more responsible as a person and much more dedicated to my work. The journey hasn’t always been a smooth one; there have been ups and downs. There have been days when dark clouds have surfaced over DesignConcept, but there have been bright days as well. It’s been an amazing experience so far and I believe it’s going to get better and better.

www.poolmagazine.in 7

8 POOL #44

Do you have a design mantra? AG: I believe in keeping things simple. I am a very simple person and I try and follow that in my designs as well. My designs reflect my thinking and who I am. I love minimal and clean lines in design. For me beauty lies in simplicity and that would be my design mantra. How do you ideate and visualize a piece of furniture? AG: When I design furniture, I want it to be perfect and perfection is what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always working towards. Before going into designing, I first think of a form or I try looking for inspiration. When I begin designing I think of a solution that embodies style, comfort and a certain degree of edginess. The best way to ideate and visualize is to put your thoughts onto paper. I start with rough sketches, working around the initial form that I have in mind. Then I move onto the ergonomics and the proper dimensions. The comfort level is of prime importance while designing. Accordingly changes are made to the sketches and the design is worked upon.

I believe designing is about finding solutions. To find a solution, you have got to be open to different ideas. I prefer to sit down with my team and sketch out designs together or ask for reviews from different people. Good research plays an important role in the designing process. After the research on different materials and dimensions, final concepts are prepared, which is then finalized into 3D models for us to see the final piece of furniture before it is finally fabricated. What kind of projects do you undertake? AG: I have undertaken all kinds of projects in the past, and I want to keep doing so. I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t restrict myself to a particular kind of project. I want to widen my horizons. Some of the residential projects I have undertaken have been pretty challenging. Making the best possible utilization of space can be very challenging. Sometimes you need to move out of the ordinary to make something useful. Today where space is limited, every inch of space is important. In one project that I had taken up, the www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 9

minimalistic

and there is no doubting the potential of the country.

challenge was to create a living space for a couple, with enough storage space, within 220 sq. ft. split into two levels. What is the future of the Indian design industry? AG: We don’t just enter into the future, we create our future. The Indian design industry has a great potential to create a bright future. We already have designers who are well known worldwide for their works. The design industry in India will keep on growing. It’s a country rich in art

What’s next? AG: I’ll take one step at a time. I’ll focus on what I’m best at and keep building on it. I’ll keep working on new and better designs. The idea is to keep working hard and create better designs, and to challenge myself in different spheres of design. I want to continue to design better interiors and products and help my country to be a focal point for the world design industry. What would you tell graduating design students? AG: The only advice that I can give is to be true to yourself and keep working hard. There is no easy route to success. Success comes to those who work diligently and are courageous. info@design-concept.co.in www.poolmagazine.in 11

Get your pr POOL Maga POOL 42 lmag

azin

e.in

POOL 41

L 43

POO

L 43 O O P

.poo www

zine.i www.poolmaga

pg 32 Jasleen Bindra

phed togra | Pho

ma Shar dhir by Su

41 POOL

an by Neetika Devg | Photographed

dry 'Ek Type' foun Fair 2014 16 gar 12 India Art 58 04 MIXIN, Srina 50 Manreet Deol Suresh Venkat ti 44 Anais Basu 26 Manish Gula are Nanv t Anan

63 kaya ht 18 32 stSig Cagri Can e pg @Fir Love parna 58 ghad rni 14 ji Av &A Kulka Deepak Tan2a8 ra hu 52 Mad pg Kapur k 10 Star Dhruv efan a 42 04 St am Rahej ishra R Rit M Darji 26 n Mithu

32 | i Dhar pg Shivan

Photogr

t0 Showka 02 Uzma a 22 Kakroo eer Gupt Anubha n 14 Ab Krishna Devika

POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I

To avail subscriptions & offers w

You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww

rint copy of azine today! POOL 40

ww w.p

oolmaga

b by Goura raphed

zine.in

Expe r onlin ience th e ve e Lo r a Mut ual F n Again y fir st With s u n d s and t Share only a 5-minu s, from te Insu Baja princip ranc Our j Fin le ap Loan e* to A s

POOL 40

www.poolmaga zine.i

POO L3

9 www .poo

lmag

azin

e.in

Indrajit Nattoji pg 34

nt to 58 velopme Jenny Pin Craft De Arora 52 04 The 44 Tinni ay Kaul 2 Aksh

Coll in W righ t

pg 3 Ashis 0|P h hoto Divya Kalpun grap & Nav d 02 C hed agri by K ya N C urt La iran jan 2 ankaya nger 09 4 Man deep Mihir Bh oley Nag i 44 10 T anay Rev ati G angal Kumar 14 52 O mka rC

hitn

is 58

ndroid, Web, Amazon and Windows 8 IN/Indi-Design/pool

write to info@poolmagazine.in

ww.poolmagazine.in

installation

TOWARDS THE LIGHT Orproject’s Vana is a stunning LED installation that mimics the growth of trees

New Delhi is home to a fabulous new LED installation that captures the imagination with its inventiveness. Vana, created by Orproject, comprises four columns that stretch up to the gallery ceiling – each of these is made from geometric pieces that open and close to mimic the growing process of a tree, allowing the LEDs to shine through. In a continuous transformation, nature merges into architecture, columns merge into the sky and solid merges into the ephemeral. Vana appears to grow as tree-like branches blend into a continuous canopy that floats above the visitor.

12 POOL #44

installation

www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 13

installation

14 POOL #44

installation

Orproject developed a series of algorithms that digitally generate open and closed venation patterns, which can be used to simulate the growth of topiaries. The systems consist of a set of seed points that grow and branch towards target points in order to maximize exposure to light for each leaf. A prototype for a large scale canopy construction, Vana was designed for the India Design Forum and is on display at The Brick House, Project Jan-Path, New Delhi. PROJECT CREDITS Title: Vana Architects: Orproject Project Architects: Rajat Sodhi, Christoph Klemmt Project Team: Sambit Samant, Manu Sharma Photographer: Sumedh Prasad and Orproject www.orproject.com www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 15

Get your pr POOL Maga POOL 42 lmag

azin

e.in

POOL 41

L 43

POO

L 43 O O P

.poo www

zine.i www.poolmaga

pg 32 Jasleen Bindra

phed togra | Pho

ma Shar dhir by Su

41 POOL

an by Neetika Devg | Photographed

dry 'Ek Type' foun Fair 2014 16 gar 12 India Art 58 04 MIXIN, Srina 50 Manreet Deol Suresh Venkat ti 44 Anais Basu 26 Manish Gula are Nanv t Anan

63 kaya ht 18 32 stSig Cagri Can e pg @Fir Love parna 58 ghad rni 14 ji Av &A Kulka Deepak Tan2a8 ra hu 52 Mad pg Kapur k 10 Star Dhruv efan a 42 04 St am Rahej ishra R Rit M Darji 26 n Mithu

32 | i Dhar pg Shivan

Photogr

t0 Showka 02 Uzma a 22 Kakroo eer Gupt Anubha n 14 Ab Krishna Devika

POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I

To avail subscriptions & offers w

You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww

rint copy of azine today! POOL 40

ww w.p

oolmaga

b by Goura raphed

zine.in

Expe r onlin ience th e ve e Lo r a Mut ual F n Again y fir st With s u n d s and t Share only a 5-minu s, from te Insu Baja princip ranc Our j Fin le ap Loan e* to A s

POOL 40

www.poolmaga zine.i

POO L3

9 www .poo

lmag

azin

e.in

Indrajit Nattoji pg 34

nt to 58 velopme Jenny Pin Craft De Arora 52 04 The 44 Tinni ay Kaul 2 Aksh

Coll in W righ t

pg 3 Ashis 0|P h hoto Divya Kalpun grap & Nav d 02 C hed agri by K ya N C urt La iran jan 2 ankaya nger 09 4 Man deep Mihir Bh oley Nag i 44 10 T anay Rev ati G angal Kumar 14 52 O mka rC

hitn

is 58

ndroid, Web, Amazon and Windows 8 IN/Indi-Design/pool

write to info@poolmagazine.in

ww.poolmagazine.in

art

BEING FEARLESS From working as a visual merchandiser in the fashion retail industry to creating unusual work as an independent artist, Aarti Karwayun Chawda has had a journey that continues to prove enlightening

to see how visual merchandising helps change not only the store display but also helps trigger sales. Visual merchandising taught me relevance, and how to apply my creativity and ideas in real time. It taught me about competition and completion, organizing things and organization, brands and brand image. It was all a ride from one season to the other and one display change to another… When and why did you decide to become an independent artist? How was the experience of working as a visual merchandiser in the fashion retail industry? AKC: It was almost a 10-year journey with various brands and places, from Shopper’s Stop to Fossil, and from Jaipur to Mumbai to Bangalore. I learned, I traveled, I had mentors and I mentored a few. I made friends, I laughed, I even fought and cried, but in the end I did it well! When I started, visual merchandising was a niche job profile; on the other hand, retail was once of the fastest expanding businesses. It was amazing 18 POOL #44

