STIR Publication - mondo*arc india issue#17 Nov/Dec2017

FRONT COVER DESIGNING HOSPITALITY (an abstract visual by mondo*arc india)

Chevalier Louis de Jaucourt, French scholar and the most prolific contributor to the Encyclopédie described Hospitality as ‘the virtue of a great soul that cares for the whole universe through the ties of humanity’.

The term more commonly came to be defined as ‘the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers’.

While today hospitality reminds us of the relationship between the guest and host, its industry has become synonymous of luxury, comfort and unique experiences. What makes these experiences unique is a complex amalgamation of inspirations that shape ideas, which are transformed into concepts that evolve into designs.

Great design creates great experiences.

Hotels today are defined not by a checklist, but an engagement with its patrons. They are judged not on their offerings, but the interaction with their tenants.

These engagements and interactions are determined by the often-deliberate choreography of distinct ideologies and their physical manifestation of the design construct.

Great design creates great experiences…great experiences shape great hospitality.

PICNIC AT THE PARK

in conversation with PRIYA PAUL, the park hotels

the business of spa-tiality in conversation with ingo schweder, goco hospitality

WEAVING WONDERS @the W

W Resort and spa, GOA ECO ID ARCHITECTS + DESIGN WILKeS + BILL BENSLEY + LIGHT VISION INDIA

a restrained elegance

roseate house, aerocity, NEW DELHI bird group + PIA interior + be-lit

WALKING THE TALK

SOURABH GUPTA + ASHWIN ALvA @ THE LALIT MANGAR

sensual sojourns photo essay by jj valaya

ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS • PIERO LISSONI • TONY CHI • SPEIRS + MAJOR • sanjay puri sunita kohli • LINUS LOPEZ • aman nath • mohit balachandran • sumant jayakrishnan gurjit bains • carlo moro • massimo franchi • sunil ghadiok • MOMENT FACTORY CARL ALmEIDA, P49 DEESIGN • WATG + GPL DESIGN STUDIO • ANKON MITRA • NULTY • ARUP LD STUDIO • MBLD • AMARDEEP M DUGAR + DASHAK AGARWAL • MARTIN KLASSEN • LDI KTGY ASSOCIATES + mint leaf designs + SHOBHA BOPATKAR + LIGHTWISE & ASSOCIATES CO. LTD AYUSH KASLIWAL+ JATINDER MARWAHA • LIGHTING RESEARCH & DESIGN • L’ACTE LUMIERE STHAPATYA ARCHITECTS + LIGHTBOOK + VISARCH • MICHAEL GRUBB STUDIO licht kunst licht + sichau & walter architekten • DPA LIGHTING CONSULTANTS limari lighting design + HPA ARCHITECTS ENLIGHTENED • ELEKTRA LIGHTING DESIGN ACTLD• HOARE lea • ARTEC3 STUDIO • LICHTVISION • skira • GNI PROJECTS

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044 P riya Paul, The Park Hotels

details 014 Editorial Comment Editor’s Note.

016 Contributors Professionals that contributed to the issue.

018 Focal Point Shangri-La, Bangalore.

022 Drawing Board Our preview of proposed projects.

026 Spotlight Exciting projects from around the world.

028 Briefing Light Color Temperatures Amardeep M Dugar, Dashak Agarwal 030 Briefing Lighting the Ghats of Varanasi - Linus Lopez 032 Folio toni chi, New York, USA. 038 Folio PIA Interior, Bangkok, Thailand.

044 Interview In a candid conversation with Mrinalini Ghadiok, Priya Paul shares the journey that has shaped the 50 glorious years of luxury boutique brand, The Park Hotels.

054 Interview Ingo Schweder recounts his tryst with

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hospitality design and gives invaluable insights to the ever growing global industry.

060 Interview Carl Almeida talks about the nuances of creating distinct hotel environments and unique hospitality experiences.

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066 W Resort and Spa, Goa An experience of delectation and an air of luxury presents itself in this spanking new resort designed by Eco-Id Architects in collaboration with Design Wilkes, Bill Bensley and Light Vision India.

074 The Roseate House, Aerocity, New Delhi Redefining uber-luxe for travellers in the urban context, the architect and hotelier duo, Smriti and Ankur Bhatia deliver a contemporary city hotel reminiscent of an Italian boutique.

080 Alila Bishangarh Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan In a creative articulation of the modern with traditional, Sthapatya Architects team up with Lightbook and Visarch to reclaim this historic fort into a majestic boutique hotel.

086 Hyatt Place, Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu Amardeep M Dugar of Lighting Research & Design deftly employs light to accentuate and empower the spatial design of this new generation hotel.

� AND WHY NOT!

by Rene Roubicek ——— lasvit.com

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160 Piero Lissoni, #imetlissoni

PROJECTS 092 Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner, Rajasthan Designer Ayush Kasliwal and lighting designer Jatinder Marwaha together conjure a spatial palette built on rich memories and remembrances in this royal home turned heritage hotel.

098 Atmantan Wellness Centre, Pune, Maharashtra KTGY Associates in collaboration with landscape architect Shobha Bopatkar and Lightwise & Associates Co. Ltd design a health and wellness spa resort as a soothing getaway nestled stealthily within the scenic hills of the Sahyadris.

104 Walking the Talk @ The Lalit Mangar, Faridabad, Haryana Architects Sourabh Gupta and Ashwin Alva chat during a visit to the sprawling resort to explore the unconventional processes and details of designing and constructing the largest ever insulated rammed earth structure in the world.

112 Designer Digs Chic budget hotels that do not shy away from good design and good lighting are cropping up worldwide. Here is a look at some European offerings.

ART & DESIGN 116 darc awards / ARCHITECTURAL This year’s winning entries across the various categories of design.

142 Photo Essay - JJ Valaya’s Sojourns A selection of photographs from the designer’s visit to some of his favourite hotels in Rajasthan, reminiscing an inherent connect with the state where he was born.

150 Lighting Design Agora 2017, Shanghai, China As a quality and value driven lighting fair, LDA hosts its second edition at the Shanghai International Lighting Fair, talking about the importance of lighting in hospitality.

154 Dialogues 2017, Jaipur A peek at the 4th luxe edition of Dialogues.

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ART & DESIGN 158 FOAID 2017, New Delhi A celebration of architecture and design, pinned to the theme ‘Un-Condition’.

160 Meeting the Legend- Piero Lissoni, New Delhi A two day event with the illustrious architect marked the launch of his latest collection of products for B&B Italia and FLOS in India, followed by a Round Table Conversation hosted by mondo*arc india inviting stalwarts from across the design and hospitality industries of the country.

170 Event Calender Your global show and conference guide.

174 mondo*moment F. Dilek Uyar, Turkey

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* The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, viewpoints or official policies of mondo*arc india.

A.D. GraphX /Ph. Tommaso Sartori

SAKé, seating system design Piero Lissoni. www.bebitalia.com B&B Italia New Delhi - DLF Chattarpur Farms, 2, north drive Chattarpur, 110074 New Delhi LA Tendenza, Sahiba Agarwal, M +91 999 9693093 - bebitalia@latendenza.com

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[editorial] As the holidays turn the corner, booking websites are inundated and plans get made to be remade; hotels fluff their pillows and brace themselves to welcome throngs of diverse travellers.

For each set of pilgrims there stands not one, but a plethora of hotels at their behest - Gardens of Eden for vacationing families, placid respites for individuals, homes-away-from-home for business travellers, or even adventurous retreats for some. In light of the festive season and in celebration of all things indulgent, we dedicate this issue to DESIGNING HOSPITALITY. While hospitality is commonly defined as ‘the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers’, its industry has become synonymous with luxury, comfort and unique experiences. Presented here is a diverse collection of references that hail from varying contexts but coalesce to present exquisite and exclusive interactions through their design. Among them are - the transformation of an old fort to an enchanting heritage hotel, Alila Bishangarh Fort (Jaipur); the restoration and refurbishment of a regal residence to a cosy boutique at Narendra Bhawan (Bikaner); the glamorously chic Roseate House (Delhi) that carves a distinct spot for itself as a city getaway; a sumptuously sweeping resort-in-day-nightclub-by-night, W Resort and Spa in Goa, which offers disparate encounters for an assorted clientele.

These projects illustrate not only an inherent diversity in their contextual schematic but also a common link that identifies each of them as intricately designed and developed to question the norms of a time-honoured perception of hospitality design.

Also challenging convention is Ashwin Alva’s revolutionary rammed earth construction at The Lalit Mangar. Sourabh Gupta Walks the Talk with Alva to determine how the atypical but keen architecture of the resort offers a distinct sense of place to its guests.

We note the works of hospitality design expert Tony Chi and the impressive portfolio of PIA Interior to see how the approach to each of their projects is as diverse as its deliverance. We further speak with illustrious stalwarts to trace the processes behind creating riveting properties, and instilling in them and their visitors thrilling encounters.

Powerhouse Priya Paul of The Park gets candid about the brand’s glorious 50-year journey and its role in revolutionizing contemporary Indian hospitality through design interventions. Hotelier-turned-spa consultant Ingo Schweder shares the nuances of some of the world’s most iconic spa destinations that set them apart from a deluge of humdrum. Carl Almeida reflects on his own experience of designing hotels to stress on the finer details of their influence.

In this issue we discuss how great design creates great experiences; and some that can be frozen in time and represented in imagery that is captured in a striking enigma, as seen in the photo essay by ace fashion designer and spatial photographer, JJ Valaya.

As the weather cools, the calendar of events heats up. We have recently had a list full of international and Indian partnerships, of which, deserving of a special mention are PLDC 2017 (Paris) and an exclusive evening with the master designer, Piero Lissoni.

We also made our way to Berlin last month to attend the World Architecture Festival 2017 as Media Partners for the second consecutive year.

Watch out for a complete roundup of projects, presentations and events as mondo*arc india takes you through WAF in the next issue.

Till then, we wish you all a great season of holidays ahead, with hope for you to find the perfect hotel, designed to cater to your very specific needs. We will now see you on the other side, in 2018.

Mrinalini Ghadiok

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JJ VALAYA Valaya stepped into the professional world of fashion in 1992, founding the House of Valaya with his brother TJ Singh. He has been designing for men and women, and has bridal and evening collections in addition to day-wear and ready-to-wear.

Celebrating 25 years in fashion, Valaya also indulges in and foster an increasing love for the visual arts, especially photography. He calls this ‘his alter-ego at play’. In this parallel journey, he continues to discover an amazing amount of joy in watching life and its varied facets through inspired imagery.

As a fine art photographer, he released his first book, Decoded Paradox in 2011, in the same year as he also closed the day one of the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) winter/ festive 2011, debuting a fashion collection inspired by photography.

In this issue: Valaya reminisces some of his favourite places of respite in Rajasthan.

SOURABH GUPTA Graduating from CEPT University in architecture, TU Delft in urban design, and propelled by a compulsive need to travel, explore and design, Gupta founded studio archohm in 2000. Working on variegated design typologies, he has forayed into design education and research, establishing the Design Village. Gupta has also initiated various activities such as archoforum - platform for cross cultural workshops, archotour annual expeditions to global design destinations, and archometer - their newsletter. He is constantly seeking directions in contemporary Indian architecture with global insight, and strives for cross-cultural dialogue to collaborate with relevant international architecture and design firms.

In this issue: Gupta discusses design process and process nuances of The Lalit, Mangar, by fellow architect, Ashwin Alva.

LINUS LOPEZ Until 2004, the consultancy firm of Lirio Lopez, in which Linus is a partner with his brother Lyle, focused mainly on electrical services.

Wanting to work in a more creative environment, and at the instance of some well-wishers they began a re-invention of their technical selves with some creative exercise in lighting design. This coincided with an interesting period of technology developments in the lighting industry, and opened a huge canvas of opportunity for anyone with the ability and willingness to merge the art and the physics of light. Their firm loves the challenge of thinking differently, and currently works on a hugely diversified portfolio of projects, including homes, galleries, museums, theaters, monuments, landscapes, hospitality, and entertainment.

In this issue: Lopez shares the abstract for an intriguing proposal to illuminate the ghats of Varanasi.

Amardeep M. Dugar and Dashak Agarwal A trained architect with a Masters degree in Architectural Lighting from University of Wismar and a Ph.D. from Victoria University of Wellington, Dugar established his practice, Lighting Research & Design. Aside from working on high profile projects and teaching at design schools, Dugar has been instrumental in establishing the International Association of Lighting Designer’s Local Region – IALD India.

A zealous entrepreneur and designer, Agarwal provides modernistic and strong business acumen to Thea Light Works, a total enterprise architectural lighting company founded by him. With a Bachelors degree in Logistics Management and a Masters degree in Architectural Lighting from the University of Wismar, he is amongst the founding members of the Indian Society of Lighting Engineers – Hyderabad Chapter.

In this issue: The duo explore the relevance Light Colour Temperature within the Indian multicultural context.

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focal point UP ABOVE A WORLD THAT SHINES SHANGRI-LA, BANGALORE Located between the central business district and the luxury residential suburbs, and overlooking the abundant greenery of the Bangalore Palace is the 19-storey Shangri- La Hotel. Among the many first-class services that it provides, one of them is the city’s largest meeting facility, including a 739sqm. Grand Ballroom capable of holding up to 900 guests. Upon entering its palatial volume, one is faced with striking effulgence, an astounding spectacle for the visitor. In attendance is a series of chandeliers suspended between a splattering of ceiling recessed downlights. A fine armature extends from a central node from which fine cut crystals find themselves draped to form effortless folds.

The installations allude to angel wings that float fluently overhead, catching the light and fragmenting it into a prismatic play of colour. Thus, rendering the room in a gentle brilliance of a timeless sparkle delivered in a contemporary aesthetic. www.lasvit.com

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Pics: Courtesy of Lasvit

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Redefining Luxury The upcoming Taj Vikhroli in Mumbai, a part of The Trees, Godrej Properties’ flagship project is to be designed by WATG in collaboration with the GPL Design Studio. Meghna Mehta of mondo*arc india outlines the initial ambitions to create a unique design that wholly encompasses the spirit and character of a vibrant neighbourhood.

The Trees master plan, developed by Sasaki Associates in collaboration with the GPL Design Studio empowers the locale with a distinct image, identity and sense of place by using authentic cues from the site’s industrial heritage. Building on a landscape drawn by the founders of the Godrej group, the project aspires at creating a hardy framework that offers different users distinct opportunities for social and cultural exchange to re-establish the definition of a thriving neighbourhood in Vikhroli. The master plan provides accessibility and linkages to and from adjoining areas, the

city, and the larger Mumbai region. The Taj Vikhroli by WATG and GPL Design Studio is sited between the residential and commercial precincts of The Trees master plan and is designed to have a distinguished presence on the Eastern Express highway, standing to be one of its kind within a unique mixed use development.

Conforming to the environment-sensitive processes adopted in the design of the entire master plan, the central green spine of existing rain trees sets the tone for the highly pedestrian-oriented development. The hotel opens towards

this linear space and the green core to connect effortlessly to the inner retail park, replete with courtyard buildings and walkways. Careful attention has been given to the planning of this development in order to create thriving intermediate spaces through pedestrian walkways that connect the neighbourhood convenience store, clubhouse, fine-dining restaurants set amidst tree canopies and active plazas to establish a unique example of a luxury hotel that offers its guests accessibility to the vibrant precinct of a mixed-use development.

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Visuals: Courtesy of GPL Design Studio

“We believe that the future of hospitality is here and now in Vikhroli. For the first time, both the Tata and Godrej Groups have partnered together to create a one of its kind 5 star property amidst a vibrant, mixed-use and verdant development, christened The Trees. We are very excited to commence the design development process with all our partners, Taj’s teams, and our own Design Studio to bring the best of global living to Mumbai,” says Anubhav Gupta, Chief Design Officer and Business Head Vikhroli at Godrej Properties Ltd. The design of the hotel has kicked off

with an invigorating, insightful and rigorous workshop between the architects, key consultants, the Taj team and the GPL Design Studio to get a thorough picture of the scale of the project, its intentions and ambitions. The hotel to be completed with 150 rooms, multiple restaurants, and convention facilities looks at being the one of the most prized possessions or ‘diamond’, as they call it, within the dynamic and vibrant Trees district. www.godrejproperties.com www.sasaki.com www.watg.com

PROJECT DETAILS The Taj Vikhroli, Mumbai, Maharashtra Architect: WATG + GPL Design Studio Client: Godrej Properties Ltd. Operator: The Taj Group

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Pics: Zaha Hadid Architects

The City of dreams Zaha Hadid Architects The team at Zaha Hadid are to grace another skyline with their striking architectural creations. This time, the City of Dreams is the most recent location chosen for the Morpheus Hotel project.

Unveiled by Melco Crown Entertainment, developers of casino gaming and entertainment resort facilities, the Morpheus Hotel is to become the limelight on the new Cotai strip with four other architecturally stunning hotels.

The City of Dreams is a city resort built on the Island of Macau in China. It offers an entertainment resort with premier leisure, the world famous House of Dancing Water, designer shopping and a spacious contemporary casino for those with a little

more disposable income.

Hadid’s new Morpheus tower block contains 40 floors of approximately 780 guestrooms, suites and sky villas, meetings and events facilities, gaming rooms, lobby atrium, restaurants, spa and sky pool.

As the world’s first high-rise building solely supported by a free-form exoskeleton steel structure, its uniquely designed rectangular shape sees two towers joined by arterial sky-bridges through the centre.

The London, Hong Kong and Bangkok based lighting designers Isometrix and Inverse have worked together to provide the lighting concepts for this intricate architecture. The exoskeleton frame of the building poses an exciting canvas on which

the designers can exploit to create some unique lighting displays.

As a new flagship hotel for the City of Dreams, the unprecedented structural form is designed to gratify the modern and future travellers of the world and their dreams of ultramodern yet sophisticated hospitality. The complex structure, inspired by jade artefacts giving it a mysterious and unconventional composition with large voids and volume, gives a unique appearance intriguing audiences both inside and out.

The development process of the hotel began in 2013 and is due to commence operation in 2018. www.isometrix.co.uk www.inverselighting.co.uk

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[spotlight] The latest projects with the wow factor from around the world.

The Thangka Conch Shell Lamp

The Elizabethan Collar and Ruff Lamp Pics: Ankon Mitra

The Aztec Ziggurat Lamp

FOLDED ILLUMINATION: CRAFTED WITH LOVE Origami delves into the heart of possibilities where a planar form gets moulded into a cosmos of geometrical revelations. When such a folded artefact is infused with light, it becomes an object reflective of a certain je ne sais quoi.

Evoking this symphony are the works of artist and architect Ankon Mitra, who has translated the traditional craft of paper origami to goat-hide leather in his recent works. “I first started folding goat-hide

leather in 2012. It is a difficult and stubborn material to work with, but closest to paper in its structure. The thickness is variable, as is the surface grain and that makes the material unpredictable. It yields soft folds if it is made wet and folded, though I have only tried sharp folds in the dry material up until now; wet-folding will be the next technique to try,” explains the designer himself.

The Illuminated History series of lamps were created for the Apparao Gallery’s

show - Light Art, in October 2017. Working in collaboration with textile designer, Aditi Anuj, the duo created sculptural origamiinspired light fixtures in goat-hide leather.

Anuj infused a certain subtlety and visual lightness by weaving thin leather strips into the complex morphology of the design.

Sourced from Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, this leather is the same as that used in traditional Indian musical instruments such as tablas, mridangams and dholaks.

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The Warli Swirl-Dance Lamp

The Carnival Mask Lamp Pics: Shubham Arora

“It has striations and a natural translucent luminosity, which lends itself beautifully to lighting,” says Mitra. Although the material can withstand high temperatures, this series is fitted with LED lamps.

Eccentric forms, earthy patterns, elegant cuts and meticulous folds render the series in a dynamic play of light and shadow, of chiaroscuro and sfumato. Hand stitched and hand folded, the designs are contemporary yet deeply rooted in historical eras and

The Kassa Lamp

craft traditions from across the world. In an unusual language of melding art and functionality, Mitra and Anuj take clues from a rich past, creating patterns and interpreting them through origami - The Aztec Ziggurat, The Elizabeth Collar and Ruff, The Kassa, The Warli Swirl Dance and The Thangka Conch Shell are examples of these surreal manifestations.

“The transition of origami in paper to that in leather was rather serendipitous,”

says Mitra. His ingenuity with the craft not only turns the physical into experiential but also imbibes eloquence into the abstract that never ceases to amuse and amaze.. www.instagram.com/ankonmitra www.facebook.com/oritecture

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Pics: Courtesy of THEA Light Works

The experimental space with CCT’s of 3000K, 4000K and 6500 K respectively.

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EXPLORING ITS RELEVANCE WITHIN THE INDIAN MULTICULTURAL CONTEXT Abstract of the presentation by Dr. Amardeep M Dugar and Dashak Agarwal at the 6th Professional Lighting Design Convention, 2017, Paris.

This paper attempts to establish the preferences of the Indian population towards Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) of light sources. Research reveals that CCT plays an important role in meeting human psycho-physiological needs. However, cross-culture studies indicate that people from different cultural groups show different responses and preferences to CCTs. Thankfully, current developments in LED-based systems have enabled CCTs to be adapted to these preferences. India is emerging as the largest market for LED-based lighting systems. Its government-led scheme for replacing all inefficient lamps with LEDs, titled ‘Unnat Jyoti by Affordable Lamps for All’ (UJALA) has played an important role in lowering the retail prices of LED lamps so as to encourage consumers to opt for these energy-efficient lamps. Considering India’s convoluted demographics and also being the second most populous country in the world, with vast cultural diversities, there is an urgent need to establish people’s preferences for CCTs, which can be used as a guide while doling out such government-led schemes.

Being an exploratory study, the paper intends to discover how factors such as acculturation, ethnicity, geographic location, religion and socio-economic status influence CCT preference within a culturally rich country such as India.

Method A survey questionnaire method was used through an experiment conducted in the city of Hyderabad. The questionnaire was designed to answer the following research questions: • Is there a general awareness amongst people in India about the availability of lamps and luminaires in different CCTs? • Do people in India have a general preference for performing specific activities or tasks under specific CCTs? • Do CCT preferences of people in India have any relationship to factors such as age, gender or socio-economic backgrounds?

A real-life experiment consisting of an experimental space exhibiting distinct light colour temperatures was set up. Tunable light sources that can be adjusted between the readily available CCTs of 3000K, 4000K and 6500K in the Indian market using DALI-controlled remote control were installed in the space. The space had no windows to ensure the non-interference of daylight during the experiment. A sample of 50 participants representing varied demographics participated in the experiment to establish a connection between light colour temperature preferences and their respective backgrounds. They were asked to perform various tasks such as eating, reading, relaxing and watching TV under different colour temperatures and to respond to the

questionnaire. They were also asked to provide information about themselves and their personal preferences.

Results and analysis A preliminary analysis of the results suggested that CCTs could leverage people’s ability to perform tasks, as most participants were aware of its different types available in the Indian market. A CCT of 4000K is considered the most appropriate for taskrelated activities such as eating and reading, while that of 3000K for non-task related activities such as watching TV and relaxing.

Interestingly, the CCT of 6500K came as the least appropriate and least preferred light among the participants for most activities.

Discussion Numerous deliberations about the perception of CCT within the multicultural context of India were revealed. The most important is that people in India tend to be more inclined towards warmer CCTs of 3000K and 4000K, which is in stark contrast to the UJALA scheme that doles out LED lamps of 6500K. This, in turn, paves the path for further research and detailed analysis on CCT preferences amongst the Indian population, which could lead to improved living standards. amdugar@lighting-rnd.in dashak@th-ea.com www.pld-c.com

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LIGHTING THE GHATS OF VARANASI Abstract of the presentation by Linus Lopez at the 6th Professional Lighting Design Convention, 2017, Paris.

