āśaya I
DIGEST
INDIA CALLING
SOURCING + MANUFACTURING
JANUARY 2025 - THE NEW YEAR EDITION
Luxury Eco Resorts - Turtle Island, Fiji : Understanding Fijian Culture Dr. CC (Carolyn Carta) - Celebrating women in Material Science, Art & Innovation 1
Editor’s
note
āśaya wishes all its readers a very happy and prosperous new year! 2025 marks the year of cosmic transformation as the planet Pluto has entered Aquarius and will remain there for the next 19 years. This is the first occurrence in 200 years that Pluto has entered Aquarius, with the last instance dating back to 1777, an era of significant political and social change – The French Revolution. Understanding Pluto’s potential for empowerment, we are eager to embrace the new year with exciting partnerships, initiatives, and projects. In this edition, we are thrilled to showcase studies related to an intriguing project in Fiji. āśaya,’s design team is deeply immersed in exploring Fijian culture, architecture, and design as they prepare to craft the luxury eco-resort on Turtle Island, Fiji. The insights from our studies and our unique approach are highlighted in this edition. Additionally, we are excited to promote a special learning opportunity for all aspiring luxury eco-resort designers. Professor Hitesh Mehta is offering a Master Class on Eco-Resort Planning and Design, and we encourage our readers to seize this opportunity and share it widely. Saving the best for last, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of Dr. CC, a prolific female scientist whose exceptional skills blend material science, art, and innovation to provide tailored solutions for her esteemed clients. We invite you to delve into this first edition of the āśaya digest for the year 2025 and explore the transformative journey ahead!
Smita Sahoo 2
INDIA - A Global Hub for Luxury Manufacturing + Sourcing Blend of Ancient craftmanship + New Technology
āśaya, drawing on its founder’s Indian heritage, is excited to broaden its design services for clients. The emphasis is on soucing and manufacturing luxury furniture, furnishings, and accessories tailored for upscale luxury living and luxury hospitality requirements. An exciting journey awaits luxury design aficionados. 3
Luxury Eco Resort Turtle Island, Fiji - Cultural studies https://www.turtlefiji.com/
Traditional Fijian Architecture + Design : At the Turtle Island Luxury Resort, our design team is transforming traditional architecture to cater to the needs of modern luxury travelers. In the past, the term “Bure” denoted men’s houses, temples, or chief’s residences. Today, it represents a wide range of traditionally built dwelling houses. Experience the fusion of heritage and contemporary comfort at our resort. 4
Luxury Eco Resort Turtle Island, Fiji - Cultural studies https://www.turtlefiji.com/
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Stones - Achievement
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Pigeon - Mates / Brotherhood
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Spearhead - Fighting spirit
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Birds - Community
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Coconut - Peace
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Shark Teeth - Protecttion
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Fish - Life + Wealth
Traditional Fijian Tattoo Art called Veiqia : Drawing from the rich heritage of traditional tattoo art, the design team finds inspiration to develop unique motifs and patterns for the upcoming eco resort. This fusion of traditional tattooing elements with contemporary design concepts promises to imbue the resort with a sense of cultural authenticity and artistic flair. 5
MasterClass - Luxury Eco-Resort Planning and Design Brentwood Inn - near Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA Winner - National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World !!
About Brentwood Inn, Jackson Hole, Wyoming : The Bentwood Inn, built in 1995, was constructed using massive 200-year-old logs brought in from Yellowstone National Park after the great fire of 1988. There is approximately 9,000 square feet of luxurious space. The craftsmanship of this Jackson Hole B&B is remarkable throughout. The 4-acre property has large, expansive decks for relaxing and socializing in warm weather. The majestic old growth Cottonwoods and pines offer privacy and solitude year-round. 6
MasterClass - Luxury Eco-Resort Planning and Design MasterClass by Prof. Hitesh Mehta (https://h-m-design.com/) The Masterclass consists of two components – a workshop which is a 1 ½ day theory component, and then 3 ½ days charette where the participants put into practice what they have learnt in the first 1 ½ days. They will begin with a Site Visit and Mehtaphysical Analysis and then for three days will work in teams on the various stages in the planning and design process. Objective: To create a first-class eco-planning and eco-design training program that empowers participants with the knowledge and know-how they need to successfully plan, design and construct nature-based tourism facilities that reflect green building and sustainable tourism best practice. Certification: Florida International University, Chaplin School of Hospitality and Toursim (Ranked # 6 in USA and Ranked #31 Globally for hospitality management)
Registration: Cut-off date for registration: February 28, 2025 Dates : May 8, 2025 – May 14, 2025 Cost: $3,210.00 (includes six nights B and B, 5 lunches and 2 dinners) Location: Bentwood Inn at Grand Teton Mountains at Jackson Hole Contact: Prof. Hitesh Mehta : hm@h-m-design.com
About Prof. Hitesh Mehta : He is a dual American/Kenyan citizen, has over 35 years’ experience, having worked and consulted in over 67 countries on six continents. Hitesh is a Landscape Architect, Architect, Interior Architect and Environmental Planner and is a multiInternational award winning designer. In July 2006, National Geographic Adventure magazine identified Hitesh as one of five Sustainable Tourism Pioneers in the world.
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Celebrating Women in Science, Art and Innovation CArtLab Solutions: Bridging Science, Art, and Innovation Dr. CC [Carolyn Carta] is the founder of CArtLab Solutions, a consulting business dedicated to solving complex materials science
challenges
with
creativity,
precision,
and
global
collaboration. The name “CArtLab” reflects her unique journey— from exploring experimental art practices to developing sustainable solutions in advanced manufacturing. Her academic foundation spans diverse institutions, beginning at Trinity College, where her highly experimental art practices in studio juxtaposed to her independent study of bronze quadrigas on the ‘Il Vittoriano’ building in Rome ignited an interest in the longevity of mixed media materials. She furthered her studies at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, focusing on art conservation science, and later earned her MS in Chemistry at The College of William and Mary and her PhD in Materials Science at UCLA. Early in her career, she worked at the Getty Conservation Institute, where she collaborated with European colleagues and the Walt Disney Animation Research Library to analyze and preserve animation cels. Her innovative approach involved identifying paint adhesion issues and implementing new characterization methods to address the unique challenges of multilayered mixed media used in animation.
Dr. CC, Principal Scientist at CArtLab Solutions
MS (Chemistry) and PhD (Materials Science / Engineering) 8
CArtLab Solutions https://cartlabsolutions.com/
Photo Credit : Dr. CC in her research lab
With expertise in biopolymers from cultural heritage and a focus on sustainable plastics and processes, Dr. CC redefines renewable resources as versatile solutions for UN 2050 goals, ready to revolutionize industries with scientifically-informed choices. Meeting at mHub, āśaya is excited to collaborate with CArtLab Solutions to transform architecture and design. 9
SMITA SAHOO e: ss@asayadesign.com c: 404.754.7823 w: www.asayadesign.com