AKC: I moved to Bangalore post my marriage and worked there for almost a year before I decided to quit in April 2012. It’s been a happy two-year journey since! I have to be honest and say that this delayed realization (to quit work) happened when I saw my husband Rahul doing what he truly loved the most. Although I was in visual merchandising and it is a decently creative profile and I loved the way my career was shaping, somewhere the questions always came up…Is this what I want to do? Is this my passion? Is this what I was meant to be? Is this the thing that gives

art

me most joy? Will I do this for the rest of my life? I had avoided all the fundamental questions in the ten years I lived away from home, and when I saw Rahul following his path, I decided to find mine. It took me 10 months to actually quit a well built career and start ispaceart, my own studio. I spoke to different people, artists, and friends who were following their passions. I discussed my inhibitions, the pressures of losing my financial independence for an indefinite time, and how I felt it could affect our year-old marriage. And some obvious questions I asked myself… for some I found answers and for some I knew I would find answers during the process of following my passion, and living what I truly am. The journey has just begun, and I am happy to have found a space where I find hours of peace and joy as I make art. Aarti as a designer or Aarti as an artist? AKC: I feel both are different, but somewhere, both are one. When I started to make art, in my mind I did a broad categorization; I definitely wanted to be able to express through art, where I see myself as an artist doing fine art work. Then I wanted to

In wake of the Delhi Gang Rape case in 2012, Shilo Shiv Suleman started the now famous Fearless, The Poster Collective, an art project bringing in artistic talent to help spread the cause of ‘women’. www.poolmagazine.in 19

art

Vintage art in mixed media

experiment a lot, and got back to doing this after years. I was extremely excited to explore medium/styles and not ready to stick to doing one thing - this is when I find myself a commercial artist/designer. And lastly, I also take up commissioned work/projects. The hope is to be able to maintain a balance between these three and do justice to each. Over a period of time, I would like to see my fine art work as something that defines me as a living soul.

University. Though based in Bangalore now, I am still fascinated by the culture and lives of people there. A lot of my commercial art, patterns and colors has influences from Rajputana culture, Kishanghardshaile (style) and Mughal miniatures. I am charmed by things of the past and so I try to incorporate elements of nostalgia in my work. My work therefore is an expression of all these felt, unfelt, told, untold, lived and unlived emotions and experiences.

Where do your inspirations come from?

What kind of materials and styles do you experiment with?

AKC: As people we are naturally inclined to certain things and those become our likes… and we continue to follow a similar path, a little more evolved each time. Who we are, what we like, and follow has a lot to do with our past, our memories, how and where we have lived and travelled, and a whole spectrum of such experiences that we’ve had in this journey called life. I spent 24 years in Jaipur in Rajasthan, and it’s a place that inspires me. I have a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree from Rajasthan 20 POOL #44

AKC: I did a series of nudes in charcoal, using charcoal pencil and sticks on mount board. Another fine art series is vintage mix media illustration – I used pages from a 1940 photography book which I put together to illustrate objects from the past like a typewriter, a Vespa with a pin-up girl… In my commercial work for homespace I have tried to explore various ideas and used various mediums to translate them into pieces of art for homes. The wall:art series

art

is translated on wooden window and door panels of demolished old houses. I collect these and decoupage/color/paint/distress them as required for that particular wall art piece. Another collection is re:frame. I collect old unfinished photo frames which I, paint, repaint, restore and distress with a shabby chic finish. Re:imagine old photographs is another recent addition. I choose old photographs and reimagine them as I see and feel for them now. I use print on paper with ink colors. What are the different surfaces you have worked on? AKC: I love to paint on wood but when it comes to fine art, I paint according to my story and how it can be best translated. I wish to do a lot more experimentation but in the past year I have tried using various

“Wall:Art Love” - restored wooden panels & frames with Mughals & Rajputs, flower patterns and earthy temple art

materials such as old restored wooden doors and window panels, very old pages from a photography book, paper, MDF board and mount board. For an ongoing project I have painted on a fabrication done with polycarbonate. This is among my most exciting and much awaited work! Tell us something about the ‘Fearless’ poster collective. AKC: ‘Fearless’ was my first work that was out for the world to see. It was based on the recent Delhi rape incident. Shilo Shiv Suleman, an extremely talented fellow artist, started this collective and asked artists from all fields to come together and contribute a series of posters reaffirming fearlessness and reminding everyone to ‘be ourselves and be www.poolmagazine.in 21

art

re:imagined series; old photographs

re:frame series; photo frames sourced from small towns of North India, revived, repainted, distressed & now restored

The first story was ‘For me, being fearless, is about being myself all the time’. This series captures the moments of a woman ‘being herself, being fearless’. The second story was more about retrospection into my fearlessness, and it said ‘Stepping back from our individual, modern day living, here is my tribute to the woman for whom fearlessness is not a choice, it’s a compulsion. Where everyday fearlessness is a matter of survival’. Which has been your favorite commercial project as an independent artist?

fearless’ all the time. I was deeply hurt by the brutal incident as I have always believed that women are very strong and powerful. While all this was happening, I was also almost ready to start showcasing my work to the world. ‘Being fearless’ was already something running through my mind. This series was one way I could reaffirm fearlessness to myself and to others in any form and facet of life. For ‘Fearless’ my contribution comprised two different stories, each with three posters. 22 POOL #44

AKC: I am doing a few new projects that I can’t talk about yet. After ‘Fearless’, the next best commercial project I took up was for Conversations with Namu Kini, a talk show that turns the spotlight on women who have contributed greatly to the community, so that every woman in India realizes that she can live her dream. One of my favorite architectinterior designers, and now a friend, designed the sets for the show, and we collaborated. I was given the opportunity to paint two huge panels that were a part of the larger stage. I painted lotuses for almost 14 hours a day for four days. I loved it! More importantly, me being part of such a show through my art gave me a lot of happiness.

art

Stage design for the ‘Conversations with Namu Kini’ show, Bangalore (In collaboration with Maia Design)

How has art helped you evolve as a human being? AKC: The journey is as important as the destination. This journey from a ‘casual’ life to the quest to find myself, and then discovering what I want to do for life has been overwhelming! I feel the difference in many more ways that I can share or even consciously realize. When I quit my job, it was like restarting my life at 32. During my exhibition at ‘Art Bengaluru, UB City’, which was my first such experience after college days, I felt such joy when people looked at my work and found a connection in their heart. I spoke to so many and shared with each person the story of my art with the same excitement. I would get goose bumps while talking about the art on display. I find happiness in just the basic things of life. I barely visit malls; shopping is the last activity on my mind. I find myself way more purposeful. Most importantly, I try to meet more real people, have real conversations, and find people with a similar view of life, people who share lives, stories and experiences. I introduce myself to different

forms of art that I appreciate and seek inspiration from. There is so much more that creation and art teaches me each day. I am learning to live in today and in the moment. And waiting to see where it takes me. What insights would you share with young artists? AKC: When I started my journey a very wise artist told me, “Ask yourself some questions… what do you want to do, why do you want to do what you want to do and how will it make you feel when you are doing this and when it’s completed?” This can be applied to anything that one does in life. When you are honest with yourself, and find the truthful answers for these questions, you will know what path to take and what to make of it. When we choose to be artists we have already signaled the world that we are not like most others. So, let us practice a lot; do the new, as the unknown is empowering; be unique and do something that only we can own; do something that gives us joy. And finally, as the German phrase goes - Bitte Leben. Please live. aartikarwayun@gmail.com www.poolmagazine.in 23

Get your pr POOL Maga POOL 42 lmag

azin

e.in

POOL 41

L 43

POO

L 43 O O P

.poo www

zine.i www.poolmaga

pg 32 Jasleen Bindra

phed togra | Pho

ma Shar dhir by Su

41 POOL

an by Neetika Devg | Photographed

dry 'Ek Type' foun Fair 2014 16 gar 12 India Art 58 04 MIXIN, Srina 50 Manreet Deol Suresh Venkat ti 44 Anais Basu 26 Manish Gula are Nanv t Anan