India has a GDP of 1.877 trillion USD and one of the highest growth rates among emerging economies. The 2nd most populous nation in the world with almost 1.3 billion people, it has 68.8% of the population living in a rural environment. The rivers in India, as in most other parts of the world, provide irrigation, potable water, transportation and hydroelectric power, balance an eco-system as well as generate means for livelihood in a variety of ways. Some of the oldest civilizations grew around these rivers and some modern cities today continue to flourish and thrive along their banks.

Additionally, most Indian rivers feature in Hindu mythology and are considered holy in almost all regions of the country. Our rivers even feature in our national anthem.

Yet, in the unbridled growth phase of the nation and with dichotomous apathy, our rivers have been neglected. The health and well being of these life-giving rivers are sacrificed at the altars of urbanization

Pics: Linus Lopez

and industrialization to the point where they get marginal priority in Planning Funds’ allocations and almost no benefit from local economies. Sadly, they disappear completely at night and their enormous potential of sustaining a vibrant postsunset connection with the people remains untapped, if not, crudely ‘illuminated’.

Varanasi, on the banks of the 2,525km long Ganga River, is amongst the oldest continuously living cities in the world.

The Ganga is considered one of the holiest rivers in India and, even if we ignore the mythology of the river in an agnostic moment, its contribution to the sustenance of millions along its banks is undeniable. At Varanasi, however, this predominantly west to east flowing river takes a swooping curve to the North before resuming its course eastward. This seems almost pre-ordained as this little curve has played indulgent host to millions of devotees over thousands of years as they worship the rising sun. The

play of light from the emerging golden sun every morning is a lighting designers dream – it bounces off the flowing waters, bathes the clusters of 100s of years of architectural history along its banks with a golden hue and then sets behind a historical city to the lights from a million little aartis (fire from an oil lamp) along the riverfront.

The left bank of the river, approximately 8km in particular, has been built and rebuilt over a thousand years with a multitude of temples, forts, palaces, ashrams (dwelling places for the religious) and regular homes spanning architectural styles from across the length and breadth of India. A number of Maharajas (Kings), noblemen and some wealthy traders, and even a slave king, have constructed monuments incorporating traditional styles from their hometowns resulting in a panorama of exquisite proportions with domes, archways, chhatris (decorative gazebos), jharokhas (ornamental windows) and ramparts

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“Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and, looks twice as old as all of them put together.” – Mark Twain vying with each other for attention.

Varanasi also hosts millions of pilgrims every year as it is considered auspicious to bathe on its banks in the Ganges. Being cremated in Varanasi assures a friendly welcome into the next world. Although the ghats (steps) along the banks of the river are more than just an easy way in and out of the river – they are an entity by themselves, a microcosm of the living city, a community in itself and the birthing place of many a story, song and dance.

I have always been amazed at the opportunities that rivers offer to improve the urbanscape of the city or town. Besides the serenity of flowing water, the river provides a pleasing backdrop, foreground and subject for pause, rest, relaxation and exercise, for the young and the old, the professional and the amateur, the artist and the troubled mind, the foodie and the sporty. But more than anything else it is the Varanasi riverfront’s connection to light, which is the most magnetic - from the early morning sun to the late evening aartis - and has motivated me to extend this romance with light to a more vibrant night adventure! An experience of the riverfront at night is particularly magical given the architecture and the rich culture on display every evening along its banks.

More importantly, from an Indian context, it provides an opportunity to increase the tourist traffic and its consequent boost to the economy.

So, while it should be relatively easy to light and/ or sell the idea of an interesting lighting design for the riverfront, there are unique and special challenges that must be understood in order to be sensitively and intelligently tackled: Local municipal bodies have a tendency to maintain status quo – “What is wrong with

what we have?” “There is too much inertia required to overcome legal protection to heritage structures and their surroundings!”

“Aren’t they already lit?!” “We have more pressing demands for our funds!”

Huge variations in river levels (safety and design intent) – there is a difference of almost 7 meters in the level of the river during the yearly monsoon season. This means that lighting solutions must be carefully chosen to be (a) safe; (b) well above the high water mark, yet contribute significantly to enhancing the facades and ensuring safe environs at night.

Teeming millions – there is a constant throng of people bathing, praying or meditating at the steps and during festivals, this number increases considerably.

Managing these masses is not easy and the lighting solution should aid the situation without contributing negatively as obstruction or danger.

Wide variation in cultural identities and preferences – lighting in public places has to be acceptable to the natives of the place besides being attractive to visitors. Given the large disparity in education, income levels and exposure there is consequently a large variation in the definition of ‘aesthetic’ appeal. This extends from the lighting designers’ dilemmas of selecting the most appropriate colour temperature for the variety of experiences, to what is considered reverential and what is bordering on the blasphemous.

Varied ownership/tenancy – the various buildings along the river have different owners and in many cases, the ownership is complicated and has multiple tenants in the same building. This creates challenges

in the application of harmonious and collated solutions.

Sanctity of Heritage Buildings – Some of the buildings here are over 200 and 300 years old. There are limited possibilities for mounting of luminaires as well as for carrying power cables. The more beautiful and intricate the structure, the less likely are the permissions available to mount and power light fixtures.

Finding solutions involves studying the character and rich cultural heritage of the region and the historical morphological aspects of the Varanasi riverfront to establish a method to use light as a medium for change, in brand and in attitude, and by developing strategies for economical ways to sustainably enhance the riverfront, its ethos and its dependent economies. While it is important to ask some probing questions on what can be done, at what cost and to what end, it is incumbent to also answer these questions by demonstrating the effectiveness and measuring the success of alternative solutions to what might be a ‘best-fit’. The solutions must also involve tackling multiple challenges to prove return on investment from more than one quarter.

While there is intellectual documentation available on the evolution of the city and the riverfront, getting feedback from the various ‘People of The Ghats’, from priests and paupers, artists and musicians, pilgrims and ascetics, vendors and boatmen, students and old Benarasis (residents of Benares or Varanasi), bureaucrats and councillors, cremation specialists, tenants and landlords, hotel owners and guests and finally the omnipresent tourist – is key to the success of any public lighting design. linus@liriolopez.com www.pld-c.com

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[folio] Our regular feature highlighting some of the best works of a premier design practice.

This issue, we present tony chi.

Tony Chi crafted his internationally acclaimed namesake company around ‘creating spaces that seek to evoke emotions’. Starting with a niche in restaurant development in 1984, the practice today has come to include a whole continuum of work, from planning, development and execution of interior, architectural and landscape design, to urban planning and multimedia production.

The team has transformed in over three decades from a small start up company concentrating on turnkey projects in New York to an international powerhouse providing design services to a diverse group of clients in major business, cultural and leisure centres around the world.

Creating custom projects for each client, the company refrains from being bracketed into a specific style. Yet, there is a common aspiration found behind all the works, best described by Chi as, “invisible design what touches you rather than what you see. It is the meticulously orchestrated subtleties of the understated rather than an ‘in your face’ approach. Invisible design allows patrons to participate and use their surroundings to create their own individual experiences and ensures a look that retains beauty over time.”

“Hospitality is a tradition, an experience, a form of communication found in all cultures and sacred traditions. It is inherent in our character abiding within each of ourselves and is expressed wherever and whenever human beings interact. Hospitality is not exclusive to a particular time and place. It creates the most unforgettable memories formed by the most extraordinary and the most ordinary moments of our lives.

Creating the ultimate hospitality experience is an art that requires passion.” – Tony Chi

Pic: Courtesy of tonychi

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Pics: Michael Moran / Andaz Tokyo

ANDAZ TOKYO Tokyo, Japan Tony Chi played an intrinsic role in envisioning the Andaz brand with Hyatt Hotels, as an urban hotel positioned to address new challenges facing hospitality in today’s urban lifestyle. Deriving its name from the Hindi word for ‘self expression’, the brand was founded to explore a unique character and creative expression in culture and location.

“Placed in the heart of Tokyo in an area experiencing a transformation from a predominantly business community into a diverse region of residents, workers and

travellers, the property explores how a hotel can evolve from its typical definition into an experience of the new and familiar where workers, residents and travellers all gather; a place where memories are imprinted on each of us, coming from ordinary moments of meeting new friends or from extraordinary moments such as one’s first impression of Tokyo and Japan,” says Chi. Reflecting on Japan’s intrinsic relationship with nature, Chi uses the purest forms of its native materials to keep the visitor engaged.

Washi paper presents a warm greeting at the porte-cochere, guiding people through the art gallery corridor and even into the passenger elevators, leading onwards into various spaces. Every meticulous tuck and intricate fold is reminiscent of the Japanese art of origami, composed within a precise palette of walnut timber, basalt stone and bronze trims.

“Andaz Tokyo reflects the past, captivates the present and beholds a future journey, timelessly evolving with the community.”

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Pics: Durston Saylor / Grand Hyatt Chengdu

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GRAND HYATT Chengdu, China Sitting amid a busy area of the city, the Grand Hyatt occupies floors 10 to 39 of a landmark high-rise building. Inspired by country houses of local aristocracy on one hand, and French nobility on the other, the hotel finds itself draped in European elegance with splashes of eastern sensuality.

This is evident in the range of dining options on offer – a patisserie designed as a jewellery store sheathed in hand-painted and embroidered Chinoiserie wallpaper, one restaurant carved around a courtyard, another styled as a cabaret, a Tea House, a Grand Café, and even an Asian style outdoor bar-be-que. However, the place of pride rests with the 7,600 sqft. Ballroom,

replete with high ceilings, angled mirror panels and a fully equipped lighting system, the only of its kind in the city.

The hotel is rendered in a calm sophistication achieved through a muted colour palette, precise geometries and deep perspectives. Yet, its brilliance is seen in the dramatic accents of vibrant artwork, light studded walkways; intricate screens and a collection of striking artefacts that create a sense of glamorous intrigue. Stately volumes are presented in all their regal glory, but humbled in the fragmentation of their adornment – be it through keenly placed artefacts or even dissolution of their scale.

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Pics: Durston Saylor / Rosewood London

ROSEWOOD LONDON London, UK Marking the international debut of the hotel brand, Rosewood London defined the brand identity as a ‘sense of place’, that presents a hospitality experience with an intimate connection to the culture and heritage of a particular place. Situated on the crossroads of the East End, West End, trendy Covent Garden and popular theatre district, the Rosewood London is considered a, ‘collective sum point of personalities from all of London; a place of projecting

a heightened sense of British-ness with a modern flair.’

Inspired largely by this identity, location and an inherent distinction and elegance, the hotel’s experience begins from afar when the grand façade comes in view.

Embracing its visitors, the entrance courtyard becomes integral in connecting the property to its immediate urban landscape, while at the same time ensuring a gradual detachment from

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the streetscape. Alluding to the grandeur of arriving at an English manor, one is immediately drawn into a Bronze Gallery that exudes dramatic British expressions, leading to the quintessential Mirror Room designed for the pronounced culture of a distinguished high tea. Small mirror panels are angled and stacked closely, splitting the light into myriad radiant shards, redolent of strings of glittering pearls sitting at tea.

Adjacent meeting salons are crafted after the eccentricities of British humour, signage created as open books on pedestals in tribute to the area’s strong literary past, where Charles Dickens wrote The Pickwick Papers.

The design intent of the guestrooms and suits follows that of the public areas, reflective of the City of London. Chi says, “Rosewood London is a property that recalls past and present, opulence and majesty, manor and sophisticated

urban living, humorous, yet unflinching in its refined mannerisms. It is a collection of stories where one is entertained, never overwhelmed. The ‘sense of place’ experienced by the traveller forever indelibly seals an impressive image of London for a lifetime.” www.tonychi.com

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[folio] Our regular feature highlighting some of the best works of a premier design practice.

This issue, we present PIA Interior.

“We bring to bear a firm belief in our ability and skills, to deliver the best for our clients. A part of our success is the understanding of when to let go of certain beliefs and perceptions, especially when a particular way of seeing and doing things can hinder the final result. It is only when we truly understand our clientele through the constant exchange of ideas that we can successfully achieve our goals. – Rujiraporn ‘PIA’ Wanglee

Beginning their journey in 1999, PIA Interior today is a leading interior design firm in Bangkok with a collection of works ranging from luxury hospitality and residential to corporate, finance, banking and retail projects within Thailand and further afield.

A multi-award winning, highly commended and vastly published practice, PIA comprises of 160 professionals led by founder and president, Rujiraporn ‘PIA’ Wanglee.

Derived from the skilful blend of creative ability and dedicated hard work, the key to

their success lies within an ‘accommodating attitude and attention to detail, underpinned by a commitment to achieving perfection in each and every project’.

Having stepped into the Indian market more than 15 years ago with the Trident Hotel, Gurgaon, PIA has since collaborated on over twenty projects across the length and breadth of the country. They credit their success to the ‘Four Cs’ – Communication, Comprehension, Compromise, and Commitment.

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Pics: Courtesy of PIA Interior

COURTYARD MARRIOTT Agra, Uttar Pradesh Rendered in a palette of sombre hues offset with accents of highly polished and reflective objects, the interiors of this five-star property is an apt reference to Agra, ‘The City of Love’. The large volumes are painted in an amorous sophistication – scaling façades softened by fluid drapes, soaring volumes made intimate with elegantly suspended features and a lighting scheme that reminisces candle-lit soirées.

The hotel seems to set the stage for a sepia-toned romance, replete with multiple layers of materials, textures, geometries and forms that create elongated vistas and deepened perspectives. The classic is contrasted with contemporary in an avid choice of fixtures, while the geometric is pinned with organic in the coming together of floor patterns, wall finishes, furniture details and accessories.

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CLARIDGES SPA New Delhi Located in the heart of the capital, the Claridges hotel houses one of the most sought-after spa experiences in the city. Conceptualised to reference the traditional Indian baoli (water reservoir with step wells), the space feels like a subterranean oasis of luxury and relaxation.

Calming the busy-ness of the mind and pausing fast-paced treads, the spa offers tranquillity not only in its services but also in its environs. This is achieved through a deliberate design intent weighed with calming textures, soothing colours, subdued lighting, and sublime accents.

The entrance itself transposes the visitor

into an otherworldly paradigm. The spa interiors include a cavernous volume studded with stepwells on the periphery, a striking ocherous form suspended congruously over a placid water body, and a lambent ceiling that emanates an ethereal glow. At the end of a corridor that is seemingly striated by niches carved out of the highly polished marble walls stands an exquisite tree, still in the momentary movement captured by the artist. Be it the lounge area bathed in a bracing blue, or the therapy rooms sheathed in browns and beiges, the spa at the Claridges caters to body, mind and soul.

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JW MARRIOTT Mussoorie, Uttarakhand Set amidst the verdant peaks and misty clouds of the famed hill station of Mussoorie, the sprawling property demanded nothing less than pristine perfection in its architecture and interior design. Overlooking a valley along one edge and tucked into the folds of the rising hill on the other warranted stunning views from within the linear structure in all directions. Framing these picturesque scenes is an amalgamation of glass, timber and stone, assembled delicately to emanate a cosy old world charm, yet au courant in its rather chic sharpness. Albeit inviting, intimate and wholesome, the interior spaces are steadily connected with the external environment, facilitating a constant dialogue and avoiding isolation

from the larger physical context.

Darkened timbers, majestic maroons, honeyed hues and careful strokes of bold furniture pieces come together with striated partitions and blanched ceilings to deliver a regal experience. The otherwise subtle canvas finds moments of intrigue, witnessed in the flock of black birds that traverse a blanched wall, or a sinuous light installation that sways down a corridor, or perhaps an outdoor courtyard that stealthily makes an appearance between layers of thoughtful experiences. The hotel offers itself as a refreshing respite, all the while laden with a fragrance of familiar nostalgia. www.piainterior.com

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PICNIC AT THE PARK The Park Hotels, one of India’s leading houses of luxury hospitality recently celebrated 50 years of a splendid run; but a Glorious Golden doesn’t just happen, it is made to happen.

Revolutionising the Indian industry with ideas that were unheard of and concepts undiscovered, Priya Paul, the powerhouse of energy, excitement and adventure paved the way for a curated collection of luxury boutique hotels.

Mrinalini Ghadiok of mondo*arc india gets a peek of all that has been going on backstage of the Glorious Golden.

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Pics: Courtesy of The Park Hotels

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The Park New Delhi

My first meeting with Priya Paul was brief and brusque – before a nondescript piece of furniture at a design show swarming with the who’s who of the Delhi design crowd. Tired feet, ringing ears and a ludicrous stream of air kisses was reason enough for me to now look through even the people I knew well. I assumed this was Paul’s frame of mind when we brushed shoulders and almost simultaneously commented on the rather curious table below.

Paul was immaculate – in a stiff jacket, hair meticulously swept off her face, spine perfectly erect and thought flawlessly articulate.

That is what caught my eye, or actually, ear – the simplicity with which clear ideas were presented in transparent wordage. Many months, social sightings, and even a talk or two later, I was seated in her modest office with a head full of questions, wondering where I could start our conversation.

I was curious to know the intricacies of her life as a hotel baroness at the helm of celebrating 50 glorious years of The Park Hotels group.

What appeared in the hallway was a very disparate image. The stern coat had given way to an effortless drape of the most exquisite yet graciously simple black and white cotton sari efficiently bundled over the shoulder. The fine handloom was pinned at the neck with a delicately striking old-gold necklace, while casually matching earrings were paired with as much enigma as elegance. Her signature hairdo was further softened with an endearing smile.

What followed was not an exacting interview, but a rather friendly chat… about the intricacies of her life as a hotel baroness at the helm of celebrating 50 glorious years of the The Park Hotels, but also the finer moments of life that informed this spectacular journey.

Paul knew from an early age that she wanted to become a part of the family business, but was not sure where, when, or how. Having joined a liberal arts institute, Wellesley College near Boston, she majored in Economics with a hope to build a foundation in Finance. However, the times were not promising and opportunities were failing soon after the famous Black Monday of 1987.

So Paul headed homeward to join her father at The Park New Delhi, where she donned the cape of Marketing Manager.

An intense two years later, barely hitting her mid-twenties, she had taken over the management of the entire hotel.

It was around the same time that a tragic incident claimed the life of Surrendra Paul, the legendary hotelier and industrialist.

Having lost her father it was a trying period, but Paul fought the fog and was asked to shoulder the running of all the three existing hotels of the brand – the spanking new

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The Park Calangute Goa

“I remember, every Tuesday, religiously, I would go to Hyderabad for the day. I would take the flight on Tuesday morning and return to Delhi at night. I did this for about three or four years till the project was complete.” – Priya Paul

The Park Calangute Goa

property in Delhi, the luxuriously sprawling beach resort in Vishakhapatnam, and the original urban hub in Kolkata, which was at that time already under renovation.

Mumbai based architect Prakash Mankar had just completed work on The Park New Delhi and was assigned to do the renovation of The Park Kolkata. “He was working on it when I saw the designs. I found them a little dated, so I re-briefed him,” says Paul, rather casually. “I wanted something more contemporary, and so I began interfering with the design!” she adds with a smile.

It was around then in 1991-1992 that India saw an economic liberalisation. “As the economy began to change, hotels started doing well, and our family decided that this is the industry in which we should invest and grow.” With already a stronghold in the Food and Beverage sector, especially with a number of reputed restaurants and outstanding outlets such as Flurys in Kolkata,

Paul’s journey towards establishing one of the most distinguished hospitality brands had already made headway.

The Park Kolkata had set the stage for a cool new hotel, and next in line stood The Park New Delhi. “In 1994-95 I started changing The Park in Delhi; I felt it had already started looking a little old,” claims Paul. Even though it had aged for less than a decade, the property was slated for a slew of exciting changes.

Paul is unabashed. She is confident and composed. She is sure and steadfast. And all this is evident in not only her appearance, mannerism and conversation but also in her work and the products she offers.

The mid-1990s saw a thorough restructuring of The Park Hotels. “We looked at the design, HR processes, SOP’s and even accounting, that formed the backbone of the company,” Paul states. This is also when a new vision was articulated for the company and Paul

steered the way to create a collection of ‘luxury boutique hotels’.

“The public at large did not know what a boutique hotel or design hotel was. I was travelling extensively and saw Ian Schrager’s initial hotels. Obviously, he is the guru of it all and I saw him taking risks (he still does).

Since I am not from the hotel industry (and neither is Schrager), I thought I could afford to take risks as well,” confides Paul stealthily, quick to add, “I felt that I did not need to do what the rest were doing. I wanted to do something new!”

The Park New Delhi experimented with new concepts, slamming trends and upping the game of exquisite dining experiences. Besides the rather celebrated and extravagant Spanish fare at Las Meninas, the talk of the town was hands down Someplace Else.

Paul catches the glint in my eyes as muddled memories of many a tanked nights come flooding to me. Nostalgia reflects a sheer

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The Park Chennai

grin, which she clearly recognises as a time well enjoyed at what was the hottest spot for a night out in town. The lavish menu was only challenged by the even more extravagant list of the poison of choice.

The darkened interiors were streaked with flashing rays of chromatic light. The thumping music was interrupted only by a steady din. That truly was Someplace Else!

We have obviously struck a chord. The Park New Delhi is not only famous for its curious offerings of a swanky nightclub, or delectable victuals, or thrilling poolside sundowners but also offers extended views of the Jantar Mantar from its own iconic architectural structure. The seemingly modernist curved white building carved into neat boxes on its front façade holds ground as an important architectural landmark within the city’s fabric. Inside, it has transformed from being a standard luxury hotel to becoming an exciting and quirky destination with the renovation by Conran and Partners in 2001.

“Inspired by the five elements of nature, the hotel combines luxury and comfort with chic design and unique ideas. The spaces are fashioned to stimulate the senses with colour, texture and form.” Paul best describes The Park New Delhi as ‘An Urban Junction’.

While the existing properties were overhauled in a more organic manner, somewhat piecemeal, little by little per season, the newer acquisitions, on the other hand, posed opportunities to be dealt with from the get-go.

The Park Bangalore was a functioning hotel with 109 rooms when acquired in the late 1990s. Being a small property, it was easy to convert it into the first contemporary Indian boutique hotel. Small, luxurious and intimate, it fused the vibrant colours and landscapes of India with international style. Equipped with award-winning restaurants, a lounge, spa, screening room, and private spaces that echo vivid references of chromaticity, the property offered an experience like none other when launched in 2001.

“Designed by Conran and Partners, the Bangalore hotel is still one of my favourites,” says Paul. She is quick to add, “With Bangalore and then Chennai being developed, The Park brand was really put on the map, giving us a national footprint, and also telling the world that there is something new happening here.”

Soon to follow were properties in Navi Mumbai, Hyderabad and Goa. The Park Hyderabad was perhaps the

biggest, most challenging and at the same time, most rewarding project for Paul.

Having just given birth to a baby, she had another progeny in the making.

There is a reason why this property exudes luxury in its comfort, offers an enthralling spectrum of experiences, and captures every detail in perfection. And the reason is this - “I remember, every Tuesday, religiously, I would go to Hyderabad for the day. I would take the flight on Tuesday morning and return to Delhi at night. I did this for about three or four years till the project was complete,” says Paul unflinching. Her involvement in this hotel is evident in the complexities of the design, management and operation of this LEED Gold certified building.

The Park Hyderabad blends contemporary and vernacular architectural traditions effortlessly with sustainable design techniques. Inspired by the jewellery settings and metalwork found in the Nizam jewellery collection, the aluminium composite façade creates an interesting play of light and shadow. Careful computation of opaque and transparent forms adjusted to maximise natural light within delivers an intriguing dappled effect.

The interiors, on the other hand, are an amalgamation of the thoughts and visions

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Aqua, The Park Bangalore

of a compelling pool of designers from the fields of art, fashion, textile and interiors.

The likes of Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal, Manish Arora, Jean Francois Lesage, Bharti Kher, Subodh Gupta, Rajiv Saini, Tanya and Sandeep Khosla, Skidmore Owings Merrill, Conran and Partners, Chadha Siembeda, and Blacksheep make up the extent of expertise that has contributed to the various aspects of the hotel.