63 kaya ht 18 32 stSig Cagri Can e pg @Fir Love parna 58 ghad rni 14 ji Av &A Kulka Deepak Tan2a8 ra hu 52 Mad pg Kapur k 10 Star Dhruv efan a 42 04 St am Rahej ishra R Rit M Darji 26 n Mithu

32 | i Dhar pg Shivan

Photogr

t0 Showka 02 Uzma a 22 Kakroo eer Gupt Anubha n 14 Ab Krishna Devika

POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I

To avail subscriptions & offers w

You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww

rint copy of azine today! POOL 40

ww w.p

oolmaga

b by Goura raphed

zine.in

Expe r onlin ience th e ve e Lo r a Mut ual F n Again y fir st With s u n d s and t Share only a 5-minu s, from te Insu Baja princip ranc Our j Fin le ap Loan e* to A s

POOL 40

www.poolmaga zine.i

POO L3

9 www .poo

lmag

azin

e.in

Indrajit Nattoji pg 34

nt to 58 velopme Jenny Pin Craft De Arora 52 04 The 44 Tinni ay Kaul 2 Aksh

Coll in W righ t

pg 3 Ashis 0|P h hoto Divya Kalpun grap & Nav d 02 C hed agri by K ya N C urt La iran jan 2 ankaya nger 09 4 Man deep Mihir Bh oley Nag i 44 10 T anay Rev ati G angal Kumar 14 52 O mka rC

hitn

is 58

ndroid, Web, Amazon and Windows 8 IN/Indi-Design/pool

write to info@poolmagazine.in

ww.poolmagazine.in

POOL magazine indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first global design magazine www.poolmagazine.in

Shivani Dhar pg 32

www.poolmagazine.in

POOL 42

www.poolmagazine.in

POOL 43

POOL 41

POOL 43

Tanaji Avghade pg 32 | Photographed by Gourab Ganguli

Anubha Kakroo 02 Uzma Showkat 04 The Craft Development Institute 10 Devika Krishnan 14 Abeer Gupta 22 Akshay Kaul 44 Tinni Arora 52 Jenny Pinto 58

Jasleen Bindra pg 32

| Photographed by Neetika Devgan

Suresh Venkat 04 MIXIN, Srinagar 12 'Ek Type' foundry 18 Anant Nanvare 26 Manish Gulati 44 Anais Basu 50 Manreet Deol 58

pg28

www.poolmagazine.in

| Photographed by Sudhir Sharma

Rit Mishra 04 Stefan Stark 10 Madhura Kulkarni 14 Love@FirstSight 18 Mithun Darji 26 Ram Raheja 42 Dhruv Kapur 52 Deepak & Aparna 58 Cagri Cankaya 63

craft

WINNING METAL Accessory designer Valay Gada, who started Cobalt Designs with turnkey interior designer Michael Rodrigues, talks about their efforts to ethically and creatively preserve traditional crafts

appealing. These are works that ooze luxury and then there are works that have an element of quirk as well.

Tell us about Cobalt Designs. CD: Cobalt Designs is inspired by a classical tradition seeking to preserve the very best of past cultures in terms of both artisanal tradition and fine craftsmanship, combining this with contemporary design. We work with traditional crafts primarily in metal alloys (like brass and copper) and push the finishing levels to match machine-made. However, we have also embraced newer technologies and machine-made. We believe that our products should perform the functions they are meant to, make one smile, and be esthetically 26â&#x20AC;&#x192; POOLâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;#44

We would like Cobalt Designs to grow and be recognized as a leading Indian design company that puts emphasis on nurturing home grown Indian talent and protecting and engaging with local artisans to preserve craft from one generation to the next. We are both conscious that the younger generation is moving away from highly skilled craft as the wages are so low. Both of us are ethically minded and as a small company we are restricted to what we can currently do; however, we would like to ensure business standards within our supply chain, just getting the basics right on health and safety and using no child labor would be a step in the right direction, but also looking at environmental benchmarking. When you are subcontracting, design can be a very dirty process both in terms of appalling working standards and wages. When you visit towns like Moradabad and see the industrial pollution it is quite horrifying.

craft

(Left-Right) 1. Agra Mathura Bowls | 2. Agra Mathura jaali screen

The best we can do is ensure that Cobalt Designs does no harm to living things. We would also like our brand to be associated with a variety of causes such as combating HIV/Aids, animal abuse and child and bonded labor. We have to be successful in order to contribute more to society both in terms of employment but also a force for good and change. We have looked at a number of fair trade and ethical business models that inspire us. So we are ambitious but not necessarily for ourselves. How did the two of you team up? CD: Michael is married to my best friend! However, professionally we met two years ago when I was doing a stint with a start-up company and needed some

technical assistance. After I left Ode Designs I had bagged a project from an interior design firm and consulted Michael on it and that’s when we realized we ought to be working together, both having had our apprehensions about working under somebody else. It’s been about a year now and it’s worked out pretty well. While I studied Fashion Lifestyle & Accessories Design at N.I.F.T, Michael has a Diploma in Interior Design from Lee Brown Institute, Canada. He looks after Design & Execution at Cobalt Designs, while I am the Creative Head. What types of products do you create? CD: We have worked on a range of product categories, from furniture, www.poolmagazine.in 27

craft lighting, and bath accessories, to mirrors, hardware and some costume jewelry too. We have also worked on some customized projects for residences as well as restaurants. What inspires your creations? CD: The XOXO Collection is inspired by Demetrius Comino’s 1930s invention of slotted angles, initially used for warehouse shelving. I have replaced the original industrial slots with crosses and noughts/ hugs and kisses to add a playful element and the steel with brass to add the luxury quotient.

XOXO Collection - Stool

Mihrab is meant to be a special prayer room, originally pointing in the direction of Mecca. The Mihrab Collection essentially consists of Ottomans, and draws from archways (Christian as well as Islamic architecture). The Xylem pendant lights are inspired by the vascular tissue within plants. The Crystalline Collection seems to be a macabre marriage of superman’s kryptonite and geodes!

Pie Chart Collection 28 POOL #44

craft

with a combination of brass and copper which is uncommon.

(Left-Right) Art Sculptures by Valay

Our etched Laburnum mirrors are an example of Art Deco revival. The Pasta collection of cufflinks and rings is a fun collection featuring the various pasta forms. Do you innovate in terms of material and skills? CD: There are certain processes like Sanjhi paper cutting where craftsmen use small scissors to manually cut very intricate patterns depicting narratives from Krishnaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life, and increasingly now towards a more secular lexicon. We became inspired by these narratives but have translated them in brass using the process of acid etching both through the brass as well as on the surface to give multiple textures and layers to a piece. Our Pie Chart collection has thaalis; it incorporates a multitude of traditional textures used on vessels all in one thaali

What kind of research is involved in your work? CD: Research involves trips to libraries, going through books, as well as traveling. Given our specialization in metal alloys, the metal museum at Patan in Nepal was quite a treat. With design you have to keep abreast with current trends, technology and materials, so we go to a lot of trade shows. Who forms your main target market? CD: Our target market comprises people who want to make their home feel alive. They love and appreciate art, and celebrate craftsmanship. These are people who are well traveled and do not buy into a look; they have built a home over time, and love nature and the textural feel of things. How important do you think it is to revive traditional crafts and preserve conventional skills? CD: Reviving traditional crafts is very essential. However, it has to be relevant to the times. One must not mourn if it morphs into something completely different or draws heavily from another www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 29

craft

Project for NBar - Wave panel_Pollen Polygonal light

craft. However, the process of this evolution needs to be documented. There isn’t enough recognition given to crafts or craftsmen. Moreover, what we find lacking is this sense of pride in the work they are doing; the next generation is no more interested in carrying on the tradition. If we can provide a proper living wage and add value into the supply chain, we think we will be able to retain and train new craftsmen and women. How essential is it to understand the culture and history behind craft art? CD: Very! Both being Indian, it is in our DNA. One can’t but help notice craft when you travel through India with its world reknowned textiles, carving in both wood and stone, in addition to fantastic metal work that spans hundreds of years of tradition. We both work very closely with small traditional craftsmen and that brings an intimacy to our work coupled with a sense of 30 POOL #44

satisfaction that we have added to the craft tradition in India and are part of that massive diversity that you find nowhere else in the world. What is the future of contemporary craft in India? CD: What we need to work on is to pride ourselves for what we are and where we come from, and more importantly to acknowledge all our shortcomings and work on them. A blind rush for all things made in foreign lands needs to stop and an appreciation for ‘made in India’ is vital. Why should it take a Tom Dixon to come and make beaten metal ‘cool’ for us when we already have a long tradition of metal craft, or for that matter any other craft? Government interventions with craft clusters will have to lay emphasis on the use of new technology so that craftsmen can make themselves visible. Admittedly, as designers we often stand as middlemen and this role can

craft

Xylem lights

change from us taking more responsibility or even shifting to a completely different role as consultants/facilitators. Within the mass market sector India has already lost out on a lot of business because we have a lax attitude. Unless we emphasize quality control and stick to lead time deadlines, this sector will die out. Already huge sectors have moved to China, which can take production to scale and consistency in a way that India just can’t. However, we think that lack of uniformity is something that makes each craft piece unique. From the customer’s side we need to realize the true value of handmade and lift it from the much-abused notion of ‘cheap labor’ and stop haggling shamelessly at craft bazaars. Garuda Makara faucets

cobaltdesignstudio@gmail.com www.poolmagazine.in 31

Get your pr POOL Maga POOL 42 lmag

azin

e.in

POOL 41

L 43

POO

L 43 O O P

.poo www

zine.i www.poolmaga

pg 32 Jasleen Bindra

phed togra | Pho

ma Shar dhir by Su

41 POOL

an by Neetika Devg | Photographed

dry 'Ek Type' foun Fair 2014 16 gar 12 India Art 58 04 MIXIN, Srina 50 Manreet Deol Suresh Venkat ti 44 Anais Basu 26 Manish Gula are Nanv t Anan

63 kaya ht 18 32 stSig Cagri Can e pg @Fir Love parna 58 ghad rni 14 ji Av &A Kulka Deepak Tan2a8 ra hu 52 Mad pg Kapur k 10 Star Dhruv efan a 42 04 St am Rahej ishra R Rit M Darji 26 n Mithu

32 | i Dhar pg Shivan

Photogr

t0 Showka 02 Uzma a 22 Kakroo eer Gupt Anubha n 14 Ab Krishna Devika

POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I

To avail subscriptions & offers w

You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww

rint copy of azine today! POOL 40

ww w.p

oolmaga

b by Goura raphed

zine.in

Expe r onlin ience th e ve e Lo r a Mut ual F n Again y fir st With s u n d s and t Share only a 5-minu s, from te Insu Baja princip ranc Our j Fin le ap Loan e* to A s

POOL 40

www.poolmaga zine.i

POO L3

9 www .poo

lmag

azin

e.in

Indrajit Nattoji pg 34

nt to 58 velopme Jenny Pin Craft De Arora 52 04 The 44 Tinni ay Kaul 2 Aksh

Coll in W righ t

pg 3 Ashis 0|P h hoto Divya Kalpun grap & Nav d 02 C hed agri by K ya N C urt La iran jan 2 ankaya nger 09 4 Man deep Mihir Bh oley Nag i 44 10 T anay Rev ati G angal Kumar 14 52 O mka rC

hitn

is 58

ndroid, Web, Amazon and Windows 8 IN/Indi-Design/pool

write to info@poolmagazine.in

ww.poolmagazine.in

cover story

VR Surat Virtuous Retail is a pan india institution that is developing high quality retail environments. Branding, destination brand environment and signage design for VR Surat - their first flagship center, was developed. The result was a center that features effective and consumer friendly way-finding systems and innovative installations and environment designs that create a unique retail environment. A key feature of the project was a 240ft mural depicting the history of Surat that also became the center of the F&B engagement outdoors. 32â&#x20AC;&#x192; POOLâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;#44

THE SPICE TRAIL

cover story

Twelve years ago Sajith Ansar founded Idea Spice Design in Dubai with the idea of ‘making it big’. Today the enterprising designer-entrepreneur is CEO of the multi-company Spice Holding Group, and a name to reckon with in design and brand strategy. When and how was Idea Spice conceived? SA: Idea Spice was conceived in 2002 completely by chance. I was in Dubai working for a few months and I got a call from a friend who had relocated from Ahmedabad. He spoke about his experience of trying to finding good creatives for a new radio station he had joined. He mentioned that he missed www.poolmagazine.in 33

cover story

seeing the high quality, out-of-the-box thinking he was used to working with at NID. I randomly asked if I could have a shot at the brief and present designs…and there’s been no looking back since then! How did you land your first major design project? SA: As I mentioned, the first design job was a pitch for a new radio station which today is the number one Hindi station in Dubai. I got the brief, drove to a computer store and set up office that day, and presented designs the next day! They were working behind schedule and were looking for out-of-the-box thinking. They became our first clients and referred us so many of their clients once we delighted them. That philosophy of ensuring our clients are so happy that 34 POOL #44

they tell the whole world about us is our single biggest marketing ammunition! How did you attract the initial employees to your enterprise? SA: The first employees were friends I wanted to have around - Saurav Roy, who today heads our India operation and is our Chief Creative Officer, was the first hire. I used to routinely pull his leg and had to actually spend an hour on the phone convincing him that the job offer was for real and this wasn’t a prank! We then convinced Ayaz Basra (who runs The Busride now) to relocate to Dubai and become part of the family, mainly because we felt we would have a blast working together. That was really an understatement and we learnt so much from each other as we laughed

cover story Xpress Money Spread across 125 countries in 5 different continents with over 135,000 agent locations, Xpress Money is a global money transfer service ranked right behind its key competitor. A new identity was built that reflected the growing aspirations of the brand and created a stronger connect with its customers.

Suasti - Family Medical Centre Branding and Communication for a Family Medical Centre.

www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 35

cover story

Rebranding of financial supermarket - a consultancy firm that offers a range of services from business consulting to financial services. The revised identity reflects the global ambitions of its founders. The scope of work extended from corporate identity extensions to their office environment design.

through the day. Today, so many aspects of the process, philosophy and rituals that we follow evolved from those crazy days 12 years ago. Today, most of our key designers are based out of our Mumbai office and we have an amazing energy in the space which is infectious. Much of the culture today we owe to the madness of the initial days. What challenges did you face in the early days? SA: The first challenge was to create value for design where agencies were providing the service free of cost. We had to educate our clientele about the value of design and slowly move 36 POOL #44

away from having to always pitch to convince clients. We also had to be prepared to be exploited and be taken for a ride quite often because we were just setting off. In the beginning, we decided to allow that to happen to build a strong portfolio and an established voice in the industry. We decided to simply focus on making a paradigm shift in our client’s business based on our creative solutions and ideas. The other challenge was to find contacts and leads in a new market where we didn’t know anyone at all. We were all new to the region and had no idea of processes, benchmarks, contacts or references. Maybe in

cover story hindsight that helped us to stay fresh and do our own thing and mainly focus on doing really good work and let that speak for itself. How different is your business model today from when you started? SA: Our business model initially was just about ensuring we covered our expenses and had an ability to fund our growth ourselves without debt. Today, we have diversified and forward integrated our services based on client requirements. The focus is on creating a profitable process that is extremely high in innovation, yet repeatable and process driven. We also created processes and systems that allowed for geographic expansion with central design offices. This allowed for an organic growth for the design team and a rapid growth from the market reach point of view. How has the journey as designer and entrepreneur been so far? SA: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing what I love and the journey has been nothing short of magical! As a designer, I learnt so much from the team as we evolved and

Bharat Floorings & Tiles - Branding

www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 37

cover story

Little Champions Nursery Branding and communication for a pre-school in Dubai.

the wonderful people who kept joining the roller coaster ride. We were continually learning about new industries and businesses and being inspired by the wonderful entrepreneurs who became our clients. We look back at our work from just the last year and we flinch. It’s wonderful seeing the constant evolution of the design process and how one matures as an entrepreneur. I think it’s the need to keep pushing and evolving both as a design team and as a company that helps us evolve and grow. What are your plans for the future? SA: I would like to take Idea Spice into multiple innovation verticals and create offices in emerging markets around the world In your opinion, what makes a good designer? SA: In my personal opinion a good designer is a sum of many attributes. Firstly, he or she must be extremely curious and have a thirst for knowledge – someone who is always observing, asking the right questions and assimilating all kinds of experiences not knowing when they can pull that out of the hat as a reference of inspiration. 38 POOL #44

cover story

The Bakers Dozen is a chain of speciality bread stores. The brand was designed to be an antithesis of the standard bakery chain. Every collateral and extension of the brand was hand drawn and recreated to ensure that the core idea of the brand â&#x20AC;&#x153;handmade with loveâ&#x20AC;? was visible in every aspect of the brand. The brand identity program spanned from naming, designing the logo to the web interface, spatial design and creating a comprehensive marketing communication platform.

www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 39

cover story

The [v] SPOT, Gurgaon. Building on the [v] SPOT experience created in Saket, the [v] SPOT Gurgaon features apart from the usual favorites such as tully vision, the video booth and the [v] likey wall – a spacious dining and lounge terrace area.