The Street Lobby is one such extraordinary feature. Designed as an anti-chamber replete with dramatic lighting effects and a rich material palette that contrasts against the hot and harsh outdoor environment, it welcomes guests to provide a gradual transition to the calming indoors. From here one can access the banquet reception, a luxury retail mall, as well as the emblematic ‘The Box’, an in-house retail spot that offers handpicked gift items, beauty products, home accessories, stationery, and fashion.

Further in, one can find the luscious Ruby Lounge, all-day-dining options at the Verandah, the contemporary and informal interpretation of a traditional gentleman’s club at the Sicca Bar, the light and water suffused Night Club, regally sumptuous Hyderabadi fare at Aish, the faceted finishes of Carbon, poolside lounging at Aqua, the

Aura Spa, The Park Hyderabad Pic: Bharath Ramamrutham

Carbon Bar, The Park Hyderabad Pic: Bharath Ramamrutham

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The Park Hyderabad

Charminar, The Park Hyderabad

glamorous glitz of Kismet, and an awardwinning spa experience at Aura.

Working with a singular brief, but directing more than twenty designers to derive meaning and construe variable concepts was an arduous task. Paul played the role of a curator, or rather, conductor, orchestrating her musicians to pronounce the composition in impeccable harmony. The idea of the Nizam’s jewellery was interpreted and reinterpreted, deconstructed and reconstructed by different designers in myriad ways to form the various entities that make the property.

I recall a conversation with architect Sandeep Khosla, who designed two venues –Carbon lounge and Aura Spa. Albeit part of the same hotel, responding to the greater brief of gems and jewellery, the two distinct spaces were rendered distinguished and definite. The former references an overscaled and highly faceted structure of a precious gem to create a dramatic labyrinth that capriciously envelopes the space. On the other hand, the spa is sheathed in blanched layers, inspired by the sheen, transparency and whiteness of the Golconda Diamond. Accents of silver foiling and aluminium cast in fluid forms aid the relaxed but stately perception.

I implore Paul to explain how she managed the mammoth task of composing this project, to which she snickers and responds breezily, “I had to handpick the designers and designs.

I did not want them to overlap too much and yet they had to express themselves in a coherent manner. I just became the editor.”

Although it was a while before the work was completed and the hotel opened to the public, it was definitely a roaring success.

There was none other of this nature and yet one begged for more.

Would it then be the obvious choice to replicate this formula elsewhere, perhaps adapt it to another property? Pat comes the answer, “No! Why would I do that? I would do something else!” exclaims Paul.

Each of The Park Hotels today stands with a sense of pride, responding cautiously to its immediate context. Each property speaks its distinct language, has its own personality and offers a unique experience layered with plentiful emotive textures. Yet, they all reflect the ‘feel’ and identity of the brand that composes The Park.

Paul’s vision to create modern, contemporary, luxury hotels is pegged to a wheel that is constantly churning. If one renovation is

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The Park Hyderabad

Ruby Lounge, The Park Hyderabad

La Sultana Suite, The Park Hyderabad

concluded, another commences, if one idea materialises, it is already time for another. Having worked with the best teams of designers from around the world, she seeks ideas that are unique, concepts where colours fall beyond the lines and adventures that are uncharted. It is commendable though to hear a sympathetic voice to making mistakes and learning from them.

The fact that Paul does not hail from a training in hotel management, but brings with her a lifetime of experiences at and with hotels, copious passion for her work and a relentless eye for distinct aesthetics, is incontestable. Her creative edge and visual sense have found an indisputable place in her work. “I am a more visual person. I have always had a creative style, but I never knew that it would (and how it would) translate onto the ground and in my workplace.”

She draws the fine, sometimes rather permeable line between design ideas and operations, but confesses, “I am usually on the designer’s side.”

Adding to the repertoire of unique hotel experiences, many more properties are slated to be launched soon. Also in the offing is a new series of hotels called Zone by The Park. Targetted at business travellers and the design conscious millennial, Zone is a typology driven concept that replicates itself through a kit of parts that can fit or adapt itself into each of its specific locations. This exciting new venture, designed by Project Orange has hotels in Coimbatore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Chennai, Raipur and Bangalore, and will soon be cropping up at Igatpuri, Gurgaon and Puducherry among other locations.

Paul is not one to tire. Her enthusiasm is admirable, her intensity deserving. Thick into the discussion, she is still aware of the time passed. We wrap up our chat, but not before schedules are drawn and details exchanged.

There is always a story behind every success or failure for that matter. Hers is intriguing and inspiring. It has been a roller-coaster ride for the last thirty years, but this period has also played a critical role in distinctly shaping the Golden Jubilee of The Park.

The legendary collection of hotels that have been indulgent, encouraging and enjoyed by us is bursting at the seams for new adventures, excitement and revelation, and we can not wait to see what lies ahead. www.theparkhotels.com

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A ZONE OF ITS OWN Zone by The Park is an upscale social catalyst brand by The Park Hotels, for design-conscious priceconscious guests, designed exclusively by Project Orange.

Brand philosophy Zone by The Park understands that the people we meet, the new connections we form, and the experiences we share makes life fun. Going beyond a high quality room and service experience it offers a focal point of interaction that connects different types of guests through multifunctional spaces, smart contemporary design, a happening bar and restaurant, and a vibrant nightlife.

Zone is a place where business and pleasure meet and greet in inspiring conference rooms and relaxing retreats; a starting point to enjoy the city where people engage and socialise in a friendly and informal atmosphere.

Design concept Drawing from The Park’s design spirit, the concept envisions an interactive series of charged spaces using the best of contemporary design, with creative and playful interiors, multifunctional spaces, great restaurants, bars and vibrant nightlife.

THE COMPONENTS A kit of parts was developed that could be interpreted into each separate hotel location – the reception with the customized rickshaw shop, the cross lounge, the Bazaar restaurant concept

Pics: Courtesy of The Park Hotels

and the Z bar. All these elements are in the DNA of the brand but how they overlap can change.

Differentiator It is all about how the hotel interacts with the guest - from the website booking pages to the meet and greet, there is a contemporary, relaxed, but efficient vibe.

Future trends The future will be all about affordable luxury, sustainable sourcing and ethical living. Guests will make their choices based on the brands they trust and those that take an interest in their location and staff as well as delivering a memorable stay.

LOCATIONS Launched - Coimbatore, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Chennai, Raipur, Bangalore Launching in 2018 – Surat, Indore, Gurgaon, Igatpuri, Puducherry www.zonebythepark.com www.projectorange.com

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THE BUSINESS OF

SPA-TIALITY

When the spa-pundit, Ingo Schweder, CEO and founder of GOCO Hospitality speaks, it is advisable to whip out pen and paper to take notes. The journey of the multi-award-winning expert in the field of spa and hospitality is studded not only with accolades but emblematic destinations and exceptional experiences. Schweder shares with Mrinalini Ghadiok of mondo*arc india his invaluable insights.

A young start. Hailing from a family of designers and design-related professionals, Schweder’s foray into design was rather natural.

“My interest in this field stemmed from my childhood. My entire family was into design in some way or another. My extended family had a high-end bathroom and kitchen fit out company and my grandfather was a property developer. Therefore, we were always engaged with architects and designers.”

An experience of a lifetime. Schweder has worked in the hospitality industry for over three decades, creating iconic properties that have stood the test of time, space, trends and technology.

“As Managing Director of the Rafael Hotel Group in South Asia, later Mandarin Oriental Hotels and Resorts India, I guided the setup and establishment of Ananda in the Himalayas. While at Oberoi Hotels as Group Director of Operations, I headed the birth of the hotel’s Vilas Collection.

As a member of the operational board of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, I was responsible for the worldwide operation of the Spas and Resorts division on five continents.”

A brand new brand. Schweder’s insight and in-depth knowledge of the hospitality sector identified a void that he felt compelled to fill.

“I created GOCO Hospitality in 2008 in order to provide the hospitality sector with a turnkey source of expert insights on wellness. I had observed that what the market needs in the wellness hospitality sector in terms of design and operations were often misaligned and created separately. I saw that the new direction was to have dedicated professional services as a ‘turnkey offer’ in order to drive excellence in this growing market segment.

We now have a company with over 35 senior experts from 12 different nations dedicated to wellness hospitality.

Design is an important part of our full range of wellness hospitality consultancy services, which also include market research and

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Facing Page GOCO Spa Venice, JW Marriott Resort & Spa Venice Pics: Courtesy of GOCO Hospitality

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The Spa at Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof

financial feasibility analysis (in partnership with Horwath HTL Health and Wellness), concept development, pre-opening services, and management.

We develop the overall look and feel, the space planning and adjacency, and then work with the owners and the interior designer to create spaces that ensure a great customer experience and are operationally highly efficient and effective.”

GOCO Retreat Ubud

Creating a distinct niche. While hotels sprouted across the vast landscape and spas emerged abound, Schweder’s concern rested at ‘too much too similar’.

“I observed that there was too much repetition in spa designs and that the concepts were not tailored to the location

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Jumeirah Guangzhou

Jumeirah Guangzhou

and the cultural environment in which they operate or aligned to the target market. At GOCO Hospitality we want to change that.

Spas are much more complicated spaces than people often realise. In order for them to work effectively, they need to be designed carefully right from the very beginning, and that means being designed for a specific market segment and its needs. There are many excellent architects and interior designers in the industry that can create spaces that are very aesthetically pleasing, but very few of them are consumers of wellness services or understand the technical operational requirements of a spa. This is where GOCO Hospitality comes in, supporting and guiding this key phase of the development.”

The first-born. The first impression has now become a lasting impression – Schweder’s initial concepts are still being incorporated into projects 25 years later.

“The first spa I was involved in was the Shangri-La Taipei. This was back in 1992 when on the 43rd level we created an entire floor with the first ever spa suites – a spa within a spa. We had eight spa suites overlooking the city, all with their own thermal experience, jacuzzi and relax zone.

It was a stunning success and this concept has now been adopted by numerous top spas around the world.”

Distinction is differentiation. Three mantras for creating unique spa experiences that set themselves apart in the ever-flooding market today. Schweder argues that spas add value.

“A spa needs to: …be authentic to the local culture and environment …meet the specific needs and desires of the target market …effectively express the location and needs of the guests” “Design is a strong way in which spas can differentiate themselves and stand out from a sometimes-crowded market. There should be no one-size-fits-all design for a spa.

Design should be tailored to the location as well as the target market. I am often inspired by observing the marketplace and the macroeconomic and lifestyle trends around the world.”

“Spa-consuming hotel guests achieve the highest room rates and average lengths of

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stay vs. non-spa-consuming guests. They book the biggest suites and consume more F&B in-house. Thus, their value to the hotel is far superior. They are, therefore, very important hotel guests.”

“Wellness, these days, is far more than just a spa. It is reflected in how we build, the type of paint we use, the fabrics we choose, the food we eat and the quality of the air that we breathe.”

The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

Niutuo Wellness Resort

Luxury, hospitality and the luxury of hospitality. There seems to be a paradigm shift in the perception of luxury, especially in the sector of hospitality. Are spas today synonymous only with luxury, or should they be made more accessible to the masses?

“Luxury is not about chandeliers and marble: the biggest luxury today is time. Luxury is also about experiences that are perfectly tailored to the needs of guests and a strong sense of authenticity.

Spas are becoming more and more democratic. It is not all about luxury. People want time for themselves and to look inwards at their respective needs.”

“If hotels wish to provide the services that their guests are demanding, then they need to stay on top of the latest health and wellness trends. Wellness should not be about people’s income, but their individual needs. Obesity and diabetes are some of the biggest lifestyle diseases that we are faced with and the treatment of these do not require a luxury approach. In fact, it seems to be that these lifestyle diseases are mostly affecting those with a richer and more sedentary lifestyle.”

The India Story. Schweder’s relationship with India has been as intimate as evocative.

His past experiences define the vision for a hopeful future.

“India is the birthplace of yoga and Ayurveda.

It is the place where I learned yoga and this has stayed with me ever since. I love the vibrancy of the place.”

“India is a very exciting market. The country has a rapidly growing middle-class population with a growing interest in travel as well as health and wellness. However, one of the issues with the hospitality and spa market in India is that there are too many similar products and concepts. There is a huge opportunity for additional diversity and a more unique offering.”

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GOCO Spa Venice, JW Marriott Resort & Spa Venice

The wellness of tomorrow. With more than 600 hotel properties slated to develop in India over the next few years, Schweder shares a few words, of caution and of encouragement, to the evolving spa industry in the country.

“I don’t think all of these will be built in the time frame presently envisaged. This is mainly due to issues with the 100+ licenses and the associated processes to create hospitality ventures in India.

Spa guests in India want greater authenticity.

Therefore, developers need to carefully carry out research, create interesting and novel concepts and make sure they meet the needs of the market. It is too much same-same and far too much cost cutting than creativity. As Mr. Oberoi famously said, “You don’t make money by cutting costs but by creating unique experiences for which people pay premiums.” Oberoi Hotels are to this date still the benchmark others are measured by.” www.gocohospitality.com

Knowing Schweder Better First hotel experience The Carlton Hotel in Cannes during the annual film festival with my parents.

GOCO Spa Venice, JW Marriott Resort & Spa Venice

Spa idols For spa community planning and design: Josephine Leung, GOCO Other designers: Tony Chi, tonychi, New York; Martin Palleros, Tierra Design, Bangkok; Tim Kobe, Eight Inc., Singapore, creator of the original design concept for the Apple Stores.

Favourite international spa Landmark, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.

To this date, it is the highest grossing spa by square metre in Hong Kong. It was the project on which I met my wife.

Top 3 spas designed by you The Landmark, Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong (Opened 2004) GOCO Retreat Ubud, Indonesia (Opens 2020) GOCO Spa Venice, Italy (Opened 2015) Next 3 wellness projects A wellness resort in the Maldives A cutting-edge fitness and lifestyle resort in Thailand An organic, food-producing, sustainable wellness resort in Southern California A word of advice Work with experts in design and fit out. Be unique, think out of the box and create a difference. Do not shortchange things that make people truly happy, healthy and content.

GOCO Spa Venice, JW Marriott Resort & Spa Venice

Adage to live by “Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”

– Rumi

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NARRATIVES OF A UNIQUE KIND While hospitality plays the quintessential measure of luxury and travel, it illustrates the fundamentals of traveling luxury. Hospitality design guru, Carl Almeida of Bangkok based design firm P49 Deesign talks to Mrinalini Ghadiok of mondo*arc india about the nuances of creating distinct hotel environments and unique hospitality experiences.

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Rimba Resort Jimbaran, Indonesia Pic: Courtesy of AYANA

An Australian of Indian descent, Carl Almeida has been living and working in Bangkok, Thailand for nearly a decade and a half. He is Partner at P49 Deesign, a leading practice that over 30 years has established itself as the largest specialist interior design firm in Thailand.

Responsible for Creative Direction, Business Development and the overall execution of hospitality projects, Almeida and his Partners lead a team of 150 that works on projects across the regions of India, China, Australia, the Middle East, Africa and even in places as far as Switzerland and Tahiti.

Almeida reveals his initial tryst with hotels and how that led to a very specialised career in designing hotels and hospitality properties.

Pic: Courtesy of P49 Deesign

What drew P49 Deesign to design in the hospitality sector?

P49 Deesign is a Thailand based company.

Given that the country is a favourite destination for international travellers, interior design for international hotels has been a growing industry for many years now.

Therefore, it was a natural progression for P49 Deesign to be drawn into this sector.

How did you create such a niche for P49 Deesign in the design of hotels?

P49 Deesign has been in existence for more than 30 years and during that period we have done hundreds of hotel projects. We learn on each project and over the years we have become experts in hospitality, to the point where for over a decade now we only

take on projects outside of Thailand if they are a hotel, resort or serviced apartment.

Within Thailand, we offer some additional services, predominantly for corporate projects and banking.

What was the first hotel you designed?

This is a tricky question! For me personally, I have been working for over 30 years now and have had 2 lives. I graduated in architecture and practiced in Australia for about 15 years and worked on many hotel projects when I lived there. However, since I have been in Thailand at P49 Deesign, I have been working exclusively on interior design projects. So at P49 Deesign, one of the first hotels I worked on was the Sheraton Resort in Pattaya,

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Renaissance, Hangzhou

Thailand, which opened more than 12 years ago. Interestingly, we were recently commissioned by the owner to renovate the entire property and also re-brand it to the Intercontinental. Parts of the work have already been completed.

Do you have a distinct mantra for creating unique hotel experiences?

I think all projects have something unique about them. It is a matter of finding out what that is. One of our strategies is to create design narratives wherever possible to assist us in designing interiors that provide unique solutions and experiences for the guest. These narratives are based on extensive research and discussion within our office.

How do your designs cater to the business traveller vs. travel for leisure?

These days there is almost no distinction between the business traveller and the holiday traveller, especially in city hotels as the line between business and leisure is very blurred. City hotels are becoming more lifestyle-oriented allowing guests to work, rest or play within the same areas.

Public spaces are being designed to be more flexible allowing the guest to determine what level of experience they want to suit what they are doing at that point in time.

Resorts are obviously quite different as they are designed more specifically to lifestylebased solutions.

Renaissance, Hangzhou

JW Marriott, Hangzhou

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Marriott Bangkok Hotel Sukhumvit, Thailand Pic: Courtesy of Mariott International

How do you differentiate your hotel designs within the ever-flooding hospitality market today?

There are so many new hotel brands and so many hotel projects being designed these days. In addition to this, the design industry is booming with highly talented design firms.

As a result, it is critical to be aware of these facts and make a concerted effort to create solutions that are unique.

Marriott Bangkok Hotel Sukhumvit, Thailand Pic: Courtesy of Mariott International

Renaissance Taihu Suzhou, China

How do you feel about working in India?

Any interesting experiences that you would like to share?

I have always enjoyed working in India as all the clients and consultants we have worked with are very warm and hospitable and open to team collaboration. There have been so many interesting experiences over the past 15 years that we have been coming here for projects. However, one of my earliest memorable moments was when we were doing the Radisson, Alibaug more than 14 years ago and we had to take a boat from the Gateway of India to the site. Going through the harbour and the sea to Alibaug was a wonderful experience.

What do you feel about the growing Indian hospitality sector?

P49 is principally involved in the luxury sector of hospitality and this end of the market has seen amazing growth in the quality and type of product. All the major

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Rimba Resort Jimbaran, Indonesia Pic: Courtesy of AYANA

Rimba Resort Jimbaran, Indonesia Pic: Courtesy of AYANA

brands are now here in India and I feel that there is so much more scope for further growth. India has so much to offer not only for internal growth but also from international tourism, which has not been maximised yet.

What do you feel about the new crop of hotel chains that are sprouting across the globe, changing the perception and redefining what luxury, hospitality and the luxury of hospitality stands for?

The emergence of new brands is wonderful for the industry and more importantly for hotel guests themselves. The diversification in brands is a result of the market becoming more defined with respect to the types of expectations

The Sanchaya, Bintan, Indonesia Pic: Courtesy of The Sanchaya

guests have today. Lifestyle brands are the key growth area and this is a direct response to the ‘Millennial’ generation and their needs.

Any international hotel brands that you admire or study closely to draw inspiration/details from?

All the current brands by their very survival have shown that they have something to offer and hold a value to the segment of the available market. We see opportunities to learn from so many of them and I really respect the brands as they have made it their business to truly understand their guests, and then through designers like us deliver the best and most relevant design to the market.

Hotels today offer one of two experiences – treating its guests as royalty or delivering to them the comfort of home. How does your design adapt to these very distinct briefs?

Treating guests as royalty does not mean that you do not need to deliver them the comforts of home. In fact, this is the opposite of what we try to deliver at P49 Deesign. With respect to luxury guests expectations are not about gold or silver or bling. They are about delivering great experiences that are memorable, and where design and interiors are comfortable, elegant, understated but faultless in their functionality. This is what P49 Deesign tries to deliver, especially within all our luxury projects.

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Some Interesting Facts

Autograph Collection Sanya Pic: Courtesy of Marriott

What is the first hotel experience that you remember?

I was born in Bombay, India and when I was around 8 years old I remember that my Uncle took me on a holiday to New Delhi and we stayed at the Claridges Hotel. It must have had a deep impression on me at that age, given that hotel design is what my career is based on now.

Who are your heroes in the hospitality design sector?

Yabu Pushelberg, Tony Chi, Deniston Architects Favourite international hotel?

St. Regis, Florence, Italy; Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman Favourite Indian hotel?

Leela Palace, New Delhi; The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur Your selection of Top 5 hotels designed by you?

Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman; Trisara, Phuket, Thailand; Indigo Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia; Autograph Collection, Sanya, China; The Sanchaya, Bintan, Indonesia.

Sofitel Adelaide, Australia

There is a stark contrast between developing individual properties that have their own inherent characteristics and creating cookie-cutter templates.

How does your design approach vary to accommodate the two briefs?

It is quite a challenge to achieve ‘on brand’ solutions that have a distinguished sense of individuality or character. Generally, we search for some aspect of the project that stands out, which we can capitalize on in terms of design and then give each project a distinct edge or uniqueness. On many projects, this extensive research culminates in a design narrative that isolates some ideas, which we then target to our design strategy accordingly to create individual solutions within a brand.

InterContinental Nha Trang, Vietnam

With more than 600 hotel properties to be developed in India over the next few years, how do you see hotel design evolve in the country?

I think hotel design will evolve with the evolving guest profile and their expectations.

Hotel operators have been instrumental in researching upcoming market segments and then re-working their existing brands or creating entirely new brands to give the guests what they want. Certainly, the market trend is leaning towards lifestyle brands, although what we are seeing is that lifestyle brands can be delivered across different luxury star ratings from upper luxury to much more affordable boutique solutions. www.p49deesign.com

An adage that you go by?

Form Follows Function Where would you like to design your next 3 hotels?

Morocco / New Zealand / Moscow / New York Advise that you would like to give to hotel developers?

• I f you are going to pay for an international designer then trust them and let them give you good advice.

Hotel design is not house design and should not be made to suit an individual only.

• I f you build with quality materials it will last longer and stand the test of time.

• P ay the consultants on time and until the completion of the project. It makes a difference to the result!

What are your current projects?

P49 Deesign is working on projects all across the world, of which some are: Raffles Udaipur, India; Fairmont Mumbai, India; Mandarin Oriental Phuket, Thailand; W Muscat, Oman; JW Marriott Hangzhou, China; Sofitel Adelaide, Australia; Hilton Songjiang Shanghai, China; Intercontinental Phu Quoc, Vietnam; Alila Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Sankara Nairobi, Kenya.

InterContinental Nha Trang, Vietnam

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project / W Resort AND SPA, GOA

Pics: Courtesy of ABIL Group

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WEAVING WONDERS @ THE W The spanking new W Resort and Spa in Goa is more than just thumping beats, trembling lights or getting ‘heads to beds’. It is a conglomerate of interventions by Eco-Id Architects, Design Wilkes, Bill Bensley and Light Vision India, led by the ABIL Group that delivers an experience of delectation.

Mrinalini Ghadiok of mondo*arc india uncovers its mysterious ways to help one detox, retox and repeat.

I was once carded at a bar in New York.

Pulling out my Delhi driver’s license with much glee for having been considered well under my actual age, I was met with a quizzical look. The burly bouncer had close to no idea of the city I came from.

Instead, he squinted at me and asked, “You are Indian no? Where are you from?

Manali? Goa?” That was nearly a decade ago when I realised that India is known for more than the sadhus, saints and ‘finding oneself’. It was apparently (in)famous for its ‘recreational’ offerings as well, of which Manali was the obvious source of entertainment, and Goa of entertaining.

Goa! This tiny little state packs in a cracker of a punch. The most intriguing though, is how it reaches out to all sorts of people seeking all sorts of getaways – be it to excite bored souls and party all night in flashy clubs, or enjoy uninterrupted and inebriated times with chums, stare into protracted frames of deep seas as waves lap lazily at one’s feet, or hike through verdant

trails. Goa has recently also become the most sought-after destination for weddings and conferences alike, bachelor(ettes) and yoga retreats, research excursions and even thesis subjects. Goa is a true melting pot of cultures, climates, cuisines, and communities.

It is no wonder then that it is freckled with hotels – hundreds, maybe thousands of friendly abodes that offer a slice of what Goa holds for the throngs that it welcomes.

One of the most recent entrants to this highly competitive game of ‘who’s the best host’ is none other than the W Resort and Spa. Developed by ABIL, Amit Bhosale, the Managing Director had his eyes set on Goa for a while. When the perfect tract of land presented itself, it was not long before the deal was done and the dotted line signed.

Introducing the W brand was a calculated move, offering its sprightly spirit to the rather younger population of north Goa. “W checked every box. As its first property in India, and known to bend its own rules, it fit the bill perfectly,” says Bhosale.

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project / W Resort AND SPA, GOA

“It is hard to imagine a more perfect setting for our newest W Escape than Goa, with its electrifying nightlife, vibrant fashion scene, and colourful culture,” says Anthony Ingham, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide.

As the first W property in India, this resort marks the brand’s 50th hotel globally.

Claiming a 25-acre site cradling Vagator Beach, the resort sits atop a high bluff that cascades steeply to the beachfront. Located in the shadows of nearby Chapora Fort, a 500-year-old Portuguese fort, “The Garrison Village under the watch of the mighty fort,” is how Sim Boon Yang, founding partner and director of Eco-Id Architects describes the undulating property. Deriving inspiration

from the timeworn structure, Eco-Id Architects worked closely with Jeffrey Wilkes of Design Wilkes for the interiors, Bill Bensley for the landscape and lighting design consultants Light Vision India to envisage the W as its modern cousin.

While Bhosale’s brief to the team was to ensure that the W is “not like any other Goan resort,” Boon’s aspirations lay in, “Together (with the client) we identified that our project needs to be absolutely top notch as W is a global trendsetter, yet it is amicable towards a growing, sophisticated Indian clientele. In other words, the design needed to be evocative but also culturally correct.”

Situated amidst flourishing forests laden with the saltiness of the sea breeze, the approach to the hotel is reminiscent of a procession into a fortified town along an arching rampart.

The porte-cochère is at once testimony to the adventures that lie ahead.

Conceptualised by designer Ajay Shah, an enormous golden W, its impeccably glistening arms extending skywards, pins the swirling courtyard in its centre. The backdrop to this Instagram hotspot is an imposing latticed structure that protrudes precariously into the open space, composed of timber slats that are arranged to form repeated Ws, a leitmotif that sneakily makes

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its way into interesting features throughout the property. Sharp rays of sunlight pierce through the filigree waltzing with alternating patterns of shadows. At night, the role reversal embodies the edifice as a delicate lantern visible from quite the distance.

The grand entrance is marked by soaring, unframed doors that are perpetually kept ajar adorned by Goan artist Subodh Kerkar’s work representing lunar phases and a definite nod to Goa’s full moon party culture.

Stepping into the lobby or what is referred to as the ‘Living Room’, one is greeted with festoons of fishermen’s rope draped along the length of the ceiling, perhaps symbolic of a customary Indian garlanded welcome, but also hinting at Goa’s nautical tradition.

The canopy of ropes leads guests directly

to an overwhelming cliff edge view of the silvery Vagator beach bleeding into the cerulean waters of the Arabian Sea beyond.

An ideal seat for a sensational sunset, the observation deck is second only to the adjacent Woobar; afterall, a spectacular view can only be improved with a delectable cocktail in hand. The Woobar, a cheerful and casual parlour by day effortlessly transforms into a bustling waterhole at nightfall. The bright freshness of abundant daylight streaming through open frontage, reflecting off a white fabric canopy and polished floors gives way to an intense play of vivid hues and coloured light after dark.

Blanched surfaces are now bathed in shades of indigo and purple, the outdoor circular seating pods awash in moonlight, and pops

of acutely dyed accessories peppered throughout. The WET deck houses another poolside bar on the level below, while suspended overhead offsetting this chic coolness is a sharp image of the latticed ‘lantern’ ablaze in a fiery red.

Renditions of the Mediterranean-like resortturned-nightclub can be ascribed to painting a blank canvas. Bhosale was certain to steer away from a colourful structure and instead wanted to emulate the calmness of a Greek housing tucked into the side of a hill. Thus the timeless architecture was left plastered and painted white, interjected with patches of locally sourced laterite stone. “The local laterite stones were also incorporated as architectural hardscape. Due to its strong nature, we deployed them only on

some areas that helped us strengthen the narrative of the resort being the garrison village that was built over fort remains,” explains Boon. The vibrancy appears at night as the lights come on with a splash of highpowered colour.

While Satish Rana, director of Light Vision India (LVI) was responsible for this thrilling transformation, he was also careful to adopt a sensitive lighting scheme that addressed concerns pertaining to the installation process, safety, and the environment.

“Safety and security were critical components while coordinating the design philosophy of the landscape. An aesthetic but strategic approach was employed for security lighting to achieve adequate illumination levels without flooding the space with light.” He adds, “At night, to reinforce the magnanimity of volumes, a distinctive play of light and shadow is used.

Lower faceted surfaces are grazed with intense bursts of light, while higher planes are gently lit from strategically placed luminaires.”

The magnificently undulating landscape contains luminaires that are concealed within shrubs and pinched under curbs, not only to provide ambient illumination but also create focal nodes, highlight pathways and harmonize the overall visual composition of the site.

The overarching Bohemian theme is carried through to the remaining parts of the sprawling property as well. Neatly tucked under the Living Room is the Kitchen Table, an all-day restaurant that offers an eclectic menu of local classics and international favourites, as well as an intriguing décor.

Flooded with natural light, the whitened interior is held aloft with beefy columns and dotted with relaxed timber furniture. The quintessential burst of chromaticity is seen in the table linen, stacks of fresh produce and even the lighting. The otherwise hefty posts are denounced weightless by reducing their width at the top and bottom, encircling them with amber and red light instead. Eager art and sculpture works find form in a drooping crystal installation over diners or organic clusters of light fittings above buffet layouts. Exacting geometric patterns are nonchalantly held against the gentility of flexible fittings, and portions of lambent glass flooring add yet another dimension. ‘Come one, come all’ seems to be the adage on which the space revolves, truly reminiscent of a kitchen table where

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the family convokes in kinship.

Spice Trader is another dining venue that offers Pan Asian epicurean flavours amplified with sumptuous ocean views and al fresco dining. This calls for fancier fare, in choice of cuisine, ambience and eloquence. Design Wilkes’ deliberate strokes of muted colours, striated mirrored ceiling, herringbone timber flooring and an array of intricately designed light pendants reflect a sombre soiree with just the apt punch of crimson. As the skies deepen, the interiors come alive sheathed in a fascinating pattern of light and shade.

Belly satiated, one is presented with a tray full of recreations to choose from.

However, the sweetest tunes are heard from white fluffy clouds that beckon uninterrupted slumber. Spoilt with choice of accommodation, the resort offers 125 vibrant guest rooms categorised into Wonderful, Fabulous, Spectacular and Marvellous suites, Wow and Extreme Wow villas, as well as a few wooden chalets.

The main hotel blocks house the standard typologies of occupation, overlooking a second courtyard, which was formerly an old garden. “Shielded with a specially designed and developed diamond shaped lattice, it acts as a relief to the austere architectural walls that frame the garden courtyard,” says Boon. This GRC (glass reinforced concrete) screen encourages a greater influx of natural light and ventilation into the corridors and public areas.

The villas, on the other hand, are strewn further beach-wards. “When we bought the property in 2011, it housed an existing resort with beachfront villas from the 1970s. Having been constructed before the enforcement of stringent bylaws, we had the advantage of refurbishing these structures at their given location to build new elements. Therefore, the W Goa is perhaps one of the closest properties fringing the white sands of the beach,” shares Bhosale.

It goes without saying that the rooms match up to their not-so-humbly descriptive names.

Breaking the conventional glass ceiling, figuratively, of course, they are whimsical to the extent of being fantastical. While Eco-Id has shaped the rather modern styled architecture in reference to the coastal landscape of Goa, Design Wilkes has injected it with a Bohemian chicness contrasted with psychedelic trance, encapsulating W Goa’s tagline ‘the edge of celebration.’

Washed in the vibrant hues of purples and blues, the rooms offer an eccentric worldview of their own. Timber flooring, slatted walls, mirrored backdrops, old-school lamps, futuristic headboards, peculiar art, neon accents and the lack of all inhibition is what pulls these spaces together. The wardrobes are draped in foggy metal sheets that conveniently distort reflections, never allowing one to get a clear picture, instead teasing and leaving for more to be desired.

Silhouettes of chandeliers are pasted across

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project / W Resort AND SPA, GOA

the ceiling, or in some cases, the light itself appears to be melting from the roof. The mind is constantly boggled at what might appear next, and yet in this chaos finds respite in the beds that long for embrace, and showers that cease to end.

Referencing personal experience, Bhosale states, “While on a work trip, one wakes up quickly, gets ready and leaves as soon as possible. On the other hand, when on a holiday, guests take their leisurely time to get dressed, spending extended periods in the bathrooms. Therefore, we decided to dedicate a much larger proportion of the room to the bathroom, almost 45-50%.” Not only are these spaces expansive, but come equipped with double vanities, high-end fittings and an exclusive range of products, encouraging as much interaction as one would have with the great outdoors or

perhaps even thrill themselves with a mini self-spa treatment.

The more extravagant option, of course, is a short walk away. The subterranean Clarins Spa is inspired by the great baths of Pompeii and reflects on the lower levels of ancient forts. Its cavernous volumes and labyrinthine walkways are carved in vaulted spaces leading to a series of specialised treatment rooms as well as a heated vitality pool.

Relaxed and rejuvenated, it is time once again to get grooving. The 55,000sqft. Rock Pool Bar commands an open-air theatre style setting nudged away from the main residential blocks. The not-so-tiny hillock emerging from the sea has today become the most popular joint for typical Goa style partying; in fact, it ups the game by claiming to be the only day club in

the state. Attracting the youthful crowds of north Goa, the club is apparelled with teepee-shaped day beds, Victorian armchairs and comfy loungers to sink into around a large splash pool. “The brief laid before me was to create a nightclub in a shack, but interestingly the shack was located within the W,” says Rushabh Parekh, designer of the Rock Pool Bar. Working with challenging conditions of being sandwiched between cliff and fort on one side and cliff and ocean on the other, Parekh identified a valley with an existing water reservoir to denote the pool. Resorting to old-school methods of constructing retaining walls with stones, and limiting hardscaping to natural materials renders the space in a rustic shack-like feel. With the air saturated with salt, the landscape was left sparse, embracing and encouraging native growth.

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Parekh describes the enthralling experience of navigating through serpentine paths to reach the club, “There is an inherent sense of curiosity in the design. While you can see everything from a single point, you have to find your way by exploring the space organically. You might think you are headed in the right direction, but you may end up elsewhere. The mystery can be frustrating but intriguing nevertheless.”

“With a DJ deck set at the edge of a rock cliff and waves crashing below, the Rock Pool Bar blends bohemian vibes with sunset beats for the ultimate in late night revelry,” says Boon.

Although this new kid on the block has been bestowed with the titled of the ‘hottest party scene’, it straddles the line carefully, offering an arena of celebration in myriad ways. The tremendous acreage

enables each guest to find his/her comfort zone, cosy spot, adventure or excitement on the property. “We have to keep in mind the wide spectrum of guests that visit the hotel,” says Bhosale. The partying begins at the lobby itself, with music, DJ, food and drinks, but that in no way means that visitors who want a moment to themselves, or a tranquil pause cannot find it. The W Resort and Spa encompasses everyone and everything that people seek from Goa – be it to excite bored souls and party all night in flashy clubs, or enjoy uninterrupted and inebriated times with chums, stare into protracted frames of deep seas as waves lap lazily at one’s feet, or hike through verdant trails. www.ecoid.com www.designwilkes.com www.bensley.com

PROJECT DETAILS W Resort and Spa, Goa Client: Diana Buildwell Pvt. Ltd. Architect: Eco-Id Architects Design Team: Sim Boon Yang (Managing Director), Reinaldi Tamin (Project Director), Tuck Kitti Thanasanvanich, Jitsupa Chingpayakmon (Natt), Micha Koren, Jayson Dances Mata, Wichupon Meepasert Local Architect: PG Patki Interior Design: Design Wilkes Landscape Design: Bill Bensley Lighting Design: Light Vision India

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project / Roseate House, AeroCity, New Delhi

Pics: Ali Rangoonwala

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A Restrained Elegance Using a sombre colour palette within a straight-lined contemporary aesthetic, Roseate House, New Delhi, redefines uber-luxe for travellers in the urban context. The architect and hotelier duo, Smriti and Ankur Bhatia explain the delicate design process to Devyani Jayakar of mondo*arc india.

Being one of eleven hotels which are almost within nodding distance of each other must come with its own challenges, foremost amongst them being to avoid a cookie cutter ‘me too’ design. The Roseate House at Aerocity in Delhi had to deal with this hurdle, which came with its tightly packed, newly launched, highly coveted location, in addition to the restrictions on size and height due to its proximity to the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Facing the runway, many rooms had to be fitted with bulletproof glass and a slew of sensor devices to ensure safety. Further, situated adjacent to the Aviation Research Centre of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), triggered grave security concerns that manifested in employing special features, which did pose to be detrimental at times to the overall design.

Rising to the challenge was Smriti Bhatia, architect as well as co-owner of the hotel with husband Ankur Bhatia, Executive Director of the Bird Group. “Our design intention was to create a contemporary take on hospitality, reminiscent of an Italian boutique while keeping functionality firmly within our sights. The space had to work commercially without being loud.” Part of a larger brand, the Bird Group, this urban hotel caters to a younger business traveller, much in contrast to another property under the same umbrella, The Roseate located a few kilometres away. Formerly called Dusit Devarana, this is more of a sprawling

resort that caters to a predominantly leisure traveller.

At the Roseate House, the exterior itself gives strong indications of the mod design intent, the strips in its cladding interspersed with expanses of glass emphasising the verticality of the slick six-storey space. However, adjoining properties encroach visually on the sea of calm envisaged by the Bhatias; the couple is waiting for the trees they have planted to grow so that they conceal from sight the flashing lights of neighbouring properties.

The porch and the double height lobby carry forward the quietly luxurious ambience; rendered in mellow tones of chocolate and ebony juxtaposed with sleek glass, the brand identity is subtly imprinted in the viewer’s subconscious. Champagne leafing on the walls and a waterfall that appears to cascade from the roof add to the luxury quotient. “When a mock room was executed in Milan, we realised that the dark palette was synonymous with a premium feel. Moreover, entering the hotel makes one forget the very busy airport outside… instantly isolating them from the immediate context. There is a sense of slowing down, of relaxation,” says Ankur. “There is an inherent quality of calming the senses, which is evident in the details, execution, and even the joinery seen at the hotel,” adds Smriti.

The ground floor leads to a series of retail outlets on one end and houses a

ballroom on the other - a clean, crisp space, unexpectedly devoid of chandeliers, instead studded with a host of ceiling recessed downlights, hinting at an unusual reference of a star-studded sky. Safeguarded by a large pre-function area, the competence of the space is enhanced by a separate entry.

On the same floor, a unique feature finds a place of comfort – ‘Upstage’ is the in-house theatre designed by Saurabh Dakshini of Studio Organon, fitted with 71 plush recliners and polished wooden flooring with dark-hued interiors. “The theatre is an opportunity for guests to come and unwind after a long day out. Providing these amenities makes the hotel more wholesome and reduces the need for the visitor to wander out of the premises,” explains Ankur.

While the aesthetics and detailing are designed to provide a stylised accommodation without compromising high business efficiency, the hotel is inward looking as a response to the location of its site, which is flanked by a main road, a mall and a construction site. Rather unconventionally, an internal courtyard is located on the first floor. “Surrounded by other hotels, we decided to fall back on the planning of traditional Indian homes with rooms around a courtyard with a water body, to create a microcosm and lessen the impact of the harsh Delhi climate.

The three dining outlets wrap around and open onto this space,” says Smriti. “Natural

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project / Roseate House, AeroCity, New Delhi

light permeates the corridors and even the kitchen, reducing our energy demands.

On the other hand, we have tried to eliminate decorative lighting elements as much as possible.”

The interiors designed by PIA Interior is well complemented by a delicate lighting scheme conceptualised by Be-Lit, both from Bangkok, and is sprinkled with a tightly curated collection by Thukral and Tagra of quirky, fun and funky pieces of art and design. “What they did was add the icing on the cake,” says Ankur. “The artwork in the rooms, logos and even the menus are credited to them.”

The eateries display a distinct style of their own. The cuisine in the Indian speciality restaurant, Kheer, marries traditional cooking with luxurious fine dining.

Designedby Noriyoshi Muramatsu, Tokyo based designer of Studio Glitt, formerly of design house Super Potato, it is as exquisite a visual treat, as it is a culinary dream. With a seating capacity of over 250 guests, the restaurant is divided into four functional areas – the live kitchen, the main dining

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area, the bar and the lounge, delineated by different colours on the upholstery of the seating.

Rich emerald green and wine tones coexist comfortably in the 6,000 sqft. space, together with heavily carved textures on the walls and ceiling. The vibe and décor of the restaurant declare what experience to expect, while supporting the regional cuisine. Tables with carved wooden peripheries are juxtaposed with a cluster of hanging brass bells. Curved sofas near the windows are lit from below, casting a glow on the floor, while the columns are clad with wooden carvings, grazed by light from a cove on the ceiling. Filigreed metal floor lamps stand guard at each table, adding to the exotic ambience.

The double height space of the restaurant is also divided visually into an ‘upper half’

and a ‘lower half’. The former continues the richly textured palette, with patterned metallic strips hanging at the glass windows near the ceiling, natural light filtering delicately from one side. An upward cove at the base adds an additional glow. The ceiling is covered with strips of carved wood, amidst which recessed spotlights are embedded – providing ambient light as well as illuminating the tables in the centre of the room. The lighting scheme ensures that one’s eye is drawn upwards, emphasising the height of the space. The restaurant is appreciably lively, dressed in its ethnic best and exotic in its acquaintance.

The bistro DEL, named after the area code for Delhi, is rendered in hues of browns and greys coupled with chic, modern furnishings and champagne leafing. It offers a choice of both indoor and alfresco dining

options along with a private dining room.

“Continuing the idea of a global culture, an illustration called ‘Somnium Genero - You Are In Flight’ (Tu In Fugam – A, Acrylic on canvas), by Thukral & Tagra is stationed at DEL,” says Smriti. The light-filled space is casual and accepting, overlooking the central courtyard in all its magnanimous glory and yet cosy and comfortable in its gold-toned interiors.

Standing in contrast to the light and airy bistro is an ‘old school’ bar called Chidya Ghar, also designed by Studio Organon.

The deep blue walls are interestingly offset by polished timber and softened leather, bringing a hint of nostalgia in the air. Located on the first floor, the bar too peers in towards the verdant courtyard.

Daylight streams through the large windows as the space encourages conversation,

“Designing a hotel is much like designing for fashion...you have to think several years ahead and yet keep the look timeless.”

– Smriti Bhatia

even as a peacock motif alludes to the avian derivative of the name of the hotel – ‘Roseate’ referring to birds with partially pink plumage.

Above the restaurants, four levels of soundproof guest rooms provide a quality bed and shower and can be light free, if required. The spa on the top floor welcomes guests with shimmery silver leafed walls. Open to the sky, the lobby becomes a courtyard of its own, pinned in the centre with a pebbled water body within a large glass box. “While there is no dearth of natural light during the day, the sky emanates a day lit feel even at night.

Owing to the highly illuminated airport, the sky appears to be admissibly bright for much of the night as well,” says Ankur, not really complaining of the light pollution thus caused.

The adjacent pool area, on the other hand, seems to hunger for darker firmament, therefore perhaps spotted with the twinkling of luminaires. “We had to compromise on the aesthetics of the infinity pool which sits on the top of the hotel by putting a mandatory wall on one side,” says Ankur. “Given that we face the airport

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directly from here, we had to incorporate a large bulletproof glass wall on one end.

Although the last minute tweak cost us both more money and time, it was the only visually acceptable compromise.”

“Designing a hotel is much like designing for fashion,” says Smriti. “You have to think several years ahead and yet keep the look timeless. Being the client as well as the architect worked out rather well for both of us. We knew the requirements and were on the same page regarding the aesthetics and services which we had envisaged.”

“While we receive visitors from across the country and world, we also have guests who live a few kilometres away coming to Roseate House just for the experience…maybe this is an indication of our success in achieving what we set out to do,” adds Ankur. Creating an escape from the pandemonium outside while continuing to being fully tuned in to its context and the international airport within its sight, the Roseate House straddles the fault line with much panache. www.bird.in www.piainterior.com www.be-lit.com

PROJECT DETAILS Roseate House, Aerocity, New Delhi Client: Bird Group Architect: Smriti Bhatia Interior design: PIA Interior Lighting Design: Be-Lit

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project / Alila Bishangarh Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan

SURVIVAL AND REVIVAL The adaptive reuse of the historical fort of Bishangarh led by Sthapatya Architects in collaboration with lighting designers Lightbook and landscape designers Visarch, not only bows down to the original structure but also intelligently articulates the amalgamation of modern and traditional.

Mrinalini Ghadiok and Meghna Mehta of mondo*arc india delve into the process employed to deliver an impressive form and efficient functionality of a striking boutique hotel.

Pics: Courtesy of Sthapatya Architects

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Historical buildings intrigue ideas of how the survival of architecture impacts our lives and how its revival can make an astonishing difference. This process of ‘survival and revival’ determines the narrative of the building and the architect here truly becomes the narrator. A building’s journey through time witnesses numerous transformations catering to various needs, uses and significance, while its revival lies in the hands of the builder and the architect.

A similar opportunity presented itself before Sthapatya architects, led by principal designers Sandeep Khandelwal and Ritu Khandelwal. As per the requirements and what appeared to be the only way to revive the existing Bishangarh Fort near Jaipur, was to use the best of its components and convert it into a boutique hotel. In this way, the peculiar spaces of the old structure could be celebrated while the rest of the building could be put to appropriate use.

The conversion of old royal palaces and forts into hotels is rather commonplace in India, and this project posed the perfect opportunity for such a transformation.

“When I first saw the site, it was in complete ruins and we did not know where to start. We did not have accurate plans of the fort and hence the best way to understand the spaces was by actually seeing and subsequently visualising them.”

Sandeep spent seven entire days on site to understand the structure completely and from this derived the inspiration to convert central openings into courtyards, voids into lift shafts and floor spaces to rooms.

While the basic restoration of the project was still underway, the Khandelwals roped in lighting designer Vinayak Diwan of Lightbook to work on the lighting scheme of the to-be hotel. “A lot of areas were still unexplored, and every site visit exposed us to new visual dimensions. It was a challenging project because we were responsible for joining the dots together; for rethinking every design

direction given in the past to newly added spaces,” explains Diwan.

Two concentric structures of varying heights compose the 230-year-old fort. Akin to many defence based structures of that time, the original layout saw the inner of the two forms peering towards a central internal courtyard, while the outer layer offered vast panoramic views from atop the granite hillock of the small village of Bishangarh below. These primordial forms of the fort were retained through an intelligent articulation derived by limiting interventions in the outer structure and making necessary changes within the interiors.