40 POOL #44

cover story A designer must be a great listener and allow a client to feel heard and served. The designer must listen and observe a client and read between the lines because often the brief is never the brief. Being able to intuitively understand the objective or dream of the client is an ability that comes with experience. A good designer must be able to articulate and express themselves well. Too many great ideas die because they are strangled by a bullying client while a designer stands watching, not being able to express their point of view and explain how that can change the client’s business. A designer must also have a basic understanding of management, consumer psychology, observe market trends and dynamics and be able to embrace technology effortlessly. Most importantly, a good designer is someone who loves what they do and is an evangelist for his profession. Tell us a little about yourself. SA: I am from Kollam, Kerala. I studied Industrial Design at NID, after which I joined Core Emballage, a specialized packaging firm, where I went on to head the design department. During my time with Core, I was sent for a specialized management course at IIM – Ahmedabad. I enjoy sketching, reading, travel, mentoring, teaching, adventure travel and the science of entrepreneurship. Who or what inspires you? SA: Though he isn’t a designer, Steve Jobs! What’s inspiring is Apple’s approach to a user centric design process and the passion for consistently turning the industry on its head… being able to bring out products where consumers become zealots for them, and creating an eco system around the products. Which key differentiators will set the Indian design industry apart from others? SA: Our differentiator is the thousands of years of history, culture and art that we can draw inferences from. It is the diversity in the culture and the ability to serve that and understand the distinct consumers. How do we leverage the impact of Indian design globally? SA: To leverage India’s impact we need to take a leaf out of Korea’s book. When we start creating products and www.poolmagazine.in 41

Design Drives Innovation.

A philosophy that nurtures a culture of innovation. For over six decades, Forbes Marshall has been building steam engineering and control instrumentation solutions that work for process industry. Today, we are leaders in process efficiency and energy conservation through technology tie ups and focused investments in manufacturing and research. Constant innovation in our product range is what helps us stay at the fore. We have

consistently brought to the market innovations in technology and design. Several of our designs have won awards, the most recent being the Steamon Vortex Flowmeter which has won the iDesign award for the Best Design in Capital Goods. To know more about what drives innovators at Forbes Marshall, write in to us at response@forbesmarshall.com .

Energy Conservation | Environment | Process Efficiency

www.forbesmarshall.com

P B # 29, Mumbai Pune Road, Kasarwadi, Pune 411 034, India. Tel. +91 20 27145595, 39858555, Fax. +91 20 27147413 A-34/35, M.I.D.C., H Block, Pimpri, Pune 411 018, India. Tel. +91 20 27442020, 39851100, Fax. +91 20 27442020

cover story

VR Surat - Map

innovations that are unique and globally acclaimed and we are proud to use the products ourselves, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when we will have turned a corner. When we do cutting edge communication design, product design, films and spaces and fight tooth and nail for the way it evolves in the production stage. Most designs are diluted when they are executed. When we allow the production process to enhance the ideas as they are midwifed into existence and a world class product is born, we will make an impact. We have a lot of talented designers in the industry and are ready to arrive with all guns blazing! What are the major emerging design trends for India? SA: The SME industry embracing design and understanding the value and impact of design for their businesses. Innovations in the digital arena and applications in everyday life. Innovations and breakthroughs in sustainable solutions for product designers and space designers. Intellectual property rights being respected and new laws coming into practice. Designers evolving into thought partners for clients from just being service providers. What advice would you give young design entrepreneurs? SA: Focus on providing unparalleled value for the client. Know clearly the reason why they hire you in the first place and then start work as if their business were your own. Go beyond the brief and put heart and soul into making sure your client succeeds in achieving his dream. sajith@ideaspice.com www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 43

Get your pr POOL Maga POOL 42 lmag

azin

e.in

POOL 41

L 43

POO

L 43 O O P

.poo www

zine.i www.poolmaga

pg 32 Jasleen Bindra

phed togra | Pho

ma Shar dhir by Su

41 POOL

an by Neetika Devg | Photographed

dry 'Ek Type' foun Fair 2014 16 gar 12 India Art 58 04 MIXIN, Srina 50 Manreet Deol Suresh Venkat ti 44 Anais Basu 26 Manish Gula are Nanv t Anan

63 kaya ht 18 32 stSig Cagri Can e pg @Fir Love parna 58 ghad rni 14 ji Av &A Kulka Deepak Tan2a8 ra hu 52 Mad pg Kapur k 10 Star Dhruv efan a 42 04 St am Rahej ishra R Rit M Darji 26 n Mithu

32 | i Dhar pg Shivan

Photogr

t0 Showka 02 Uzma a 22 Kakroo eer Gupt Anubha n 14 Ab Krishna Devika

POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I

To avail subscriptions & offers w

You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww

rint copy of azine today! POOL 40

ww w.p

oolmaga

b by Goura raphed

zine.in

Expe r onlin ience th e ve e Lo r a Mut ual F n Again y fir st With s u n d s and t Share only a 5-minu s, from te Insu Baja princip ranc Our j Fin le ap Loan e* to A s

POOL 40

www.poolmaga zine.i

POO L3

9 www .poo

lmag

azin

e.in

Indrajit Nattoji pg 34

nt to 58 velopme Jenny Pin Craft De Arora 52 04 The 44 Tinni ay Kaul 2 Aksh

Coll in W righ t

pg 3 Ashis 0|P h hoto Divya Kalpun grap & Nav d 02 C hed agri by K ya N C urt La iran jan 2 ankaya nger 09 4 Man deep Mihir Bh oley Nag i 44 10 T anay Rev ati G angal Kumar 14 52 O mka rC

hitn

is 58

ndroid, Web, Amazon and Windows 8 IN/Indi-Design/pool

write to info@poolmagazine.in

ww.poolmagazine.in

architecture

PUTTING THE SOUL INTO DESIGN

Akshat Bhatt chose to pursue a career in architecture instead of music. As Principal Architect, Architecture Discipline, he tries however to stay true to soulful expression!

44 POOL #44

architecture What drew you to architecture? AB: I was 13 years old when I saw an architect’s drawing board for the first time. I was fascinated by everything on it, and not in a deep philosophical sense; at that age it was a contraption that could move in all directions, with tools, tackles and really cool colored stationery. It was that and my engagement with progressive rock music that led me to explore ‘individual’ expression across the world. Music was more accessible than architecture. By the time I was 17, I was convinced it was either architecture or music; I chose architecture for a formal education, and opted for B.Arch at TVB School of Habitat Studies in New Delhi. Most studio guides at architecture school encouraged this engagement with regional forms of expression as it allowed me to cross reference and draw parallels (some successful, some not so much). A homogenous-universal esthetic never appealed to me - it was too ‘1984-Orwell-comes true’! What did interest me was technique and soulful expression. So I started studying (with guidance) the works of Charles and Ray Eames, Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, James Stirling, and Archigram; later, working with Jeff Kahane in London showed me Le Corbusier’s work in a whole different light.

Mana Resorts, Ranakpur Project www.poolmagazine.in 45

architecture responsibility of planning a project for them. For me, the business of managing a studio has its place; it is important but subservient to architectural values. I am only an entrepreneur to serve the studio. How did you bag your first major design project? AB: We are a young studio and every project we’ve done has been significant for us; they are all treated with the same intensity. The first was a 200 sq. m. sound studio that belonged to a friend. Our largest so far is a master-plan for a 62-acre mixed use development in the state of Bihar. Most of these have been word of mouth / recommendations from past clients or friends.