The 3-meter thick load-bearing walls of the fort once played a critical role in the defence of its royalty. Thus, its openings were restricted to rather small punctures on the exterior façade. However, changing the function of the space to a boutique hotel, it became important to harvest daylight in the interiors. Hence, the designers resorted to strategically placing a series of small and big windows in order to avoid hampering the overall grandeur of the elevation of the fort. “Daylight within the fort was measured and we had values which were ranging from 2 lux to 10,000 lux. So, careful planning was done keeping in mind

the transition between spaces,” says Diwan.

Given the functioning of the fort and its peculiarly designed spaces, the architects were left with odd areas and semi-circular bastions to make use of for the new hotel.

Thus, all the hotel rooms ended up being unique in shape, size and form. “It was a huge challenge for us while designing the internal areas and interior décor of the hotel rooms, as the structure is a completely organic form with no 90-degree angles in the entire building, making it impossible for typical layouts,” explains Ritu. The larger bulbous volumes became suites, while narrower corridor spaces were allotted single and double occupancy rooms. Though this resulted in multifarious room formations, it also offers an interesting mix of options for guests to explore.

Carving out lateral, and more so the vertical circulation was a demanding task. The hotel planning required four visitor elevators, another service elevator, as well as two staircases. These were assigned either to attach to peripheral walls or occupy undesignated shafts.

While the overall layout might flag many interstitial zones of not the most efficient spatial use, these breakout blocks become intriguing elements of pleasant surprises within. The corridors are studded with large windows and sit-ins that look onto expanding views, niches become storage facilities or better still, bay windows with intimate lounging corners, bastions become extravagantly relaxing bathing experiences within suites, and deepened arches pitch quiet repose.

Careful to extend the design sensibilities of the original fort, the architects have predominantly used natural sandstone, marble and granite. The new plaster is made of the local sandstone and tested to match the old plaster. “We tried to rejuvenate the essence of the fort by getting into the details and trying to follow a vocabulary that fully belonged to the structure. Jharokha styled windows, and Tudor and cusped arches highlight the inspiration that flows from the Jaipur Gharana architecture (an amalgamation of Rajput and Mughal styles), while trying to keep the elevation of the

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“It was a huge challenge for us while designing the internal areas and interior décor of the hotel rooms, as there were no 90 degree angles in the entire building.”

– Ritu Khandelwal

Master Plan Drawings: Sthapatya Architects

Fort Floor Plan

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project / Alila Bishangarh Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan

fort intact, and at the same time harnessing daylight into the building,” elaborates Ritu.

Along with a naturally illuminated environment, it was imperative for the designers to conceptualise a lighting scheme that was concurrent to the aesthetic value of the old fort as well as in tune with the contemporary nature of the hotel. Diwan elaborates, “Monumental lighting needs a sensitive approach from the initial stages of conceptualisation as one tries to find the right balance between modernity and heritage. Our aim was to create a hierarchy of illuminated spaces which changes from the arrival court at the lower level through the narrow winding passages of the fort to the wide corridors of the guest floor.” He adds, “Every space posed a different challenge during the

initial concept sketches for the project, but we had design clarity that every physical space needs to be articulated with a play of light and shadows cleverly.” Sandeep chimes in to say, “The use of jalis and screens in the corridor creates a magical reflection on the floor of the corridor; as the building breathes the shadows change and patterns evolve through the day.”

Playing with local materials, forgotten motifs and traditional crafts done in a peculiar Jaipur style, the team of designers worked together to deliver different experiences for different parts of the hotel, keeping alive the ‘mystery’ of the space.

While the rooms are dressed in subtle elegance, the dining areas are rendered more dramatic. The shapely arches are offset by intricate columns, a blanched

marble canvas is dotted with timber furniture, and deepened upholstery adds nostalgia to regal dining in a contemporary fashion. The general ambience is cosy and intimate, drawing focus to the finer design details through directed accents of light and colour.

Even the outdoor terraces, though grand and hefty, are softened with dimmed lights that graze the enclosing fort walls to give a gentle glow, while tables are fitted with lanterns.

Many other elements cater to the authentic feel of the hotel - vegetable dye frescoes, antique brass embossing, hand-picked artifacts, hand-woven carpets and rugs, and intricate lattice stonework in the form of jalis as seen on the exterior façade.

“Extensive research and care was taken to

“Every space posed a different challenge during the initial concept sketches for the project, but we had design clarity that every physical space needs to be articulated with a play of light and shadows cleverly.”

– Sandeep Khandelwal

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derive a vocabulary that fully belonged to the original structure. Design ideas of the past were encapsulated in a way that served the modern needs best. It was a constant dialogue between age-old design methods, and current ideas in architecture and technology, resulting in traditional materials being used with a certain amount of modernity,” elucidates Sandeep.

A short stroll downhill along the rampart wall leads one to a tent-like structure or haveli. Interestingly, this was created at a later stage when it appeared that the hotel guests sought to wander beyond the rather introverted massive fort structure. Therefore, the haveli was developed comprising of an arrival courtyard, banquet lawns, the pool, veranda, terrace, a bar, fitness centre and the Play Soldiers Club. With unmatched views of the surrounding hills, this has become a popular spot to relax and also explore various adventures.

The Alila Fort perched atop an Aravalli hill seems to have been extended from the earth on which it stands. This is not far from the truth, as all materials from the construction stage to the furnishing stage have been sourced locally, from within a 100km radius, involving the local community in the process.

It is a complex transformation done simply in all aspects of design. “We too kept it simple and unified in terms of the lighting concept, and emphasised on the architectural scale of the main structure along with generic accents on the peripheral structures or the climbing hill around it. The final outcome was a lighting design which was muted, sublime and articulated, which made the fort look almost floating from the ground level,” describes Diwan.

An adaptive reuse of a historical building not only renews, replenishes and rejuvenates a neglected structure, but also saves time, costs and the perpetual loss of heritage

to generations. Architecture must act as a catalyst for the survival and revival of buildings to fulfil the needs and stand the tests of time. While the fort walls clearly stood the test of time, almost unnoticed, it is indispensable to say that the architects have made it worth it, and charmingly so. www.sthapatyarchitects.com www.lightbook.in www.visarchstudio.comm

PROJECT DETAILS Alila Bishangarh Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan Developers: Kings and Knights Hotels Private Ltd Architects: Sthapatya Architectural Design Studio Principal Architects: Sandeep Khandelwal, Ritu Khandelwal Design Team: Aanchal Jain, Kanika Sharma, Chandani Sharma, Swapnal Jangid, Priyanka Gupta, Naresh Asiwal Lighting Design: Lightbook Landscape Consultants: Visarch Structural Consultants: JK Verma

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project / Hyatt Place, Rameshwaram, tamil nadu

Born in Twilight Belonging to a new generation of hotels, the Hyatt Place Rameshwaram is a conscious culmination of an ingenious lighting design infused into its architectural folds. Led by Amardeep M Dugar of Lighting Research and Design, light has been thoughtfully employed to accentuate and further empower the spatial design of the hotel. Mrinalini Ghadiok and Zohra Khan of mondo*arc india delve into the process to find its lambent threads.

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Pics: Gowtham Raj, Amardeep M Dugar

Rameshwaram is a small town on the south-eastern edge of Tamil Nadu, separated from mainland India by a narrow channel and barely forty kilometres from neighbouring Sri Lanka. Famed for being the birthplace of the bridge that Lord Rama constructed to Sri Lanka to save his wife Sita from Ravana, this place is considered one of the most sacred in the country.

Teeming with Hindu temples, along with Varanasi, Rameshwaram is also a part of the Char Dham pilgrimage.

Having witnessed many dynasties, its medieval Dravidian architecture is a visual treat for artists and designers; the tranquil beauty of its temple designs seemingly intriguing, as are its various local markets.

Attracting visitors from across India and the world, Rameshwaram holds great opportunities for ventures in hospitality.

However, when a new generation hotel that offers casual services in a smartly designed, high-tech and modern environment comes up within an extensively charged historical context such as this, it is bound to face challenges.

JKR Enterprise rose to these challenges introducing the Hyatt Place Rameshwaram, belonging to the brand of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Combining style, innovation, and round-the-clock convenience, the concept was to create a seamless stay

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project / Hyatt Place, Rameshwaram, tamil nadu

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Layout Plan 1. Entrance 2. Air Lock

3. Reception Lobby 4. Reception

with modern comforts. The developers also intended to achieve a rate premium based on its superior product and service offering in addition to Hyatt’s strong brand recognition.

They worked closely with the Centre for Design Excellence to conceptualise the architecture of the hotel, and soon brought on board ASC Interiors, ONE Landscape Design, Design Accord, as well as Lighting Research and Design.

Hundreds of hours of research with the team helped create an exciting hotel design with a competitive cost-per-key rate in the upscale select-service category.

They developed a facility that would offer 100 guest rooms and a plethora of facilities to choose from. The experience envisioned for the guests included open-air dining and a range of public spaces.

The brief identified for the property was rather concise, and for Lighting Research and Design, it was short and simple: to

5. Lounge 6. Internet Kiosk

7. Restaurant 8. Pool Deck

be very mindful of operational expenses apart from capital expenses. “Considering all the constraints, going the 100% LED way seemed like the best option,” shares Amardeep M Dugar, founder and principal of the design practice. He adds, “At every given opportunity, lighting is married to the architecture and interiors with numerous custom designed luminaires and incredible attention to detail, revealing textures, highlighting forms and reinforcing a sense of luxury and sophistication.”

Looking at the overarching lighting scheme one can easily establish the care with which light plays a critical role in defining the experience of the space here. Dugar adds, “The exterior and façade lighting treatment emphasises the unique architectural and design features of the property to create a dramatic tonal contrast between the natural materials and the incredible Rameshwaram night sky. However, we were careful to integrate these lighting

Drawing: Centre for Design Excellence, ASC Interiors, ONE Landscape Design + Design Accord, Lighting Research & Design

treatments into architectural features so as to reduce light pollution as well as the light sources’ visual presence.”

From a distance itself, the hotel can be identified with much ease owing to its large illuminated branding on the side wall.

Beside the burnished title stands a series of vertical façade elements formed by the recesses between guestroom windows.

The column-like articulation is grazed using 36W LED linear grazers that get capped at the extended roof overhang, preventing light trespass and spill into the night sky.

In addition, it illuminates the underbelly of the overhang to appear as if capturing the light within.

Similarly, 36W LED up-down lights highlight the vertical elements between the upper ground floor lounge windows with the roof overhangs; here too, preventing sky glow.

Even the landscape has been adroitly lit with full cut-off angle bollards and post- top luminaires that facilitate a

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pollution free soft illumination across the grounds. The dramatic tonal contrast leaves the structure with pockets of light, focusing attention on certain areas of the architecture. The eye catches an interesting artistic installation rendering pieces of stone facing in an eclipse-like glow against the ramp wall. The ‘artwork’ becomes a marker in the landscape that subtly guides passage towards the main porch.

Gracefully gabled, the roof structure stands striated with a series of beams that cut across the whitened surface. Concealed within the coves are thin 14W/m LED strips tucked along the edges of the beams, further accentuating their geometrical structure and providing a gentle glow to the ambience. Adding a touch of the local Rameshwaram culture reflecting on a maritime heritage is a ceiling suspended installation of a cluster of custom-designed fish-shaped pendants. Like a massive piece of gilded amber set ablaze in the air, it breaks the monotony of the striated ceiling, while its organic form renders dynamic reflections and shadows into the space.

Entering the building, guests are greeted with varying iconographic reflections.

“The entire interior is entrenched in culture and history in the form of paintings and photographs of Dravidian art and architecture,” says Dugar.

The double-height airlock and security check is adorned with a giant photograph of the iconic Ramanathaswamy Temple. A rendition of one of the temple’s collonaded walkways in shades of crimson, the image invokes intrigue and immediately draws the visitor into the depths of its compelling narrative. Set against one of the side facing walls, the vast image is illuminated using strategically placed 10W LED adjustable spotlights recessed in the ceiling. Framing the picture on either side, a double-layered wall forms a highly textural backdrop uplit with similar 10W spotlights integrated into the floor pelmet.

Continuing the story is a similar toned corner photograph of the Rameshwaram beach backlit with LED strips that unveils itself as one enters the reception lobby.

With muted hues, monochromatic tones, and sparse furnishings, the space conveys an austerity and understated elegance.

Playfulness, however, is achieved through a set of sporadic linear niches cut into the dark-wood ceiling. Fitted with miniature 5W LED downlights, the cutouts deliver a general ambient illumination on one hand and draw their own artistic composition on the other.

Further in, the lounge is an intimate space where the sombre colour and material palette facilitates lower levels of illumination. Here, the ceiling niches equipped with downlights create pools of brightness over clusters of seating, offset by additional decorative lamps that occupy the far corners of the room. Seguing into the Internet kiosk section where the ceiling comes into play as an inverted artwork, Dugar explains, “The LED strips within ceiling coves provide the dual purpose of highlighting the photograph as well as provide softly diffused illumination sans veiling reflections for guests working on computers. Similar LED strips are integrated in the cabinets highlighting the artefacts placed within. The reception counter itself is the centre-point of attention with LED strips integrated within the counter to graze the tiled surface as well as backlight the fritted glass partitions above the counter.”

Recreational spaces like the restaurant and open pool area interact with light

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in their own unique demeanour. Albeit an elaborate setting, the restaurant offers an intimate dining experience.

Keeping the ambient levels relatively dim, light is focused only on the tables.

The trapezoidal ceiling is studded with miniature 5W luminaires that mimic a star-spangled night sky under which diners enjoy their sumptuous fare.

Adding to the casual romance is a series of intricately crafted pendant lights suspended above the buffet spread that emanates a warm, inviting glow. The environment is effortlessly transformed from a day context to the night, using pre-set controlled light settings that subtly shift the guests’ experience.

Adjacent to the restaurant is the upper-ground floor recreation deck that comprises of swimming pools, reflection pools, private gardens and quiet spaces.

The space renders an impression of an elevated oasis absorbed in the tranquillity of the night sky. “While the lighting of

various water-features, selected structures, planting and built elements present ‘each-as-a-part-of-the-whole’, the hierarchy of light planning ensured that the pools were the more dominant elements at night,” says Dugar.

An effortless blend of traditional ethics and modern ethos, the Hyatt Place Rameshwaram sets a new benchmark for the select-service industry and lends precedence for future innovation in hospitality design. “With extremely strict budget and energy constraints, the entire project was completed for less than 0.5 US$/sqft. with an energy consumption of less than 0.5W/sqft. for all luminaires and controls,” claims Dugar.

As one saunters through the hotel, it is hard to identify and separate the simplicity and elegance of the design process for how well it is integrated into the wholesome experience. www.lighting-rnd.in

PROJECT DETAILS Hyatt Place, Rameshwaram Client: JKR Enterprise Architect: Centre for Design Excellence Interior Design: ASC Interiors Landscape Design: ONE Landscape Design + Design Accord Lighting Design: Lighting Research & Design

Lighting Specifications ABBY: Bling Downlights 5W ABBY: Xyla Spotlights 10W ABBY: Wallop Up-downlights 2x 5W ABBY: Snow Downlights 8W ASTRAL: Lumiplus S-Lim Underwater luminaires 24W K-LITE: Disc Bollards 16W K-LITE: Dixon Post-top luminaires 50W K-LITE: ID In ground uplights 1W K-LITE: Trioscape Spike projectors 7W K-LITE: Vera Bollards 16W K-LITE: Wall-cyclin Up-downlights 2x18W LEDS-C4: Aqua Underwater luminaires 18W LEDS-C4: Convert Linear grazers 36W LEGRAND: Universal Dimmer Controls PHILIPS DYNALITE: Multi-master Controls Bespoke: Decorative pendants & wall brackets

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project / Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner, Rajasthan

Pics: Sheena Dabholkar, Loverand Co

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building on nostalgia Narendra Bhawan in Bikaner is not just any other royal home converted into a heritage hotel.

Retaining the opulence of its regal past while infusing it with touches of flamboyant colour and a complex assemblage of furniture and art, the result can be likened to a piece of vintage jewellery with provenance as well as dazzle. Devyani Jayakar of mondo*arc india talks to designer Ayush Kasliwal and lighting designer Jatinder Marwaha about their carefully orchestrated approach to the design of the hotel.

The starting point of this rather fantastic end product was an eight-room home built in the 1970s, in which Maharaja Narendra Singh of Bikaner lived till he passed away in 2003. “When Manvendra Singh Shekawat’s family bought it, they were insistent that this structure be retained, although it may have made sense to demolish it and build afresh,” says designer Ayush Kasliwal, whose role embraces that of the composer as well as conductor of a complex symphony. “But this building was part of the memories they had of their friendship with the late Maharaja.” In fact, Narendra Bhawan is a space based on memories and remembrances, prompted by a sense that history had not done justice to this ruler.

So, retaining the inner core, an 82-room, 100,000 sqft. hotel was designed around it by architect Ravi Gupta; the facade in the traditional Bikaner vocabulary of arches and jalis, employing unfinished local sandstone in a deep red akin to that used in old havelis. The former terrace is now the central courtyard, around which the threestoreyed structure was added. Called Diwali Chowk; it has canopies, low Indian style seating, and trees.

Enter the portals of the building and the interiors offer a startling contrast.

Large volumes reminiscent of Western architecture - rather than traditional Indian spaces, which tend to be smaller, are replete with Art Deco, Broadway and Indian design elements coming together in breath-taking jewel tones and bold patterns. Lighting the spaces was a complex exercise, Lighting Designer Jatinder Marwaha being equal to the task.

“There was a simple departure point for the lighting design of the project - to recreate the ambience of a stately home. The emphasis was to be on warmth, intimacy, and understated elegance to create lighting moods that are empathetic to a high-end residence,” he says.

Evocative of the era spent here by the former ruler, the hotel spins a narrative that revolves around his personality.

Combining the past and the present, Kasliwal brings together an eclectic, masterfully curated collection of furniture, lighting, art, and collectibles - even a taxidermy leopard - in a whimsically curated boutique hotel in which design rules. “There was very little available from

his original collection that we could use, so we had to fall back on scouring antique markets all over the country. Much of what you see is what we were able to gather of his personality from old letters and photos; some, we had to simply imagine. It was a journey of discovery,” says Kasliwal. Objets d’art, the Encyclopaedia Britannica and sporting memorabilia, all are a part of the spirit of the place. Elaborate coffered and moulded ceilings, Bikaner terrazzo floors, traditional hand embroidered tribal crafts, Chinese urns and Portuguese tiles all come together insouciantly with supreme sophistication.

“It is customary for projects to start with grand plans which get watered down due to budgetary constraints. In this instance, very strangely, the project became more and more lavish as time passed and acquired a life of its own. It was almost as if the spirit of the former ruler urged it on to a super plush and luxurious level,” says Kasliwal.

The original structure houses the office, banquet room, and living room. In the office cum reception, red walls bear portraits of royalty, topped with a wooden coffered ceiling. “We clad the beams of the existing

structure with wood and arrived at this result,” says Kasliwal.

In the lounge known as the Veranda, a baby grand piano is lacquered a riveting glossy red, with the lyrics of celebrated French cabaret singer Edith Piaf’s famous song Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien inscribed in gold by calligrapher Kriti Monga. Sitting centrestage up a short flight of steps, it draws attention to itself in a room which is draped in a black and white chequered flooring, honey gold walls and punches of colour in the smaller pieces of furniture all bathed in the gentle ingress of natural light from the French windows which line one side of the room. Filtered through the corridor outside, the light suffuses the volume with an even illumination. A series of pendant lamps in a distinctly Art Deco aesthetic runs the length of the ceiling, emitting a warm glow through their frosted glass.

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“The space had to look like a stately home, so we shied away from cheap and cheerful LEDs. We also decided not to illuminate the exterior. Our choice of lighting sources was guided by requirements of high colour fidelity, colour saturation, beam angle, and dimming control,” says Marwaha, a self-confessed geek about lighting. “A mix of full-spectrum LED sources, as well as really good IRC and quartz incandescent lamps were chosen for their rendering and quality, but we spent money intelligently by using a mix of technologies, reserving the lower end of the lighting for the corridors.

It was very important, though, that the exceptional colours, art, artefacts, fabrics, even the food, looked its best. However, we avoided gratuitous floodlighting and overillumination and proposed a solution that was subtle, glare-free and technologically appropriate, using very narrow, narrow and medium beams with local dimming.

Everything is not blasted with light the way a shop would be - there are darker pockets in rooms which remain in shadow, as one would expect some restraint in a home.”

All the corridors, part of the newer addition enveloping the building like a perforated skin, are luxurious spaces in which to linger.

A bold chevron pattern on the floor in black and white topped with fuchsia rugs at intervals; with a delicate light filtering in from jalis on one side contribute to an aesthetic that is unusually rich for a transition space. Encouraging guests to soak it all in is an occasional sofa or even the humble Indian charpoy together with low Indian style seating on the ledge near the jali. Different worlds come together in the lighting, with contemporary recessed spotlights in the ceiling, antique Indian glass pendants near the jalis and lamp shades with a western silhouette placed close to the wall across.

“Very strangely, the project became more and more lavish as time passed and acquired a life of its own. It was almost as if the spirit of the former ruler urged it on to a super plush and luxurious level.”

– Ayush Kasliwal

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project / Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner, Rajasthan

“The space had to look like a stately home, so we shied away from cheap and cheerful LEDs. We also decided not to illuminate the exterior. Our choice of lighting sources was guided by requirements of high colour fidelity, colour saturation, beam angle, and dimming control.” – Jatinder Marwaha

Many of the furniture pieces and accessories were specifically created for Narendra Bhawan from Kasliwal’s labels Anantaya and AKFD, such as the furniture in the outer veranda, in the living rooms, the office as well as the dining room. “However, we tried, wherever possible, to find old pieces that complemented the new, bringing a lived-in and eclectic feel to the space,” says Kasliwal. While most of the smaller accessories were customised for this project, a few of the classic Anantaya pieces like the crescent thallic, the cloches, and the Umaid bowls have been widely used.

The Mad Hatter, the bake house is a quirky space with an Alice in Wonderland theme.

P&C, an abbreviation for Pearls and Chiffons, is a dining room inspired by the default sartorial preference of the women of royal households in India. “We knew the blue colour palette would be difficult to work with, but the crystal table lamps with fabric shades and the four-armed Art Deco ceiling pendant have a mellow presence, while natural light streams in from the tall windows,” says Marwaha. The drawing rooms in gold and crystal are inspired by the smoking rooms for gentlemen and

withdrawing rooms for ladies in the mid-20th century.

The guest rooms have four categories, the smaller ones tracing the journey of the Maharaja as a bon vivant, featuring luxe velvets, English prints, ornate mirrors, and mosaic. The larger ones are strangely more minimalistic…till one realizes they reflect a ceremonial order with army memorabilia, influenced by the military career of the Maharaja in later years. At the high end are the ‘Republic’ and ‘India’ suites, with their strong modernist, Le Corbusier-inspired influences.

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As Kasliwal turns his attention from object to space, there are many enchanting cameo moments. “It was a smooth transition, requiring the same meticulous concentration on detail that I am trained in and accustomed to,” he says. “A knowledge of how things are made was also of help, the process being as important as the end product.”

In Narendra Bhavan, the grandeur of the prevalent structure is extended into the construct of the new, and the opulence of the private quarters protracts onto the terrace, held in place with a vibrant infinity

pool that overlooks the city beyond.

Light, surface, colour, texture, and style all come together to create a magical whole. Sidhi Kumari, daughter of Narendra Singhji sums it up, as she says, “Everything just falls into place in Narendra Bhavan. The design is not just visually delightful, but captures the essence of the man my father was.” While the homage to the Maharaja adds layers of meaning to the compelling narrative, if India in all its eclectic splendour were to be showcased, it is this! www.akfdstudio.com

PROJECT DETAILS Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner, Rajasthan Client: Manvendra Singh Shekhawat Architect: Ravi Gupta Designer: Ayush Kasliwal Lighting Designer: Jatinder Marwaha

Lighting Specifications Flos: LightSniper Flos: Easy KAP Soraa: Vivid MR16 LED + SNAP filter accessories Philips: Retrofit MR16 LED lamps Osram: IRC MR16 lamps

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project / Atmantan Wellness Centre, Pune, maharashtra

Rejuvenation of the Mind and Body Stationed in a breathtaking natural setting near Pune, the Atmantan Wellness Centre was conceptualised to be the ultimate destination for a wholesome rejuvenation. Designed by Thailand based architects KTGY Associates, interior designers Mint Leaf, landscape architect Shobha Bhopatkar and lighting consultants Light Wise & Associates Co. Ltd., the soothing abode was created through a rigorous process, as discovered by Mrinalini Ghadiok and Meghna Mehta of mondo*arc india.

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Pics: Courtesy of Atmantan Wellness Centre

In a world affected by multiple health hazards and growing concerns about the adverse effects of the changing global environment on our bodies, fitness and wellness are gaining a whole new meaning.

The clients Nikhil and Sharmilee Kapur, who strongly believe in the idea of total physical and mental well being had a keen intention to create a habitat that would promote a healthy living encompassing the prosperity of the mind, body and soul.

Keeping these intentions in mind, they conceptualised the Atmantan Wellness Centre located amidst the Sahyadri Mountains and spread over 42 acres of a green valley overlooking the Mulshi Lake near Pune. The primordial philosophy of the project was to introduce a world-class holistic health and spa resort that provides an inspirational space and experience within a scenic setting and architecture that is imbibed in the local culture.

Architects KTGY Associates were invited from Thailand to design this resort, built on crystalline mountains that are famed for their distinct healing frequencies.

Attempting to understand the Indian standards of wellness, their constant attempts were to incorporate these aspects appropriately into the design. “It was a great opportunity for us to create a unique blend of international architecture and modern Indian design, where local culture and traditions would be revealed and highlighted.

With the hilly terrain looking towards

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project / Atmantan Wellness Centre, Pune, maharashtra

spectacular views of the lake, we made sure that all the buildings and rooms were able to enjoy the vistas without any obstruction.

We wanted the visitors to be able to raise their spirits and excite their senses allowing an easy connection with nature,” explains principal architect Paul Chalermpanth.

Located within the spectacle of virgin nature, the Atmantan Wellness Centre pursues natural, non-medicinal treatments for its guests. The process of healthy rejuvenation and detoxification is carried out under the supervision of certified doctors through meditation, yoga, healthy foods and naturopathy techniques. The intent of the resort and its position synchronize together to give the users an overall eco-friendly and balanced ambience.

“The original site was surrounded by a large number of existing trees and other

natural bodies. We faced a challenge to fulfil our conscious attempt along with the client’s clear intentions to build around them, leaving the natural habitat and the site geomorphology untouched,” explains the architect. It was also important for the foreign architects to understand the traditional Indian ayurvedic as well as naturopathy treatments to be practised in the wellness centre for them to be able to design and create spaces as per the process of the function, and do justice to them.

Sitting on the side of a hill, the contours slope steeply towards the Mulshi lake, where at many points the height difference between adjacent terraces is as much as 30 meters. This gave the architects and clients an enormous opportunity to orient everything towards the gracious views of the lake. The planning is such that the

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residences are placed at the highest point of the slope moving down to the wellness centre, which houses the day activities, while the lowest point of the slope houses the dining hall, an open, double-height space with tables facing towards the outside.

The buildings are connected through winding roads carved out of the slopes in a manner that they can be accessed by an electronic car or on foot. The structure of the wellness centre thus becomes the focal point of the entire project, which may have been an intentional positioning, as that remains the core commitment of the entire resort.

The surrounding landscape derives energy from the policy of ‘ahimsa’ which is followed throughout the resort. “Our primary objective was to cause minimum disturbance to the natural setting and hence all the existing plantation was retained and

protected; hence our landscape also merges with the natural surrounding and gives a natural look,” says landscape designer Shobha Bhopatkar. She adds, “We must respect nature, so the excavated soil was reused and stones and boulders were used for creating pathways, steps and retaining slope like stone pitching, gabion walls etc.”

Huge mounds were created outside the spa rooms with a natural looking stream studded with different coloured lilies and water lillies. This facilitates privacy to the spa rooms from outside and a pleasant looking landscape from within the rooms.

The enormous statue of Buddha placed against the backdrop of the backwater provides an open air meditation area and gives company to the lost soul; the outdoor amphitheatre beckons an expression of mindful yoga; protracted vistas of the lake

“We faced a challenge to fulfil our conscious attempt along with the client’s clear intentions to build around (existing trees), leaving the natural habitat and the site geomorphology untouched.”

- Paul Chalermpanth

and scraggly hills beyond engage the soul and encourage the body to seek adventure.

The architecture of the buildings is simple and elegant, designed to protect itself from the heavy rainfall the region receives. Sloping roofs and modern waterproofing techniques do the trick just right. The pitched roofs are offset by large meticulously planned windows, which afford every opportunity to surprise the guests by framing striking views of the natural surroundings. Not only does one experience a serene wonder as they explore the undulating prospects outside, but also a revelation from the stately spaces within.

The interior designed by Mint Leaf from Pune derives its source from a more contemporary outlook, referencing international style and finesse with its clean, minimalist design.

A state of the art fitness facility includes a high-tech gymnasium, functional TRX aerobic studio, indoor spinning studio, expansive yoga studio, Pilates and dance studio, and an enclosed, temperature controlled, environmentally friendly, chemical-free salt-water pool. In addition to this, the resort offers a range of treatment rooms for multifarious therapies, various dining options, and even a large conference facility.

The 106 guest rooms and villas are enclosures of luxurious resurgence. The plush furniture is set against a backdrop of awe-inspiring views warranted from floor-to-ceiling glass fronts. While the rooms are anything but ordinary, the villas most certainly garner the title of being extraordinary. Equipped with lap pools and special spa services, they are a step above the rest, literally, located on the upper reaches of the site, claiming picturesque panoramas to them.

Natural light floods the interior volumes, engulfing guests with the warmth of well-being and nourishment. On the other hand, privacy is afforded at all times - the press of a button drops black-out curtains for a peaceful shut-eye, or a gazebo tucked away into the wilderness offers respite from the norm.

It is as important to forget the hustle of the outside world as it is to become aware of one’s inner being. The design of the built environment plays a critical role in establishing that relationship with ease.

Hence the lighting scheme is restricted to warmer colour tones, indoor as well as outdoor. “It was challenging since we had to provide many lights that could be dimmable for hospitality standards; and therefore,

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creating the right circuit and grouping was important. We collaborated with the architects to provide spotlights and uplights to accentuate the design elements taking care of glare and visual comfort,” explains lighting designer Sasaluk Seangsukh, who worked predominantly with fixtures of 2700K colour temperature.

Given its physical location, access to natural elements and abundance of sunlight, the resort extends its ecologically friendly concept further by employing a solarrun system for water heating. Using only non-toxic products and natural organic ingredients for food, beverages, and treatment recipes, the administration treats all the wet kitchen garbage through vermicomposting, and a Solid Immobilized Bio-Filter (SIBF) system works as the sewage treatment plant, which supplies chemicalfree water that is used for the resort’s landscaping requirements. Rainwater is harvested through catchment pits created at various spots in the ground, which has resulted in increased groundwater levels.

Though the resort emphasizes environmentally friendly practices, healthy treatments and no toxic entertainment is offered, their perspective on wellness is well-rounded and wholesome. “More than a decade ago, I dreamt of a place that celebrates health and people who choose to walk this evolved path…Atmantan is the ultimate destination for you to rejuvenate, soul-search, and actually partake in a wellness holiday,” says Sharmilee invitingly.

Nikhil adds, “At Atmantan we wish to transform you to the optimal way of life which enables you to better what you thought was your best.”

The Atmantan Wellness Centre through its environs, offerings and ambience, thoroughly justifies itself as the ultimate place to step back, unwind, recuperate, cleanse, heal, and recharge oneself while appreciating the beauty of subtle architecture and overwhelming nature. www.ktgyinterassoc.com www.shobhabhopatkar.com

PROJECT DETAILS Atmantan Wellness Centre, Pune, Maharashtra Architect: KTGY Inter-associates Ltd, Thailand Principal Architect: Tanitpong ‘Paul’ Chalermpanth Interior Design: Mint Leaf, Pune Landscape Design: Shobha Bhopatkar, Pune Lighting Design: Light Wise & Associates Co. Ltd., Thailand

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project / Walking the Talk @ The Lalit Mangar

Pics: mondo*arc india

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Walking the Talk with mondo*arc india We bring practicing designers together to discuss one of their own pieces of work and dwell into the finer nuances of practicing design.

ODE TO THE LOST ARCHITECTURE OF RAMMED EARTH Architect Sourabh Gupta converses with Ashwin Alva, the architect of The Lalit Mangar, a unique campus designed and constructed on the principal of rammed earth architecture, using earth sourced directly from the site itself. The two architects address an inquiry into the decade long journey of the evolution of the vision, design, engineering and technology that led to the creation of this contextually relevant and climatically sustainable luxury resort.

As we juggled with dates to figure out our schedules to meet and visit The Lalit Mangar, I realised that last week itself, a rural Chinese house with rammed-earth walls was proclaimed the World Building of the Year 2017 at the World Architecture Festival in Berlin. This got me thinking - about the newfound interest, the validity and the beauty of this ancient material in our times.

Despite being used for centuries even in the likes of the world’s wonders such as The Great Wall of China, coupled with the advantage of labour intensive constructions so prevalent in India, the need of using local

materials, minimal equipment and thermal walls for sustainable architecture of our region, we are certainly losing out on our explorations in this direction. Why have we then limited our inquiry into the process and possibilities of this potent material?

These queries led to conversations, which further triggered the interaction with Ashwin Alva. The time spent in dialogue with him at the resort on an early winter afternoon brought together an understanding of him and his work; and a reflection of the directions and departures of architectural practices of our times.

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project / Walking the Talk @ The Lalit Mangar

Plan at Upper Level

Plan at Lower Level

Front of house

Back of house

Guest Rooms

Site Sections Drawings: Ashwin Alva Architects

THE JOURNEY OF THE LALIT: ALVA EXPLAINS The Lalit, Mangar, a 40-room luxury getaway, Boutique Resort, located on a rocky-outcrop of the Aravalli Hills, amidst an untouched landscape, provides a counterpoint to the bustling metropolis of Delhi, just a half hour drive away. The site measures 15,300sqm, sloping down 10m along its 275m length, further dropping 30m into a ravine below. The property offers panoramic views, towards the valley on the south as it stretches from East to West.

Considering the sensitive nature of the surroundings, the absence of any built environment around and the hot semi-arid climatic conditions, it was imperative to be as ecologically sustainable in our design approach and create a built environment which would not just be sustainable in its performance and function but also in its mode of construction and resonate the same in its built form and finish.

We decided to develop the design to be ‘of’ the earth it was located on, rather than ‘on’ it, using the soil itself as the primary construction material for rammed earth loadbearing walls that rest upon a random rubble plinth made of brown quartzite as excavated from site, as the primary built form.

Analysing the soil strata, we explored multiple ways of using the soil as the primary construction material before narrowing down on Rammed Earth Construction, over a rubble plinth, out of the brown quartzite, as excavated from the site.

The ‘North Block’ housed the back-of-house at grade, forming the rubble masonry plinth supporting the load-bearing rammed earth walls of the guest rooms above. The ‘South Block’ ran in parallel as single storey guest rooms built on grade.

Not content in just utilizing rammed earth as thermal mass, we focused on improving thermal performance by developing an insulated cavity between two 175mm whythes of rammed earth. The inner load bearing whythe supporting the roof provides the finished inner face, while the external skin becomes the façade of the building.

The continuous insulation envelope, with minimal thermal bridges, runs along the 220m length of the property. Wrapped over both the vertical and horizontal faces, it creates arguably the largest insulated rammed earth building in the world.

Challenges of construction included testing and engineering the rammed earth loadbearing whythe to a minimum 175mm thickness, as we wanted to restrict the overall construction wall thickness to avoid losing valuable floor area.

A critical design cue was for the masses to not just be monolithic but read monolithically.

There is not a single formwork joint in the complete building. The formwork was developed as a repetitive module, which would slide forward and back and up and down in its individual components creating multiple permutations of guest suites. Each formwork module was 4.0m tall to ram the

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Cluster Plan 1. Entry 2. Vestibule 1200mm x 4070mm 3. Guest Room 3750mm x 6400mm 4. 3 Fixture Bathroom 1700mm X 4650mm 5. Balcony / Sit-out

same in one go. Services too were integrated into the rammed skins and affixed inside the forms prior to ramming.

Lack of relevant codes and published norms led to the structures detailed with rebar to cater to stringent seismic norms of this zone, detailed in a way to permit ramming within and around the rebar cages. Mixing of soil was carried out with screw-type mixers to ensure consistent dry-mixes and constant testing was carried out to ensure compressive strengths of M25 as achieved.

Pic: mondo*arc india

The consistency of strengths achieved emboldened us to ram the public area as framed structures. Rebar detailing was modified to allow for pouring and consolidated the mix by ramming against conventional wet mixes dependent on mechanical vibration. This is possibly the only framed rammed earth structure ever built.

Eliminating additional internal/ external finishes has removed the need to refinish surfaces over time, resulting

Pic: mondo*arc india

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project / Walking the Talk @ The Lalit Mangar

Reflective Broken Tile Mosaic on Roof

75mm thk Extruded Polystyrene taken Continuous on Vertical & Horizontal Faces

Traditional Straw & Earth infill for Insulation / Thermal Mass

Drawings: Ashwin Alva Architects

Reflective Broken Tile Mosaic on Roof

Traditional Straw & Earth infill for Insulation / Thermal Mass

75mm thk Extruded Polystyrene taken Continuous on Vertical & Horizontal Faces

Pic: Rohan Dayal

Guest Room Construction - Rammed Earth and Jackarches

Pic: Rohan Dayal

in a commercially viable design idiom.

Incredibly, more than 80% of the raw material for its superstructure has come from the land itself!

The design was ordered around a series of courtyards, typical to the organic growth of Indian villages, cascading down the site, linking in and around clusters of rooms. All rooms face the south, which allows for better flexibility in thermal control and enhances the exposure to the winter sun.

We faced many design and construction challenges, which when overcome, led to the execution of one of the largest insulated rammed earth structures, and the public area component, as the only framed rammed earth structure ever built.

Guests are intimately exposed to the rammed earth in every surface, inside and out, understand the sustainability of its construction and of its performance, and its suitability to the context of the resort. It gives them a greater appreciation of their surroundings and an enhanced understanding of how built forms need not be restricted to conventions of concrete, brick and glass.

There is no guest who leaves the property without learning about the uniqueness of its construction and appreciates its eminent suitability to the site and its function.

50mm THK Shivpuri Coping

50mm thk shivpuri coping

50mm thk shivpuri coping

75mm THK XPS Insulation over traditional mud fuska

75mm thk xps insulation over traditional mud fuska

75mm thk xps insulation over traditional mud fuska

broken china mosaic

broken china mosaic

broken china mosaic

75mm thk xps insulation traditional mud Fuska Fill

traditional mud Fuska Fill

half brick wall lining

valley concrete

traditional mud fuska fill valley concrete

valley concrete puddled earth beam puddled earth beam cove light 175mm thk rammed earth inner wythe

175mm thk rammed earth inner wythe

pop false ceiling

175mm thk rammed earth outer wythe

175mm thk rammed earth inner wythe

75mm thk xps insulation

50mm thk xps insulation

pelmet 175mm thk polished khareda jamb 175mm thk rammed earth outer wythe

stone threshold

Insulated Rammed Earth Cavity Walls on Traditional Rubble Masonry Plinths

Pic: Sanjeet Wahi

The spirit of the journey was clear in it is narration. This reasoning and the reality resonated with me as one dwelled deeper into the motivations and manifestations of a creative process that I was so aligned with.

It made one pause and perceived one’s own work differently.

I wondered why this was not taken as a language that one’s own studio picked up as a useful tool that could be replicated; but the answer was in seeing the precision and the pain needed to pull this process through.

One needed a client, a commission and a condition to make this happen. Neither could this ever make economical sense to a practice, nor could it make ethical sense to devalue the unique creative construct of this project by using it as a repetitive tool. The resistance to repetitions and the courage to create contextually relevant architecture reinforced the critical role of architects in today’s times of overexposure to imagery and their visual vocabulary, especially in our indigenous scenario.

As I introspected further, the project and its explanation also refreshed the reality of technology and its role in the architectural expression. Building was not seen as an object or as the product but as an idea

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project / Walking the Talk @ The Lalit Mangar

Pic: Rohan Dayal

“We decided to develop the design to be ‘of’ the earth it was located on, rather than ‘on’ it, using the soil itself as the primary construction material for rammed earth loadbearing walls.” – Ashwin Alva

and its process. The complex coordination of all the services, the shuttering and the setting up of this technique was an inherent part of the architect’s role. It brought the team to the forefront as a collective and cohesive unit - a phenomenon that has been conveniently forgotten in today’s digital times of emailing drawings to site, Skype site visits and remote controlling and coordinating projects. The smells and the sounds of site work, walks and visits of the design teams, discussions and development of details, adapting to constructional constraints - all bring together an understanding and delivery of architecture that can easily be sensed in the final finished project.

Pic: mondo*arc india

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Pic: BHL

Pic: Rohan Dayal

Pic: Rohan Dayal

The role of the intuitive and the subconscious was also reinforced - as I juxtaposed the passion in the practice of both his office and mine where ideas were simply conceived and constructed.

Architecture should neither be under explained nor over exaggerated in its commentary. The conceptual clarity of ‘dis-aligning’ the rooms to make the street squared was straightforward and sensitive, the play of pauses was acknowledged honestly as a preconceived choice. The earthy texture and the natural veins of the layers of rammed earth were celebrated without any inhibitions in a ‘luxury resort’ setting. This gave every space a dimension and each place a character, which was immeasurable and immersive.

Last but not the least, the dialogue also reassured us of the reality of our design lives. The fragile relationships with our clients, the insecurity towards our own evolution, the excitement of our design expeditions and the politics of our practices where we try to navigate projects without negotiating on the design intent – all universal and eternal to architects. www.alva.co.in

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project / design hotels

Designer Digs The world of tasteless economy hotels and hostels is thankfully becoming a thing of the past and more and more hotel operators are investing in considered design, with lighting a huge part of that, as the following case studies highlight.

Thistle Express Luton, UK Newly opened, just minutes from Luton airport and with a view of the St George’s Square fountains, Thistle Express Luton may be a budget hotel but offers guests excellent value for money; rooms start from just £39 and includes free breakfast, tea and coffee on tap and free WIFI. Part of the GLH Hotel group, Thistle Express Luton recently partnered with interior design studio Faber Design which specialises in hospitality interiors.

“The design for Thistle Express is all about simplicity and quality.” says Tony Matters, Design Director of Faber Design. “It's a contemporary hotel that aims to provide effortless convenience and incredible value.

The challenge for us as designers was to conceive a scheme that would enable the cost effective refurbishment of existing hotels, transforming the space but without major building works.”

Key to achieving the desired contemporary look and feel at the hotel was the lighting.

Faber Design chose British lighting brand Astro Lighting to illuminate the 152 bedroom suites throughout the hotel. “Astro was the perfect partner for this project; good design and fantastic quality, at costs that were entirely realistic for a project of this nature.” says Matters. “The support we received from the team at Astro was fundamental in helping us achieve the goals

for this project. It's also great to be able to say we have used a great British lighting company!”

Astro’s Petra and Ios white shade wall lights were used to create soft light patterns across the bedroom walls, while Joel Table lights in a polished chrome finish offer guest’s efficient task illumination when needed.

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Astro is committed to British lighting design and have a passion for quality and engineering precision. Astro’s creative ethos has remained consistent throughout – that good design demands simplicity. www.astrolighting.com

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Le Metropole Montpellier, France French lighting brand Designheure collaborated once again with the hotel group Oceania, on a challenging renovation project with bespoke lights for hotel Le Metropole in Montpellier, France.

Built in 1898, the Oceania Le Metropole is a four-star hotel that successfully blends charm with modernity, with a light touch of exoticism, in the spirit of the great Belle Epoque luxury hotels. From the hotel’s entrance and lobby, through the cosy English bar and La Closerie restaurant, not forgetting the prestigious lounges, the decoration has been completely restyled to restore all the former panache and character of the place. Light features everywhere – from the broad glass roof of the restaurant to the majestic stairway in the lobby, perfectly showcased by a magnificent and elegant suspension that floats in the air.

The hotel chose a white and gold chandelier from Designheure's collection Nuage for its elegance and pure lines, enhancing the character of this 19th century hotel. This timeless collection takes its inspiration from the prow of a ship, and the use of textile lampshades and cords softens the ambiance.

The technical challenge on this project was to install a light to fit the height of the fivefloor staircase. Designheure’s team worked for several weeks on a bespoke Nuage chandelier, that starts from the ceiling, highlights each floor then comes down in the lobby, just above the old hydraulic lift.

As the staircase didn’t allow the cables to be fixed, the lampshades have been installed under the ceiling of each floor.

The result - an impressive and theatrical light, which sublimates the space and invites guests to continue their visit to the 96 rooms and suits.

Rooms and suites are personalised, paying tribute to the different times of day: the warmth of the southern sunshine, a subtle blend of oranges and purples evoking a stunning late afternoon, or the enveloping gentleness of midnight blue and copper of the setting sun.

The mix of Grand Nuage floor lamps, Moyen Nuage table lamps and Petit Nuage wall lamps, in blue / gold and white diffusing, offer the space the perfect balance between modernity, comfort and design.

This project has been a real success, thanks to the mutual trust and real partnership developed since 2011 between Designheure and the Oceania Hotels group. www.designheure.com

Premier Inn Frankfurt, Germany Designer lighting brand Bright Goods has completed an installation of its LED filament lamps into Premier Inn’s new build hotel in Frankfurt - creating vibrant illumination that complements the striking interior, designed with a distinct British theme.

Whitbread’s 210 bedroom Premier Inn, the first of a national expansion programme in Germany and which opened last year, is located next to the Messe Exhibition Ground in Frankfurt. Its position, next to two other hotels, meant the design had to stand out from the crowd and the decorative lighting therefore, visible from the outside, needed to be impressive to entice and welcome guests.

JSJ Design, who has worked with Premier Inn on many of its UK hotel interiors,

collaborated with Hamburg-based designers, JOI-Design to create an interior for a contemporary hotel with an individual design, tailored for the German market. The multipurpose, ground floor communal area was designed to create a welcoming space with specific zones, separated by open shelves and decorated in bold colours, where guests can relax, dine or work in a peaceful atmosphere. The lighting was instrumental in creating a unique ambience in each area; bright in the work space to warm and inviting in the lounge and dining areas.

JSJ Design specified Bright Goods LED filament lamps including, Rose, Albert, Joseph and Josephine, which were installed throughout the open plan public areas on

the ground floor including the reception and lobby areas and used in the decorative hanging pendant light fittings above the bar area and dining areas, and in the wall lights and floor standing lamps.

Jeremy Scarlett, co-founder of JSJ Designs said: “The open plan layout is designed to be multi-functional, adapting to guests changing needs throughout the day. Lighting plays a huge role in achieving this and the dimming element of the Bright Goods LED bulbs was crucial.

“The filament lamps are almost as much of a design feature as the fittings themselves.