Around that time, the Tate Modern had been opened to public, the Millennium Bridge was swaying and the British Museum had just received Foster’s glass roof; architecture was everyday-tubestation conversation. I think that’s what got me hooked. When did you decide to start your own studio? AB: I started ‘Architecture Discipline’ in 2007, because I couldn’t find a ‘good equal opportunity architectural practice’ to work with in India. It’s been enjoyable so far - a learning experience, full of enriching experiences and engaging individuals. I believe architectural and design integrity comes first; that is what makes us what we are, and convinces an individual or organization to entrust us with the 46 POOL #44

What is the most exciting part of the kind of work you do? AB: Our work is process driven but a lot of theorizing and research has been done by us or is ‘borrowed’ for specific projects. We reflect and engage in discourse all the time. Nothing happens without determining the goal and then modifying the process to achieve the design intent. The presentations, prototypes, mockups, drawing rationale, and project control is all discussed; we really don’t hold ourselves down to any ‘standard package’. The constant innovation from conceptualization, production and final documentation is what keeps me on my toes and that’s probably what I find most exciting (for lack of a better word). You recently received the Excellence in Architecture award by Indian Architect & Builder for Mana Resorts, Ranakpur. Tell us about that. AB: Regional forms of expression have been of interest to me since my days

architecture

Mana Resorts, Ranakpur Project

in architecture school. We studied vernacular settlements in different parts of North India. When we were commissioned for the Mana Resorts at Ranakpur, we took a few weeks out to conduct photo-documentary surveys of the Udaipur Valley and its surrounding regions. We also studied construction techniques used by the locals. The development of the built form and subsequent techniques was a reaction to the immediate surroundings of the site. Less than a kilometer away there is the Ranakpur temple, which is rich, intricately carved and absolutely magnificent; adjoining the site is a modestly sized reconstructed haveli which is now used as a small hotel. We felt a contrasting composition would do justice to the setting and hold its own in the presence of this architectural heritage. We decided to express a contrast in time and space for which we placed an orthogonal 9m x 9m grid across the site. This was dotted with local species of trees such as the Tesu; this would celebrate

Mana Resorts, Ranakpur Project

www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 47

architecture

Mana Resorts, Ranakpur Project

and express the change of seasons. This grid was overlaid with masonry walls that would form the backdrop for the built spaces. The paths and the movement were then juxtaposed over this to formalize the site for the placement of the buildings and the cottages. The design became a composition of extremes, heavy vs. light, temporary vs. permanent, frugal vs. decorative and so on. We felt it was important to continue the experience of the exterior into the guest rooms so the construction techniques with the Kashia stone slabs and the steel joists are visible within. What are the main determinants in your design process? AB: The building program, site parameters, cultural implications, regional techniques 48â&#x20AC;&#x192; POOLâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;#44

and subsequent form explorations are probably the most significant parameters in our design process. Who has been your greatest inspiration? AB: The masters, both modern and contemporary, have been an influence and inspiration. I also admire the works of Herzog De Meuron, Thomas Heatherwick, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, the Eameses, Alberto Meda and Laurie Baker. How do they influence your work? AB: We study the work of others, to understand the principles used and techniques applied. This way an inspiration or influence manifests itself in a deeper, more considered manner, and it becomes a part of our repertoire

architecture Mana Resorts, Ranakpur Project

opportunities to practice, evolve and demonstrate what we believe are good practices in architecture and design. To further these desires we’d like our own prototyping workshop, a small residency for individuals with similar goals. We have only just scraped the surface in our engagement with architecture. Mana Resorts, Ranakpur Project

without kitschy references. For design strategy and details we refer the works of the big four modernists, Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, Renzo Piano & Michael Hopkins, the four proponents of British hi-tech; and as a personal agenda, Laurie Baker. Do you have immediate expansion plans? An expansion plan is difficult to propose. Yes, we desire a few resources and

In your opinion, what are the emerging trends in Indian architecture? AB: We’ll be forced to think about the fundamentals; construction has become expensive both financially and in consuming natural resources, We’ve been talking about climate change for a while, but even the economic climate is changing, and this will force us to rethink our strategies. We may all be forced to champion regional resources. info@architecturediscipline.com www.poolmagazine.in 49

Get your pr POOL Maga POOL 42 lmag

azin

e.in

POOL 41

L 43

POO

L 43 O O P

.poo www

zine.i www.poolmaga

pg 32 Jasleen Bindra

phed togra | Pho

ma Shar dhir by Su

41 POOL

an by Neetika Devg | Photographed

dry 'Ek Type' foun Fair 2014 16 gar 12 India Art 58 04 MIXIN, Srina 50 Manreet Deol Suresh Venkat ti 44 Anais Basu 26 Manish Gula are Nanv t Anan

63 kaya ht 18 32 stSig Cagri Can e pg @Fir Love parna 58 ghad rni 14 ji Av &A Kulka Deepak Tan2a8 ra hu 52 Mad pg Kapur k 10 Star Dhruv efan a 42 04 St am Rahej ishra R Rit M Darji 26 n Mithu

32 | i Dhar pg Shivan

Photogr

t0 Showka 02 Uzma a 22 Kakroo eer Gupt Anubha n 14 Ab Krishna Devika

POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I

To avail subscriptions & offers w

You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww

rint copy of azine today! POOL 40

ww w.p

oolmaga

b by Goura raphed

zine.in

Expe r onlin ience th e ve e Lo r a Mut ual F n Again y fir st With s u n d s and t Share only a 5-minu s, from te Insu Baja princip ranc Our j Fin le ap Loan e* to A s

POOL 40

www.poolmaga zine.i

POO L3

9 www .poo

lmag

azin

e.in

Indrajit Nattoji pg 34

nt to 58 velopme Jenny Pin Craft De Arora 52 04 The 44 Tinni ay Kaul 2 Aksh

Coll in W righ t

pg 3 Ashis 0|P h hoto Divya Kalpun grap & Nav d 02 C hed agri by K ya N C urt La iran jan 2 ankaya nger 09 4 Man deep Mihir Bh oley Nag i 44 10 T anay Rev ati G angal Kumar 14 52 O mka rC

hitn

is 58

ndroid, Web, Amazon and Windows 8 IN/Indi-Design/pool

write to info@poolmagazine.in

ww.poolmagazine.in

accessory design

Case History Travel enthusiasts Karishma Jhalani & Ashwin Jain are reliving past journeys and creating tangible memories through their accessory brand 1701

Tell us a little about yourselves. KJ: We both come from very diverse backgrounds. I majored in Communications and Film from the University of Pennsylvania, while Ashwin majored in Political Science from Dartmouth College. Before we teamed up, he was working in finance in London, while I had spent time working in film in all of its forms, including a talent agency in LA, three Bollywood films as AD, and writing and directing my own shorts. I had experimented with design through a resort wear label that I started, but I never had any formal design training. The learning and experience that I’ve gained in this field has primarily been on the job. How did 1701 come to be? KJ: My mom had given me a Canon 60d for my 25th birthday and I went shopping for 50 POOL #44

a case for it. All I saw were those standard black nylon cases and bags, which I found supremely boring. I decided to have one made, and sourced some electric blue leather, gold piping, and a bright orange sheepskin for a strap. When I went traveling I repeatedly got stopped by people who wanted to find out where I had got the case. Ashwin and I were keen to work together, and given our shared interest in design and photography, making camera cases seemed like a good place to start! AJ: Though I had spent many years in finance, I was always leaning towards doing something more entrepreneurial, so when we came up with the idea for 1701, I was very excited about it. Karishma is Creative Director, responsible for the

accessory design

Laptop Bag; Gaucho Collection

design and direction of our products and collections. I am Managing Director, responsible for finance, marketing, and strategy. Why the name 1701? What is the brand’s philosophy? AJ: Our brand name came about based on the idea that numbers are always the gateway to a journey. When you begin a travel experience, you are given a set of numbers – flight numbers and times, dates, and hotel room numbers. These form the frame of your journey. What you fill into that frame, the canvas of your journey, is up to you and how you choose to travel. We like that sense of ambiguity, and respect the uniqueness that each person’s experience of travel comes with.

Similarly, our brand’s philosophy is about embracing that individuality and uniqueness. At the very core of our brand’s principles is the idea of artistic creation. We don’t want to create one design and sell it thousands and thousands of times. That’s why we make pieces in limited editions – so that our customers can feel confident in the knowledge that they are not buying a product that will be available on a mass level, but rather something that is going to be unique to them. We’re also building up our bespoke capabilities, to give our customers the ability to truly express themselves through our products. KJ: The way our product selection has grown has been very organic. It has always been based on what we feel would enhance www.poolmagazine.in 51

Laptop Bag; Ipanema Collection

our lives, and inject a level of beauty and a particular design sensibility to the things we love to do – travel and create. We’re more interested in making unusual products and shapes, things that are unique to us and our vision for 1701. Can you tell us something about your design process? KJ: My design process begins with conceptual inspiration. It is always founded in what I find exciting and motivating. For example, our first collection was based on travel and it encompassed designs which were meant to evoke some of our favorite cities in the world. Cities like Paris, Jaipur, and Rio de Janeiro were on that list – and these were cities of which we had particularly strong and positive memories. Our forthcoming collection is based on the golden age of travel – so now instead of focusing on places, we are thinking about the modes of travel that began to allow people to travel on a mass scale like never before – beginning with trains (late 1800s), then ocean liners (early 1900s), and culminating in the advent of commercial flights (mid 1900s). The golden age of travel is important to us because of the implications it carries for the modern world. The interchange and movement of cultures and ideas that we enjoy today would never have been possible 52 POOL #44

without this age as a precursor. Our research for this collection has been broad and far-reaching. We’ve read histories and novels, watched films, and looked at endless numbers of photographs, all ranging from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. Using this research I write short stories creating characters from each of these ages. The stories are inspired by the structure and form of the vessels themselves, from the architecture of major ports and train stations, and the styles of dress during that period. These stories in turn inspire the shapes and colors of the collection. Both of us enjoy writing, and so the act of translating ideas and visual inspirations into the written word helps us clarify the story that we’re trying to tell through our products. What material do you work with? KJ: Leather forms the basis and structure for most of our pieces. We also utilize canvas, linen, and waterproofed nylon for the exteriors of our pieces. Linings can be suede, raw silk, and satin. In terms of embellishments, we work with lace, thread, beads, crystals, and a variety of metals. We love experimenting with different materials, especially materials that are generally out of context when you consider leather as your base. Who is a 1701 customer? KJ: In our experience, there isn’t a specific type of person who is the 1701 customer, necessarily. A lot of our products do appeal to style-conscious, younger women, given our use of color and embroideries. But our bespoke products have found a strong following in customers who are not traditionally fashion-focused as well. Since we are constantly exploring and experimenting, the customers who find our designs appealing are also always morphing from one audience to another. Our core customers, however, are as progressive

accessory design

Decollete Collection

and experimental as we are, and we find that they are people who are engaged in creative pursuits and find themselves constantly thirsty for new ideas. What inspires your designs? KJ: So far, our collections have been inspired by travel – both places we have been to, as well as historical modes of travel. Those are our collection-specific inspirations. Realistically speaking, though, inspiration comes from anywhere. It can be from the art direction of a particular film that we’ve seen (Wes Anderson!), from the fittings and fixtures of a building we’ve visited, or very

Laptop Bag; Jaipur Collection

simply from the emotion of a particular piece of artwork. We are constantly cataloguing our experiences, both visual and otherwise, and looking for ways to translate those experiences into the design of our products. What are the challenges of establishing and building your brand? AJ: That’s a tough question! There are so many areas of a startup business that are exceptionally challenging. The first of these is finding a coherent and unique voice which defines your brand. It takes a lot of experimentation and hard thinking, and can often take a fair bit of time as well. It is important to work through this process until something that truly represents you emerges. For us, this core is based around the idea of artistic creation – the thought process that products should be as unique and as carefully thought through as any other creative work. This core has influenced not only our designs, but also our business model and strategy. Another very difficult aspect of starting up a fashion business, especially in leather, is figuring out your sourcing. Leather is not an easy material to source, and because we are obsessive about the quality of our products, it has taken us a very long time to source effectively. www.poolmagazine.in 53

accessory design

54 POOL #44

accessory design

SLR Cases

Lastly, initial timelines and budgets tend to pale in comparison to the actual time and cost involved in starting up a business. Uneasiness with how the time or investment requirements constantly seem to be increasing tend to distract you from your original vision and goals. However, it is extremely important to keep the reasons for why you are in business very clear, so that you continue to pursue your original dreams and not a diluted version thereof. Can you share some insights that might help other independent designers? AJ: Finding your own, unique voice and sticking to your guns about communicating in that voice is what will set you apart. You will constantly be distracted by what is happening in the market and what is considered to be successful, but unless you doggedly pursue whatever it is that you want to express, you’ll get lost in the multitudes. It is often counterproductive to pander to trends. You should look at creating something that you want to create, not something that people tell you the market wants.

On a more practical note, the more organized you are and the more you plan, the more manageable the sometimes-Sisyphean task of starting a business will be! Our best friend in starting this business has been Asana, which is an online task-management tool started by a couple of ex-Facebookers. If you really integrate that into your work, it’ll help keep you on top of what you need to do. How would you describe the journey so far? KJ: The journey has certainly been characterized by learning, and also by a continual refinement of how I think about design. AJ: It has been a fantastic experience working with someone like Karishma who intuitively understands the process of designing and building a company around that intuition. It’s been nearly 18 months since we started, and it’s really been in the last few months that we’ve found ourselves maturing as a company and being able to spend the majority of our time creating as opposed to managing growing pains! info@1701.in www.poolmagazine.in 55

Get your pr POOL Maga POOL 42 lmag

azin

e.in

POOL 41

L 43

POO

L 43 O O P

.poo www

zine.i www.poolmaga

pg 32 Jasleen Bindra

phed togra | Pho

ma Shar dhir by Su

41 POOL

an by Neetika Devg | Photographed

dry 'Ek Type' foun Fair 2014 16 gar 12 India Art 58 04 MIXIN, Srina 50 Manreet Deol Suresh Venkat ti 44 Anais Basu 26 Manish Gula are Nanv t Anan

63 kaya ht 18 32 stSig Cagri Can e pg @Fir Love parna 58 ghad rni 14 ji Av &A Kulka Deepak Tan2a8 ra hu 52 Mad pg Kapur k 10 Star Dhruv efan a 42 04 St am Rahej ishra R Rit M Darji 26 n Mithu

32 | i Dhar pg Shivan

Photogr

t0 Showka 02 Uzma a 22 Kakroo eer Gupt Anubha n 14 Ab Krishna Devika

POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I

To avail subscriptions & offers w

You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww

rint copy of azine today! POOL 40

ww w.p

oolmaga

b by Goura raphed

zine.in

Expe r onlin ience th e ve e Lo r a Mut ual F n Again y fir st With s u n d s and t Share only a 5-minu s, from te Insu Baja princip ranc Our j Fin le ap Loan e* to A s

POOL 40

www.poolmaga zine.i

POO L3

9 www .poo

lmag

azin

e.in

Indrajit Nattoji pg 34

nt to 58 velopme Jenny Pin Craft De Arora 52 04 The 44 Tinni ay Kaul 2 Aksh

Coll in W righ t

pg 3 Ashis 0|P h hoto Divya Kalpun grap & Nav d 02 C hed agri by K ya N C urt La iran jan 2 ankaya nger 09 4 Man deep Mihir Bh oley Nag i 44 10 T anay Rev ati G angal Kumar 14 52 O mka rC

hitn

is 58

ndroid, Web, Amazon and Windows 8 IN/Indi-Design/pool

write to info@poolmagazine.in

ww.poolmagazine.in

wall artist

WALLS TELL TALES His day job is as art director for a Mumbai-based design firm, but it’s his association with wall art company Wallcano that gives Sayyed Arshad Ali a creative high

56 POOL #44

wall artist

Myntra.com - Office Branding

How and when did you come up with the idea of ‘Wallcano’? SA: Wallcano is a wall art company that we started in July 2011, and it was the result of an impulsive conversation with a friend. The name ‘Wallcano’ emerged from ‘Volcano’, which signifies fire and a boost of energy. Our first project was a blessing in disguise. It wasn’t a wall painting project, merely an illustration project for Publicis, an advertising agency in Mumbai. But the moment we entered the office, we realized it was a great opportunity and we proposed the idea of wall painting. By god’s grace we managed to kick off our first project with a great company and great work! How did the team come together? SA: I think the interest and passion of illustration brought us together. We were

introduced to each other on Facebook, where we all met on an illustration page and started interacting about work and illustration styles. I met Sana Patel through common friends and just pulled her into the company as a Strategist. She manages our social media pages, content strategy and business strategy. Currently we are five artists trying to build up our company - Sajid Wajid Shaikh, Javed Shaikh, Swapnil Shinde, Sadik Shaikh and I. It’s our thoughts and compatibility that makes Wallcano. How did you land your first commercial project? SA: I am happy to share that whatever projects we have done have been for proactive clients – namely, Publicis, Myntra, ibar, Pirates of Kitchen, Diesel, Superdry, MTV, Tata Nano, Maruti Swift, among others. www.poolmagazine.in 57

wall artist

Vista Print - Office Branding

Wall painting done at THE HIVE Head Office, Mumbai

58 POOL #44

wall artist

Wallcano for MTV Bloc Party

Publicis was a great opportunity but at the same time we faced quite a lot of challenges. As we were new in the field we lacked experience but we excelled in talent. It was hard communicating and coming to a common decision. Initially we fought for individual ideas, but as time passed we realized it’s not about individuals, it’s about Wallcano. Our work is not work - it’s a playground. We have fun with colors, brushes and music. We love working late nights and let’s not forgot all the weird conversations! Since we are doing great, we will soon start pitching to clients not only for wall painting and illustrations but as an end to end digital solutions company.