They work very well as part of the overall design scheme and I’d definitely use Bright Goods LED lamps again on future projects.” www.brightgoods.co.uk

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2017

darc awards / architectural

14 SEP T EM BER 2 017 / LON D ON

STRUCTURES / DARC AWARD WINNER: Best Exterior Lighting Scheme Low Budget

WINNER Pier Mauá Cranes, Brazil Two beautiful and sculptural cranes from the 60’s remain by the port area of Rio de Janeiro’s downtown as a record of a glorious past. Those big structures are located next to the Museum of Tomorrow at Mauá Square, a recently renewed area of the city that has become an important site for the city residents, the cariocas, as well as for tourists.

But sadly, those beautiful cranes used to go dead during the night.

These metal characters are well known by the cariocas and certainly every child that has set eyes on one of them, have related its form, shape and size with cartoons like dinosaurs or some other creature of their imagination.

Therefore, the intention of the lighting, designed by Brazil-based LD Studio, is to give life to these big metal structures in way that allows people to go back to childhood and give wings to their imagination.

The designers’ approach to this lighting concept consists in revealing the main structure, the ‘animal’s legs and upper body’, using warm white LED floods, with different intensity and beam angles, while taking the opportunity of the existent transparency of its operator’s cabins and along with the crane’s boom, the ‘arms’ of the imaginary creature, using an LED RGB technology that adds movement and pulsation to this character we are creating.

Another layer of communication of this RGB technology, relates to special awareness dates like pink October, blue November, Christmas or any other colour-related special date.

The freedom on the use of colour and movement at the bridge’s huge structures have made a strong impact on a lot of people that have had the opportunity to gather and enjoy the night scene by the water.

SECOND PLACE: Saarpolygon, Germany

by Lichtvision, Germany THIRD PLACE: MELO, Germany

by Studio De Schutter, Germany

Project: Pier Mauá Cranes Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Lighting Design: LD Studio, Brazil Client: Pier Mauá Main Lighting Suppliers: iGuzzini, Philips, Lemca

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STRUCTURES:

Best Exterior Lighting Scheme High Budget

WINNER Strasbourg Cathedral, France Considered to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture, Strasbourg Cathedral stands head and shoulders above the skyline of the surrounding French city. Now, thanks to a remarkable new lighting design from L’Acte Lumiere, the building’s splendour is fully realised throughout the night.

Strasbourg Cathedral is located in the heart of the Grande Île, an island that lies at the historic centre of the north-eastern French city and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988. The cathedral itself has been under protection as a heritage building since the late 1800s, and is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in France, with its high silhouette dominating the city’s skyline. Still deeply immersed in a medieval urban structure, the cathedral is the symbol of Alsace, and its four million visitors per year make it the second most visited cathedral in the whole of France, second only to the Notre Dame in Paris.

The lighting for Strasbourg Cathedral reveals a new facet of the church that largely exceeds the framework for the urban area of Strasbourg. Each night, the cathedral is wrapped in a soft and balanced light and shadow. This glowing light is designed to respect the edifice and urban context in which it is integrated. It does this by

magnifying the exceptional patrimonial and architectural wealth of the cathedral, such as its remarkable frontages and sculptures.

After deep consideration of the sacred and iconographic facets and meanings of the structure, designers chose to create a precise illumination, balancing shadow and light. The light is produced entirely by LEDs, and is made up of 580 lighting devices. Every projector is dimmable for the perfect quantities of light, revealing the splendour of the building, the distinctive colour of its sandstone and its intricate masonry and layers. These elements are DMX controlled by nine electrical power boxes, which allows the lighting designers to tune the luminous power and colour temperature in order to precisely match the colours of the stonework.

Approximately fourteen kilometres of cable and 400 light sources are installed on the building, and the entire installation was completed without any drilling into the stone, only mortar joints – an important requirement for the project set by the heritage committee. On top of this, all of the bespoke clamping sleeves, collars, fixture corsets and luminaires were painted onsite with an accurate colour to match the stone.

As a result of these considerations, the entire

installation can be removed without causing any damage to the structure.

None of the luminaires, except those in ground, are visible from the exterior, resulting in a balanced, quiet and ‘chiselled’ light, and a magnificent, poetic glow of the building.

SECOND PLACE: CaoHeJing Kehui Tower, China

by Studio Illumine, China THIRD PLACE: Scott Monument, UK

by KSLD, UK

Project: Strasbourg Cathedral Location: Strasbourg, France Lighting Design: L’Acte Lumiere, France Client: City of Strasbourg Main Lighting Suppliers: Lumenpulse, Louss, Insta, Radiant, WE-EF

PLACES:

Best Interior Lighting Scheme Low Budget

WINNER

German Ivory Museum, Germany Through the passion for travelling and collection of Count Franz’ I. zu ErbachErbach (1754-1823), the Odenwald town of Erbach became the centre of German ivory carving and had exhibited its extensive collections at the Werner Borchers Halle for many years. As of autumn 2016, a small but exquisite part of the ivory sculptures has found a new home in the Erbach Palace.

The exceptional exhibition concept of the architects frees itself from the building envelope and presents the collection in blacked-out rooms painted in anthracite.

Across this almost disintegrated space leads a pier that offsets the different floor levels and interconnects the showcases with a proverbial red thread. Like luminous glass cubes, the display cases are lined up on the walkway.

The lower third of the showcase glazing is lightly frosted and fitted with edge lighting, concealed in the base. As a result, the frosting assumes a gentle brightness that shrouds the object holders like a mist.

Additionally, small profiles with miniature projectors are located in the upper edge of

the showcase. These offer an accentuated and glare-free orchestration of the exhibits.

This evokes the impression that the figurines emerge from a sort of fog.

The pier and its low balustrade are clad in red leather. The walking surface is emphasised by a concealed LED light ribbon, integrated in its lateral upstand, transforming it into a seemingly suspended path in an intangible, almost imperceptible spatial envelope.

One of the spaces uses existing historical closets for the exhibition of many small objects, fixed to the fleece-clad rear wall.

These are set in scene by means of concealed linear light sources inside the furniture.

The last space sees off the visitor with a glimpse at unprocessed elephant and mammoth tusks, thus making the controversial side of the exhibition palpable.

Miniature projectors on the ceiling underline the drama of this exhibit.

As a whole, the lighting designers underscore the contrasting exhibition scenery through the use of hidden, glare-free light sources, brilliantly orchestrating its treasures.

SECOND PLACE: Albert Avenue Lobby, Australia

by Steensen Varming, Australia THIRD PLACE: Inmaculada Concepción Church, Spain by DCI Diseño y Consultoría de Iluminación, Spain

Project: German Ivory Museum Location: Erbach, Germany Lighting Design: Licht Kunst Licht, Germany Client: Verwaltung der Staatlichen Schlösser und Gärten Hessen (Administration of National Palaces and Gardens of Hesse) Architect: Sichau & Walter Architekten BDA, Germany Main Lighting Suppliers: LED Linear, XAL

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PLACES:

Best Interior Lighting Scheme High Budget

WINNER

Bahá’í Temple of South America, Chile The Bahá’í Temple for South America, located on the foothills of the Andes, is the eighth and last temple built by the Bahá’í community in the world.

The architectural project from HPA Architects was designed by Siamak Hariri as a singular object, a flower of light composed by nine transparent petals. The building has a steel structure covered in the interior by a translucent white marble and in the exterior by a cast glass cladding.

During the day the building receives dynamic daylighting from the central oculus and from the nine vertical windows situated between the wings, as well as diffused light from the translucent wings.

The lighting design project had to fulfill two main goals: create an exterior scene that will show the transparency of the materials and show the temple as a light emitting element, while the interior lighting scenes had to generate a warm, monastic and intimate ambience favorable to meditation and prayer.

Lighting interior effects also had to enhance the amazing architecture elements, forms and materials: wood, marble, bronze, glass,

without adding new elements to the pure predominant architectural elements. Location and design of the lighting tools was extremely important.

The only technical fittings that could be seen are located on the vertical bronze profiles that connect the windows to marble petals and have a custom-designed bronze housing, they create the exterior effect and light the top part of the nine petals.

The main interior lighting effect, which is an indirect light, is executed from the back of the benches from the mezzanine with very small elliptical distribution spotlights, that also produce a grazing effect on the marble petals, highlighting their complex shape and materiality.

The only two ‘visible’ luminaires are decorative and have been specially designed, the first one, a pendant that hangs from the marble petals, lights of the stair and the ‘reading place’. The second, a floor lamp resembling a candle, is located in between benches from the first floor, complementing the general indirect lighting effect and restoring the human scale in this 30-metre high building.

SECOND PLACE: Harbin Opera House, China

by Beijing United Artists Lighting Design, China THIRD PLACE: Mathematics The Winton Gallery Science Museum, UK

by Arup, UK

Project: Bahá’í Temple of South America Location: Santiago, Chile Lighting Design: Limarí Lighting Design, Chile Client: Asamblea Espiritual Bahá’í de Chile Architect: HPA Architects, Canada Main Lighting Suppliers: DGA, Lutron, Janmar

SPACES:

Best Landscape Lighting Scheme Low Budget

WINNER Cleveland House Canal Tunnel, UK Enlightened was asked by a Bath property developer to provide lighting design and installation in the canal tunnel that ran beneath the historic Georgian Cleveland House.

The original brief from the developers specified two factors they wanted a solution for, firstly to provide practical utility lighting along the tunnel’s length that would allow for safer passage, and secondly to provide an enhanced overall aesthetic that would showcase the beauty and construction quality of the tunnel’s historic industrial engineering.

It was crucial that the installation was as low impact and non-invasive as possible, with a clean and unobtrusive visibility profile when not in use.

Enlightened saw this as an ideal opportunity to showcase the versatility of fully controllable RGBW LED lighting that would be able to provide simple, clean utility lighting but also afforded the client the ability to create an architectural light feature of striking impact and beauty.

They chose Anolis ArcLine Outdoor 20MC as it provides excellent coverage whilst allowing full remote programmable control over the

lighting colour and temperature through full RGBW, LED components. Control of the seventeen Anolis ArcLine lights was provided by the installation of ArcPower 384 remote drivers.

As the tunnel is in constant use by the general public, these required installation in a secure and safe position along the tunnels length.

By mounting them in an out of reach position along the tunnels roof as close to one side as possible allowed designers to wash two thirds of the tunnel’s arch in a curtain of controlled programmable light that could be used continuously with minimum maintenance for daily utility lighting, or as a light installation with the ability to transform what was once a dark and foreboding space into a stunning display of vivid colour washes and chases.

To provide flexible and intuitive control over the lighting states available, Enlightened installed a fully programmable user-friendly control panel, the Nicolaudie Sunlite S.T.I.C.K KUI, in the main house, with preset lighting states configured to best complement and exhibit the tunnel’s architectural beauty.

This was programmed to best utilise static colours and rainbow scroll chases.

Enlightened have collaborated with many curators of historic buildings of national importance throughout their history, and have lit many of Bath’s most iconic sites, including Bath Abbey, for both temporary and permanent installations.

SECOND PLACE: Tunnel at Farum City Square, Denmark by ÅF Lighting, Denmark THIRD PLACE: Wave/Cave, Italy

by PHT Lighting Design, USA

Project: Cleveland House Canal Tunnel Location: Bath, UK Lighting Design: Enlightened, UK Client: Trevor Osbourne Property Group Main Lighting Suppliers: Anolis, Nicolaudie

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SPACES:

Best Landscape Lighting Scheme High Budget

WINNER Nova Lumina, Canada Moment Factory’s goal when working on Nova Lumina was to create a new, innovative tourist attraction in the Gaspésie region, as the Economic Development Association of Rocher-Percé commissioned the multimedia design and production studio to create a new Lumina for the town of Chandler.

Moment Factory’s Lumina projects are unique illuminated night walk experiences that aim to bring people together in a new format of outdoor immersive experience.

Along an enchanted trail of 1.5-kilometres, visitors explore the light saturated forest using a custom connected object in search of scintillating fallen stars. Encountering playful surprises at every turn, they find and collect stars to launch into the sky during the closing sequences of the experience.

This project was born out of a desire to create a new type of light-based placemaking attraction in the famously beautiful landscape of Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula.

Local stakeholders wanted to attract new visitorship to breathe new economic and cultural life into the local economy.

An equally important goal was to create something that locals will enjoy just as much

as tourists.

Respectful and seamless integration of lighting and multimedia equipment into the natural environment was therefore of paramount importance. The site was carefully surveyed and assessed to make sure to adapt the media features and technologies to achieve the lowest possible impact on the local ecosystem.

The creative process for Nova Lumina involved close strategic collaboration with many project stakeholders. After an intense research and story ideation phase, the creative and design team began to ideate and prototype an extensive range of potential multimedia and interactive light art zones.

Gradually, the experience came together as the story, content production, interactive prototypes and music converged into a cohesive Lumina experience.

Over many months a large team of lighting, visual and sound designers, animators and programmers worked hard to design and refine the interactive and pre-rendered audiovisual content. Many weeks of on-site integration and testing followed, and finally Nova Lumina was brought to life in mid-July of 2016.

SECOND PLACE: Chicago Riverwalk, USA

by Schuler Shook, USA THIRD PLACE: Niagara Falls Illumination, USA/ Canada by Salex, Canada / Stanley Electric, Japan

Project: Nova Lumina Location: Quebec, Canada Lighting Design: Moment Factory, Canada Client: Corporation du développement économique (CDE) du territoire du Rocher-Percé Main Lighting Suppliers: Custom LED fixtures designed by Moment Factory, Christie Digital, Panasonic

ART:

Best Light Art Scheme Low Budget

WINNER Heart Beat, UK GNI projects was commissioned in December 2016 to create a new exterior light art installation, Heart Beat, for the Lightwaves festival in Salford Quays. Heart Beat encourages visitors to make a connection of love or friendship, by joining hands in front of the sculpture to complete the ‘circuit’ and reveal the symbol of the heart. Heart Beat is an extension of the GNI projects light loves collection, where the team have experimented with iconic heart imagery created in various illuminated media and for various events. The heart itself is only visible from one viewing angle, and for five seconds, after people have activated it by joining hands or kissing.

The installation measures 3x3x9m; when viewed from the side consists of an alwayspulsing heart beat. The beating 3D core of the sculpture indicates life and attracts visitors to explore the piece by walking around and experiencing the abstract forms from various viewing angles. When ‘heart mode’ is activated external viewers can see many different perspectives of the same sculpture.

Sometimes they see totally random distantly spaced lines, sometimes swarms of angular crossing lines and sometimes fragments of

the heart, or a heart broken in two pieces by the pulse. Only people drawn together at the optimal vantage point see the heart in its true form.

The piece was conceived to be publicly accessible to all, bringing people of all ages, connections, races and religions together, with positive energy, and since its first showing in Salford the sculpture has also been shown at Lights in Jerusalem.

GNI projects were moved by the public reaction to the work, seeing parents and children, young couples and older couples, friends and entire families, joining together with smiling faces to activate the heart, and the piece has also been used as a location for a marriage proposal.

The suspended elements that sketch the imagery are not electrified; they are made from anodised aluminium illuminated by highly saturated narrow focused red spotlights from below. These spotlights are divided into two groups. The first group an ‘S’ shaped swathe that follows the ECG pulse, chasing to create the drama and pulsing animation, and the second group switched on by activating the heart shaped sensor pads by joining hands. The sensors

are too far apart to activate alone, and cannot be activated without being joined via the visitor’s body resistance, promoting connection to each other and the art itself.

All light fittings were bespoke manufactured with precise optics and long snoots to minimise their presence and any potential glare from all pedestrian viewing angles, allowing the heart and pulse to take prominence.

SECOND PLACE: Interlaced, Canada

by Lightspace, Netherlands THIRD PLACE: Perfect Sunsets, Chile

by DIAV, Chile

Project: Heart Beat Location: Salford Quays, UK Lighting Design: GNI projects, UK Client: Quays Culture Main Lighting Suppliers: Radiant Architectural Lighting, Nicolaudie

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ART:

Best Light Art Scheme High Budget

WINNER Twisted, Croatia The Zagreb Festival of Lights was held for the first time this year in March. The lighting installation Twisted was a part of the program, designed as a site-specific object enhanced by RGB lines that are integrated into the supporting structure. This installation was designed by Croatian lighting design firm Skira as a means to experiment with people’s perception of movement and their sense of space while walking through a 30-metre long pavilion. The lighting, the unusual architectural shape of the object, and the fog effect are the key elements that influence the spatial orientation, making this walk a unique experience.

Carefully planned and discussed with contractors throughout the entire creative process, the pavilion is made of black painted steel and white lexan. It was constructed in sections in order to be assembled and dismantled with ease, and as such, this art object can be moved and placed on squares or anywhere suitable for an object this size.

Illuminated by RGB Klus lines that are integrated into the supporting structure, the lighting scheme is controlled with DMX Nicolaudie protocol, meaning that the lighting scheme can be programmed to a

variety of lighting scenarios. The dazzling light attracts the visitors and during the several festival nights thousands of people passed through the pavilion.

The pavilion was open to the public for three days across Zagreb Festival of Lights from 16-19 March, attracting a large number of visitors. Dean Skira, founder of Skira, said: “Children loved it, the colours and the haze.

People took selfies and photos, discussing the effects, the reactions were very positive.”

The success of the installation has led to Twisted going on the road, with the tourist board of Pula, Skira’s hometown, adding it to their program for an event in September, while another lighting festival in Italy has invited Skira to bring Twisted to their event in November.

“It seems that it will be on the road a lot,” Skira added. “I like that lots of different people around the globe will have fun with it.”

SECOND PLACE: AURA, Canada

by Moment Factory, Canada THIRD PLACE: Folded Light, UK

by Carpenter | Lowings, UK

Project: Twisted Location: Zagreb, Croatia Lighting Design: Skira, Croatia Client: Zagreb Tourist Board, Limgea Main Lighting Suppliers: Klus Design

KIT:

Best Architectural Lighting Products Interior Luminaires

WINNER CoeLux ST – CoeLux Imagine the warm light of the sun glimpsing into the room, lighting it up, illuminating objects and casting their shadows, bluetinged by the diffused light of the sky.

This is CoeLux ST: a fairly compact module, suitable for many different settings, creating an artificial window facing a luminous sky, traversed by the rays of a bright sun.

The comfort of offices, meeting rooms, lobbies, waiting rooms, stores, spas, gyms, etc., and also of lifts, ship cabins and clean rooms, as well as any other room deprived of natural light, is thoroughly enhanced by CoeLux ST. No matter how large or small the space is, you will always experience an infinite depth beyond the window and a unique sense of opening towards the vast expanse of the outdoors.

The main distinguishing feature of CoeLux ST amidst the CoeLux range of products is that here the sun is not directly visible. Sun rays reach the eye after being reflected, diffused,

refracted and diffracted by the louvre, miming the interaction of the sunlight with clouds, water, foliage, snow etc.

Alternatively, they may only hit the window lightwell and make it shine as stone-walls reflecting natural sunlight. CoeLux ST qualifies as a genuine window, not just a lamp. It reproduces the full depth of the sky even when the light is extremely dimmed. By properly tuning in CoeLux ST with ambient light, a great variety of morning, noon, evening and night scenarios can be achieved, successfully reproducing the experience of a real window all through the day and night.

CoeLux ST is available in three versions (NAOS, TIVANO and IBLA) featuring different interface types screening the eyes from the artificial sky.

SECOND PLACE: The Blade - iGuzzini THIRD PLACE: Infra-Structure - Flos

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KIT:

Best Architectural Lighting Products Exterior Luminaires

WINNER TILE Exterior – Cooledge Cooledge TILE Exterior is a wet location LED system that frees light from the constraints of fixtures to illuminate any architectural geometry, scale with ease, and give designers entirely new ways to accentuate building facades without ‘spill light’ within city skyscapes.

Designed as a complete IP65 rated system, TILE Exterior’s robust, modular, thin, and flexible form scales easily to cover large surface areas while a set of smaller-sized, pre-sealed Fit pieces configures easily around angles, corners and building obstacles such as standoffs, pipes and cable penetrations to seamlessly illuminate exterior architectural structures. This means that unlike other exterior products that must be cut to accommodate site obstacles, TILE Exterior has no such requirement and therefore maintains the integrity of the original waterresistant seal.

Unlike traditional light sources such as standard wash, flood or grazing applications used to light building façades, TILE Exterior integrates light with building surfaces to

make luminous architecture entirely possible and fundamentally changes the way light can be fully expressed in design. When paired with wide-ranging diffusion materials, such as glass, acrylic and translucent stone, TILE Exterior creates luminous surfaces for façades, canopies, entrances (including arches and columns) and large-scale printed graphics. TILE Exterior therefore presents an alternative and sustainable model for exterior lighting applications by freeing light from the constraints of fixtures to uniformly illuminate building fronts completely from within.

The entire TILE Exterior system including light sheets, connectors, cables, and LED drivers is rated for wet location environments Moisture resistant snap connectors maintain the simplicity of tool-less connections unique to Cooledge TILE products. Proprietary IP65 connectors incorporate an innovative ergonomic cover that facilitates easy installation.

Constant lumen output and high colour consistency ensure seamless illumination through exterior surface materials. Available

in 600lm and 300lm versions with a typical two SDCM colour uniformity that enables setback distances low enough to fit within the available space associated with the standoffs and supports for commonly used exterior diffuser materials.

SECOND PLACE: Fenestra - Flos THIRD PLACE: Dirigo - Linea Light Group

EVENT:

Best Creative Lighting Event

WINNER Winter Lights at Canary Wharf, UK For the third year running, the Winter Lights Festival brought 30 spectacular innovative, artworks and installations to Canary Wharf, many of them interactive or responsive. As a collection the 30 pieces showcased works by some of the most inventive and exciting international artists working with Light Art today.

Many of the works shown – Angels of Freedom, (Israel) Luma Paint (Germany), OVO, (Belgium) Horizontal Interference (Poland), Digital Skins (Canada) Nonotak (France), Origin (Germany) and Gregory St Pierre (US) – had never been exhibited in the UK before, making this year a truly unique experience for visitors to see works from far away, where interaction was the theme of the displays.

In particular, there was also an indoor curated section of works, in the newly constructed Crossrail Station, which formed a gallery of twelve projects. Most festivals focus on works outdoors, but the empty station gave organisers an opportunity to do something very unique for a Light Festival. Liz West, (UK) presented Our Spectral Vision, whilst Marcus Lyall’s (UK) On Your Wavelength was a mind-powered laser and sound installation of over 20,000 LEDs. Max Patte (NZ) exhibited

his Haze Series of illuminated works based on views from an airplane window. Phillip Mohr & Selektivton, created a truly unique interactive installation, Origin using the electrical capacity produced by the body.

Elsewhere, Angels of Freedom, by Merav Etan and Gaston Zahr, contained a deep underlying message discouraging discrimination through interaction. Five giant wings with white halos invite people to turn into angels through the power of photography and social media. The large Geometric structure, OVO (OVO Collective, Belgium) immersed visitors in unique and beautiful light structures.

Visitors were invited to put their painting skills to the test in Mateo Mounier’s Digital Skins, creating compositions of bright colour and pattern. Luma Paint Light Graffiti (Lichtfaktor feat. Helge Bomber Steinmann), provided a live painting canvas. Bringing a further element to the fore, Water Wall (Gregory St. Pierre) used a water spray screen to interact with visitors.

For contemplation, The Garden of Floating Words by Elisa Artesero (UK) evoked a peaceful note, giving the impression that a cluster of glowing neon words floated in the foliage of Jubilee Park, creating a poem of transience.

BLOOM by Squidsoup (UK) also had a calming effect made up of a thousand spheres of light, each bobbing gently in the wind.

One piece drew attention to world issues, created by Mike Stephen (UK) and school children, Liter of Light, highlighted the need to give light to undeveloped countries.