We are working on our gaps to build on the digital solution company idea. Watch our social media space for details on expansion of the company. Our only aim now is to make Wallcano the best digital agency in town! What process do you follow to execute a project? SA: Based on the client brief we conceptualize, plan and execute. Since I collaborate with various artists, talent is sourced based on style requirement. There is no particular style that I follow. Versatility is the key to Wallcano’s success. We have extended our canvas from office and restaurant interior walls to exteriors and cars as well. www.poolmagazine.in 59

wall artist Wall painting for Merrymen Advertising agency

How did people respond to wall painting in the beginning? SA: There has always been excitement on seeing our work in progress. Clients are eager to see the end result. Illustrations don’t speak initially - you can only understand an illustration once it’s completely done. What inspires you? SA: The freedom to translate my thoughts and designs onto a large public space, the extension of my canvas from paper to wall surfaces, and impromptu improvisation. What is the scope for street art or wall art in India? SA: Street art and wall art are quite different. Street artists or graffiti artists express art and opinion on walls, while wall art usually takes the form of graphic visualization with a particular commercial objective. Both have been on the rise over the last few years and our community across the country is growing manifold. Wall art has great potential if tapped well with brands and other commercial spaces. What’s next for Wallcano? SA: To become an entity that’s associated with all or any sort of wall art project and requirements. Wallcano all the way! sayyedarshad@gmail.com 60 POOL #44

designer on the road

berlin

Cagri Cankaya

adds Berlin to his list of top five cities in th e world!

www.designe

rontheroad.co

I couldn’t find a cheap flight from Romania to Germany, so I took the train. I was very excited though it took more than 30 hours to arrive in Berlin, and I had to share a small cubicle with six people for almost two days. I was amazed to discover that the train station in Berlin was a shopping mall too! What an original idea! I really liked the ambience there. I met up with Georg who is in charge of Indi Berlin. Founded by my dear friend Sudhir Sharma, Indi Design in Pune, India was one of the first companies I worked with back at the start of my journey. Now, in Berlin, Indi Design became one of the last companies I would work with as well. I worked here on the logo and branding for an Asian green tea brand called Tao. It’s a high quality organic tea company based in China.

don’t need a car – you can go anywhere in the city on a bicycle or by public transport, which works very well. I guess that is a reflection of the famous German discipline! Berlin has interesting moods. It can be very underground, gothic and mysterious but it can be very naive and romantic as well. There are lots of people from all over the world on the streets. Drinking in public anywhere at any time is possible. Berlin has great beer, good meat, super tasty breads, nice cheese, high quality products, great parks, museums and night clubs. It’s a great city whatever you are looking for. I visited the world’s first computer games museum and it took me to my childhood. I played again all the old classic video games from my childhood with a great smile on my face. I visited the parks, Berlin Mitte skyline, Fernsehturm Tower, Brandenburg Gate, Kreuzberg, Berliner Dom and the famous Berlin Wall.

Berlin was as amazing as I expected. It has become one of my top five cities of the world. I would like to live in Berlin for sure. The biggest negative for me is the weather - it’s very cold most of the time and I hate to live in the cold for too long. I need the sun but summer here is short.

One of the most interesting days was when I met Fabian and Pablo, two other travelers like me. Though short, it was a very special time. World travelers like us don’t often find other people who talk the same language, and we talked about many things!

Apart from the weather, Berlin is a great place for a designer. There is a big artistic community. The streets are filled with amazing art and graffiti is everywhere. Design books are quite affordable. You

I’m almost at the end of my journey and now it’s time to move on to Croatia. I hope I am lucky with the plane this time. See you next month on the same page, fellow travelers. Cheers! www.poolmagazine.in 61

Get your pr POOL Maga POOL 42 lmag

azin

e.in

POOL 41

L 43

POO

L 43 O O P

.poo www

zine.i www.poolmaga

pg 32 Jasleen Bindra

phed togra | Pho

ma Shar dhir by Su

41 POOL

an by Neetika Devg | Photographed

dry 'Ek Type' foun Fair 2014 16 gar 12 India Art 58 04 MIXIN, Srina 50 Manreet Deol Suresh Venkat ti 44 Anais Basu 26 Manish Gula are Nanv t Anan

63 kaya ht 18 32 stSig Cagri Can e pg @Fir Love parna 58 ghad rni 14 ji Av &A Kulka Deepak Tan2a8 ra hu 52 Mad pg Kapur k 10 Star Dhruv efan a 42 04 St am Rahej ishra R Rit M Darji 26 n Mithu

32 | i Dhar pg Shivan

Photogr

t0 Showka 02 Uzma a 22 Kakroo eer Gupt Anubha n 14 Ab Krishna Devika

POOL Magazine is available on iOS, An www.magzter.com/I

To avail subscriptions & offers w

You can also buy subscriptions at www.tadpolestore.com | ww

rint copy of azine today! POOL 40

ww w.p

oolmaga

b by Goura raphed

zine.in

Expe r onlin ience th e ve e Lo r a Mut ual F n Again y fir st With s u n d s and t Share only a 5-minu s, from te Insu Baja princip ranc Our j Fin le ap Loan e* to A s

POOL 40

www.poolmaga zine.i

POO L3

9 www .poo

lmag

azin

e.in

Indrajit Nattoji pg 34

nt to 58 velopme Jenny Pin Craft De Arora 52 04 The 44 Tinni ay Kaul 2 Aksh

Coll in W righ t

pg 3 Ashis 0|P h hoto Divya Kalpun grap & Nav d 02 C hed agri by K ya N C urt La iran jan 2 ankaya nger 09 4 Man deep Mihir Bh oley Nag i 44 10 T anay Rev ati G angal Kumar 14 52 O mka rC

hitn

is 58

ndroid, Web, Amazon and Windows 8 IN/Indi-Design/pool

write to info@poolmagazine.in

ww.poolmagazine.in

obituary

We will miss you, Bill I was deeply saddened when I read over twitter that William Drenttel, who co-founded Design Observer ten years ago, died on December 21, 2013, after a year-and-a-half long struggle with brain cancer. He was 60 years old. Design Observer is the product of Bill Drenttel’s vision. It has transformed the way we talk about design today. Bill discovered and encouraged new writers, pioneered new features to better serve design readers, and ceaselessly sought new ways to expand the site’s purview. He was positive that anything could be an appropriate subject for Design Observer’s writers. This reflected his conviction that design had the capacity to help us understand, transform, and improve every aspect of human life. Over 500 writers have contributed to Design Observer over the last ten years, I met Bill at Bellagio Rockefeller Center (Italy) at a week-long workshop on the role designers could play for social impact. After this, through Winterhouse Institute, he received a $1.5 million Rockefeller Foundation grant for 2009-2010 to develop collective action and collaboration for social impact across the design industry. We were in touch off and on, and he very graciously agreed to be an advisor to POOL magazine when I launched it in 2010. He was excited and very encouraging of POOL.   I will miss him...but his spirit is very much present in POOL...it will continue to make a difference through words and pictures. Sudhir Sharma 62 POOL #44

obituary

William Drenttel, picture by Sudhir Sharma at Bellagio Rockefeller Center (Italy), 2008 www.poolmagazine.inâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 63

www.poolmagazine.in facebook.com/poolmag

twitter.com/poolmagazine

Subscribing Institutions

Partners

pune • mumbai • delhi • jaipur • bikaner • srinagar berlin • hanoi • paris • riyadh • hong kong

Publisher INDI Design Pvt Ltd www.indidesign.in Contact us Indi Design Pvt Ltd C-1, Unit No 503-504, Saudamini Commercial Complex, Bhusari Colony-Right, Paud Road, Pune 411038 Tel.: +91 20 2528 1433 Direct Mails All subscription enquiries to subscribe@poolmagazine.in All sponsorship enquiries to sponsor@poolmagazine.in All content related enquiries to content@poolmagazine.in Printing & Binding Vinayak Arts, Pune 64 POOL #44

Editor in Chief

Digital

Sudhir Sharma

Marianna Korniienko

sudhir@indidesign.in Finance Content & Design Director

Deepak Gautam

Shriya Nagi

shriya@indidesign.in

Assistants Yamanappa Dodamani

Copy Editor

Pranil Gaikwad

Ashvina Vakil

Rafik G Shaikh

Layout & Production

Subscription & Logistics

Pradeep Arora

Seema Sharma

Satyajit Harpude

subscribe@poolmagazine.in

Art & Design

Marketing

Pradip Goswami

Tarun Thakkar

Sayali Shah

tarun@indidesign.in

RNI-No. MAHENG12606/13/1/2010-TC

POOL 44