SECOND PLACE: AKIU Night Museum, Japan THIRD PLACE: e-Luminate Cambridge Festival, UK

Event: Winter Lights at Canary Wharf Location: London, UK Organiser: Keith Watson Main Partners: Canary Wharf Group Main Sponsors: Canary Wharf Group

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INSTALLATIONS darc night

helios

WINN

LED Linear / Architainment & dpa Helios is a stylised sequenced representation of the sun, emerging out of a total eclipse into its full bloom before slowly starting its descent into the shimmering evening sea and finally disappears into the night.

The introduction scene was always considered very important and was intended to provide a contrast to the slow fading scenes that would follow, and draw the viewers’ attention immediately. Inspired by conventional light sources such as neon or fluorescent lamps, which often flicker when faulty or whilst warming up, the opening scene utilises cool white light only.

Clean graphic lines of light formed into the internal volume of the geodesic dome provide the viewer with an ever-changing range of

perspectives and only when viewed straight on, will form a complete circular sun. From the outset the designers were keen to flip their dome on its side, eventually providing the full circular elevation required for the final piece.

Whilst inspired by the clean lines and mesmerising characteristics of traditional neon lights, the designers very much appreciated the added benefit of full colour control of the individual LED fixtures and used it to its fullest extent. And although intentionally kept very simple, graphically, individual colours of light for each scene were meticulously identified for being as true to nature as possible.

ER

Design: dpa Lighting Consultants (Ingo Kalecinski, Veronica Lykou, Laura Voss) Sponsor: LED Linear (Rob Anderson, Richard Oxley) Architainment (Owen Fallows, James Atrill) Equipment: LED Linear VarioLED Flex VENUS RGB Pharos TPC1 controller ISTL iDrive Thor 36 drivers

INSTALLATIONS darc night

one sun John Cullen Lighting & Speirs + Major Our world is rapidly becoming overpopulated and its resources overstretched. Some day in the near future the Earth’s ability to sustain life may be compromised to the point that we will be forced to leave - a mass migration.

This will open up many new possibilities, among which will be a new relationship between ourselves and the Sun. Speirs + Major’s installation ‘One Sun’ is a simple light based structure which explores and challenges this future relationship with the Sun. Based on footage from the NASA Curiosity Rover on Mars, the sunset on Mars is recognisable but extraordinary. This prompts the question “What would sunlight feel

like on another planet?” In the images, the sunlight appears in some ways familiar, yet more distant than we are used to, invoking enforced displacement and a feeling of ‘sad sunlight’.

‘One Sun’ uses a common source of light (a ‘Sun’) in a simple back-to-back juxtaposition of sunrise and sunset. In exploring these scenes from different viewpoints in relation to the trajectory of the light source, we can begin to question the very nature of our appreciation of sunlight.

A video of the installation is available at http://vimeo.com/236781682.

Design: Speirs + Major Sponsor: John Cullen Lighting Equipment: Custom variant of John Cullen Lighting’s new high output LED downlight engine 50+ Photographs: Hiroto Toyoda, Speirs + Major

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INSTALLATIONS darc night

lumenpulse in the sky with diamonds Lumenpulse & Michael Grubb Studio ‘Lumenpulse in the Sky with Diamonds’ is a collaboration between Lumenpulse and Michael Grubb Studio (MGS).

The team looked to emphasise the beautiful build quality and controllability of the Lumenpulse products in a dome which was inspired by psychedelic drawings and seaside shanty textures.

MGS hand built the dome in their office and

only used ply and wool to create the structure.

The lighting was controlled with realtime generative animations with TouchDesigner and worked beautifully with the Lumenpulse LED products.

MGS wanted to invoke a beautiful place to sit and feel the light as it bounced off the textures, giving a sense of excitable tranquility.

Design: Michael Grubb Studio (Stuart Alexander, Greta Smetoniute, Matt Waugh, William de Liefde-Foote, Matthew Athinodorou, Daniele Trombin) Sponsor: Lumenpulse (Peter Western, Andy Paddon, Andrew Pearce, Eve Gaut) Equipment: Lumenpulse Lumenfacade wallwash RGBW, Lumendome Medium

INSTALLATIONS darc night

squaring the circle & finding by pure chance Reggiani & Lichtvision Buckminster Fuller’s (aka Bucky) geodesic dome tries to replicate the shape of a semi sphere with linear elements and nodes. Like squaring the circle, achieving a perfect sphere with this technique is an impossible target that ends up in a mere illusion. With our installation we celebrated all those illusions that have led to the biggest inventions in history, as well as all the unexpected findings along the way that lead to a better result than what we set out to make in the first place!

The self-supporting dome was mirrored by a series of cylindrical fittings in different lengths. These mimicked the dome’s

geometry, creating a negative form of the missing half and completing the sphere.

The sphere is the perfect form, one half construction, the other half luminaires that fill the space with light. This is a metaphor for the strong synergies between architecture and lighting. Metal mesh and dichroic films were suspended from the dome as sculptures and once hit by the light create an ethereal and unpredictable world.

Visitors were invited to change and adjust the lighting effects via a tablet and either chose pre-set scenes or created and explored their own illusionary world.

Design: Lichtvision (Karen Ihlau, Paolo Cocconi, Luca Carapezzi, Nidia Borelli) Sponsor: Reggiani (Stuart Gaunt, Filippo Devoti) Technical Support: Casambi Technologies (Stephen Jackson) Equipment: Reggiani Yori, partly with customised lengths and acrylic covers Casambi Bluetooth drivers and control app Photographs: Lichtvision

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INSTALLATIONS darc night

bucky’s bubbles EcoSense & Nulty+ Nulty understood Buckminster Fuller’s obsession with the geodesic dome, a lightweight structure that boasts maximum volume per surface area, great thermal dynamic properties, and structural stability due to equal distribution of load, and felt it only appropriate to tilt their hats to his source of inspiration, the humble bubble.

The bubble acting as a metric for the perfect embodiment of both minimal surface material and harmony between structural form.

Nulty’s geodesic dome echoed the lightweight and permeable nature of the bubble, taking on the characteristics of its light refracting membrane and spreading its love far and wide, inspiring us all... and they wanted a bubble machine for the office. ;)

Design: Nulty Sponsor: EcoSense (Jeffrey Griffiths) Equipment: EcoSense Rise F080 with 5° Laser Spot beam angle

INSTALLATIONS darc night

Snow globe formalighting & Elektra Lighting Design Elektra conceived the dome as a giant sized, interactive snow globe. Creating a giant version of the novelty toy, and allowing people to enter, sit on the central located seat, take selfies and have feathers blow around you like some kind of well-lit version of the Crystal maze dome.

The design team covered the outer edge with clear plastic, and filled the interior with feathers (over 20 kg - that’s a lot of feathers!).

RGB lighting provided a fun element and the fan blew feathers up in the air.

Neil Knowles, director of Elektra, describes the story: “Unfortunately things did not go to plan. The fan was too strong and it blew the plastic off the dome, and feathers went

everywhere. Its safe to say we are not experts in mechanical ventilation! But then again we never claimed to be. We’re lighting designers!

“What could we do? Creatively think our way out of the problem. We still have a dome, more feathers than we know what to do with, and some nice lighting. Rebrand! Supply some cushions from Ikea, quickly put a sign on the outside saying “Pillow fight!”, allow people in the dome and let nature take its course.

“It was a tremendous success, and the talk of the event. Feathers were everywhere!

We received emails from lots of people the next morning congratulating us on the silliest dome, and thanking us for introducing a bit of fun to the event.”

Design Team: Elektra (Erin Slaviero, Armando Villasenor, Laura Suico, Sofia Tsintari, Daniela Cordova) Sponsor: formalighting Equipment: formalighting Frontluce, Bullet Pro

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INSTALLATIONS darc night

light up your brain!

L&L Luce&Light & MBLD London. A loud city. A city of lights, flavors and speed. A city for the restless, always overexposed to extreme stimuli, always in search for the rush and the excitement.

Here, we felt creative and inspired.

Our feelings shift so fast under the spell of the city, but do we ever take time to digest them? Are we aware of the immense beauty that occurs within our brains? What do emotions look like?

Through a study of colours, intensity and rhythm of light, MBLD aspired to show the reaction of a stimulated brain, where light was our words and colour, our rhymes. Each of the team was able to visualise a ‘map’ of

certain feelings, outlined with light, within a safe, dome-shaped shelter.

The structural nodes and lines of the dome were the team’s support to create with light an interpretation of the neuronal network inside the brain.

The lighting scheme was controlled by a lighting control system and DMX protocol.

The system interface allowed each guest to choose between a set of scenes/lighting aspects of the dome. 42 independent RGB DMX control groups were used for the programming preset scenes with an average of 120 steps of 0.5 sec each.

Design: MBLD (Francesca Bottazzi, Raluca Dascalita, Alberto Monti, Eleni Nikiforidou, Alessandra Ravinale, Dimitris Theocharoudis, Iliana Zotou) Sponsor: L&L Luce&Light (Marco Amato, Luca Cusinato, Richard Muirhead, Federico Bevilacqua) Equipment: L&L Luce&Light Pivot adjustable RGB projectors, Goccia r Recessed RGB markers, Trevi RGB linear profile

INSTALLATIONS darc night

planetarium Anolis & ACTLD ACTLD’s installation is inspired by the ancient concept of Planetariums, domeshaped theaters. Through different technics that evolved over time since the Hellenistic period, the public was immersed into a celestial world that once upon a time seemed far, far away.

Through abstract illustrations, the design team imagined and created the experience of swimming into the universe, exploring known

planets, and eventually some imaginary ones...

An experience as contemplative as it is intense that, for a few minutes, let one’s imagination float into another space, another dimension.

ACTLD’s design team developed their concept staging the products of their designated partner Anolis in the framework of darc night being presented as well at darc room.

Design: ACTLD (Ana Vargas, Julie Boniche) Sponsor: Anolis (John Saunders, Ian Forrow, Simon Gooding, Muraly Kuhan, Maria Jenkins) Equipment: Anolis ArcPix,RGB and ArcPixel power, ArcSource outdoor 16MC, ArcSource outdoor 48MC, Divine 160 RGBW Photographs: ACTLD

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INSTALLATIONS darc night

stop to restart Filix & LDI LDI’s concept began with looking into ways to create a safe place, hidden away from the world.

The team explored the apparent qualities of softness and apparent randomness of a cocoon in nature and imagined it combined with the strong rigid structure of the geometric dome.

These early studies lead LDI to explore ways of breaking down the rigid shape of the dome into a softer form without losing any of it’s strength and structure.

Using multiples of the same object we have built up a growing, living skin around the geometric structure to keep us safe.

The living and breathing skin pulses with a

strong energy to welcome you in. Once inside the heart of the cocoon you are kept safe away from the real world. With the use of moving coloured filters and optics.

Multiple light sources will reflect from these around the inside of the cocoon, creating an energising colourful light filled world for the observer.

The skin of the installation will pulse strongly through the use of integrated cool white lighting within the skin. The sequence will bring on the inner spotlights highlighting the spinning coloured disks of the core, creating the moving coloured reflections back into and through the cocoon structure.

Design: LDI (Emily Hopper, Cristina Escofet, Charlotte Svenson, Kimberly Elletson, Karen Smart, Leonie Walker, Alex Bittiner) Sponsor: Filix (Marko Jurman, Andrej Pamic) Equipment: Filix RDD60 & RDD35 DECO LED spotlight Filix custom DMX controller hardware Nicolaudie SLESA-U8 software

INSTALLATIONS darc night

literal reality Delta Light & Arup The ‘Literal Reality’ dome by Arup and Delta Light creates a boundary between the outside reality, and an alternative reality.

As the audience approach they are unable to see the universe within, all they can see are some elements of nature stretching out between the universes.

As the audience interacts with the space, the three elements of the dome interact with each other, giving the audience a glimpse of the hidden reality within. They can impact on the amount of visible reality, with their actions having a direct effect on the reality within. These interactions tell a story. The impact the user has on this alternate reality reveals elements of their personality. This

visual impact displays their inner self, showing which elements they want to highlight, and those they want to leave in the dark.

Despite the hard shell between this reality and our one, there is a beacon of life forcing its way through. This can be left in darkness, or lit to highlight its beauty.

The dome was used as an exoskeleton, with a sharks tooth scrim hanging on the inside.

This scrim allows for elements to only be seen when they are illuminated. The lighting of the ‘reality’ inside is affected by the users outside. Using a simple analogue system, they were able to highlight certain areas and reveal a hidden subconscious via the author’s quotes that they chose.

Design: Arup (Predrag Stojicevic, Inessa Demidova, Jason Giddings, Anna Forrester, Arfon Davies) Sponsor: Delta Light (Andy Barnett, Jon Christos-Brooks, Mitch Patterson, Matilda Tireus Walmsley, Victoria Clifton) Equipment: Delta Light Super-Oh, Kix, Superloop

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INSTALLATIONS darc night

hoare lea’s spectacular, fantabulous, light giving machine Concord & Hoare Lea In a world moving towards unlimited technology, Hoare Lea wanted to produce something that was incredibly analogue. A dome which, whilst at first glance looks beautiful and ethereal - otherworldly - is simply constructed by filters, wires, rotating fans and mirrors.

Like the scene in the Wizard of Oz when you pull back the curtain to realise there is no magic - just a lot of handles and cables.

To create Hoare Lea’s ‘magical’ installation, the team suspended coloured and dichroic filters, mirrors and crystal prisms from the dome structure. These suspensions were connected by pulleys to five oscillating fans which created a fluid movement. Six Concord

Beacon spots positioned to the perimeter of the dome, cast light through a labyrinth of filters and crystals. Moving and shimmering shapes were projected onto the outer skin of the dome – bringing to life Hoare Lea’s ‘Spectacular, Fantabulous Light Giving Machine’.

Emma Barr of Hoare Lea said: “The ruse we played on our peers was amusing, whereby unknown to the observer, getting too close to the viewing window switched the entire installation to darkness – our smokescreen preventing our secrets from being revealed!

It was great fun to truly play with light and material.”

Design: Hoare Lea (Jonathan Rush, Juan Ferrari, Chris Fox, Martin Crick, James Buck, Brad Joseph, Emma Barr) Sponsor: Concord (David Neale, James Briggs and Lee Fowler) Equipment: Concord Beacon spotlights controlled

by Casambi

INSTALLATIONS darc night

llumversacioi #08 Tryka LED & artec3 Studio Llumversació #8 is an installation that continues the artwork series Llumversació that explores the event taking place when two colours collide, and chromatic additive interference is applied. The resulting ambiguity creates a new virtual sensation.

The material used was a colour filtered, cellular polycarbonate, these materials are both simple and economical to work with, but allowed artec3 Studio to achieve fascinating light effects that interact with the audience.

Through subtle programming, smooth and delicately changing light movements were created, leading the experience to morph and the light to speak for itself.

Design Team: artec3 Studio (Maurici Ginés, Victor Vinyamata, Ramón Ferreira) Sponsor: Tryka LED (Ryan Rolph) Technical Support: Design Intent International (Lawrence Hayes) Equipment: Tryka Module 36 Rosco E-Color +

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art & design / photo essay, jj valaya

SENSUAL SOJOURNS JJ Valaya is a revered fashion designer, celebrated photographer, eloquent storyteller and ardent appreciator of the finer facets of life.

With an eye for detail and a sense for the sensuous, Valaya captures fleeting moments with a curious panache. His affinity for Rajasthan and the opulence that is woven inherently within the cultural fabric of the state is evident in frequent visits and prolonged sojourns.

Equipped with a customary smartphone and acute perception, this connoisseur of luxury and taster of opulence seizes his experiences in casual junctures that tickle his lens.

The seduction apparent in the images of these four stately hotels is a testament to the nostalgia that binds him to this land, and the spontaneity with which he relishes it.

Photography by JJ Valaya www.jjaleph.com | www.valaya.com

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UDAIVILLAS Udaipur, Rajasthan

A chic representation of India modern.

The splendour of the regal dome soars in all its might, the splendour of modernity catches the light.

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art & design / photo essay, jj valaya

T H E L E E L A PA L A C E Udaipur, Rajasthan

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T H E L E E L A PA L A C E Udaipur, Rajasthan

A study in detail, texture and a solemn respect for India.

The graphic of thunderous black and silvery white juxtaposes fiercely with a mellow yellow stone.

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art & design / photo essay, jj valaya

S U RYA G A R H Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

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S U RYA G A R H Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

A home away from home.

When an exquisite visit is marred only by the elegance of an intimate setting, the grace of personalised service and incredibility of gourmet indulgence.

TIJARA Alwar, Rajasthan

TIJARA Alwar, Rajasthan

A labour of love in restoration.

When an eclectic energy harmonizes with an intensely charged encounter, it results in spirited getaways.

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art & design / Lighting Design Agora 2017, Shanghai, china

Made in china Lighting Design Agora (LDA) hosted its second edition at the Shanghai International Lighting Fair (SILF) from 5-7th September 2017. Driven to imbibe quality and innovation in the lighting scene of China, lighting designer Martin Klaasen played a critical role in realizing the initiative.

Zohra Khan of mondo*arc india shares the intent of this exceedingly critical platform and digs into some of the remarkable highlights from the event.

Pics: Martin Klassen / Scarlet Mak (MKHK)

A new concept event, Lighting Design Agora is a combined brainchild of the Chinese Lighting Designer’s Association (CLDA, Lear Hsieh), its International Advisory Council (IAC, James Wallace and Martin Klaasen) and Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong (MFHK, Scarlet Mak). The forum brings together lighting designers (International, regional and local), design and engineering professionals (architects, interior designers, electrical engineers), lighting manufacturers and key players in the industry like developers, operators, governments and other end users.

Martin Klassen

Connecting them to a common thread, LDA fosters dialogue, communication and value awareness in order to propagate general awareness of the benefits of better quality lighting and lighting design.

“China is the birthplace of most of today’s LED lighting production so creating an event like the LDA that addresses the (quality) issues at source make total sense. Working from inside out, rather than outside in,” says Klaasen.

Yet the country continues to grapple with the stigma wherein its products are regarded as cheap and of poor quality. This has resulted in the withdrawal of many international manufacturers from the Hong Kong and Guangzhou Lighting Fairs. Along with SILF, MFHK intends to build a program, which can distinguish itself from the local product driven fairs, and create a fair with quality, value and leading innovation.

As part of this initiative, the LDA is an enclosed event held within the main hall and strictly houses international sponsoring manufacturers only. Included in this is the speaker’s arena, popular for international and regional lighting experts to share their

ideas and experiences.

After an overwhelming response to its first edition last year, LDA was dramatically expanded to host events this year. Spread over 3 days, the first two days were spent in presentations by international and regional lighting experts while the third offered regional designers as the speakers.

Managed by the IAC, the international event program consisted of 4 sessions.

The first day saw a series of presentations pivoted around Future of Smart Lighting and The challenges that IoT brings to lighting design. While one envisioned an intelligently lit tomorrow, the other noted the spectrum of this development.

The discussion on day 2 was pinned around the narratives of Value creation through lighting design in hospitality and the benefits of good lighting design in commercial environments. Asia, and in particular, China currently has a vast majority of projects in the Hospitality and Commercial sectors. Thus, probing into the depths of this multi- faceted premise created a lot of interest among the audience.

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Keynote speaker, Arjan DeBoer (Founding Partner, Insitu Asia), a former hotelier with Alila and Regent Hotels and currently a developer and investor with many interests in Asia, presented great insights on how good lighting design adds to the value creation and brand image of a hotel. He substantiated his talk with actual facts and figures about revenues and brand loyalty, which was both refreshing and welcoming.

Another fascinating presentation by Paul Traynor (Principal & Owner, Light Bureau) on the topic “Lighting as a Service” paved a vision for the new world, which is moving towards a service driven industry.

Arjan De Boer

Paul Traynor

A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD Lighting has secured an indispensable position in almost every sector of design, yet a country like China has long eluded the prime of quality lighting. A wind of change has risen, as Chinese manufacturers that were earlier imitating the looks of lighting products have now started delivering a similar quality performance. Holding an event like LDA in Shanghai testifies to this tremendous change.

While China is expanding its base worldwide, there is no dearth of overseas consultants entering its markets with many potential prospects. This has resulted in cultural clashes in both the directions, which calls for immediate action. LDA acts as one of the tools to help bridge these differences and create better awareness and understanding.

“It would not be long, if not already, when China will be leading innovations in lighting technology with the rest of the world copying the copiers,” says Klaasen. www.kldesign.co

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art & design / Dialogues 2017, Jaipur

Pics: Courtesy of Dialogues

A ROYAL RENDEZVOUS A novel platform to gather energy from a large design synergy, Dialogues hosted its fourth luxe edition at the Rambagh Palace Hotel in early September. Making our way to Jaipur, mondo*arc india peeks into the regal offerings from the event.

A niche platform curated by ace architect Sanjay Puri, Dialogues is ideated around creating synergy between some of India’s most well-known design firms and product companies that create innovative design solutions.

Following the resounding success of its first edition held at the Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad in March 2016, Dialogues has established itself as a focused design event with simultaneous forays into architecture, interior and product design, and the latest technological innovation in the design realm.

For the fourth edition, the agenda carried brief presentations by Indian architects interspersed with product and technology meetings. Topics like Office Design for the Future, Imbibing Tradition in Design and Questioning Design were among other contemporary ideas discussed during the conference. International designers from leading hospitality and interior design firms, Carl Almeida (Partner, P49 Design, Bangkok) and Vachirapong Danny Arthayukti (Design Director, PIA Interior, Bangkok) presented the keynote addresses. The event created an open exchange of knowledge and

facilitated one-to-one interaction between product manufacturers and architects.

‘SPADE- Signature Products at Dialogue Events’, originally launched in March was continued this time as well, driving intended synergy between design discerning professionals. Describing the idea, event director Ridhima Prabhu says, “Giving impetus to signature product design by Indian designers forms an important aspect of Dialogues”.

Here the brief offered was either to design a rug or a light fitting, to be fabricated by Jaipur Rugs and Light Box respectively. While

p.c. studio - photo tommaso sartori

MAXALTO IS A B&B ITALIA BRAND. COLLECTION COORDINATED BY ANTONIO CITTERIO. WWW.MAXALTO.IT B&B ITALIA NEW DELHI - DLF CHATTARPUR FARMS, 2, NORTH DRIVE CHATTARPUR, 110074 NEW DELHI LA TENDENZA, SAHIBA AGARWAL, M +91 999 9693093 - BEBITALIA@LATENDENZA.COM

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art & design / Dialogues 2017, Jaipur

a set of 13 participants created rugs taking design cues from a broad spectrum of ideas, another 13 designed lights that ranged from desk lamps to upright floor fixtures. The products culminated into a unique fusion of diverse hues, textures, forms and principles.

Exploring materiality by using elements like metal, wood, jute, glass, and 3-D Printed Plastic, ideas were manifested in the physical construct. From geometric to organic compositions and metaphysical to architectural renderings, each product had

a distinct narrative garbed into the finesse of finely crafted manufacturing.

Bringing together various creative disciplines on a shared platform, Dialogues projects an active discourse to build awareness and understanding of good design.

“The event is always hosted in palace hotels with a rich history, design synergies in different forms, simultaneous art and jewellery shows, promoting product design and much more. Dialogues with each event

creates new experiences,” says Sanjay.

The event serves as an annual designers meet bringing together the best of Indian design under one roof; and with each edition unfolds new experiences and of course, exceptional dialogues. www.dialoguesindia.com

a quality bespoke linear lighting solution

international quality components from globally renowned manufacturers customised and manufactured in India

connect with us for product presentations and demonstrations at info@sovitron.com / +91 9811307578

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art & design / FOAID 2017, NEW DELHI

Left to Right Swanzal Kapoor, Pankhuri Goel, Amit Pasricha, Akshat Bhatt, Avijit Mukul Kishore, Nirmal Mangal

LET’S UNCONDITION The Festival of Architecture and Interior Design (FOAID) hosted its fourth edition in New Delhi on 22nd and 23rd September 2017. mondo*arc india shares with you the proceedings.

Pics: Courtesy of FOAID

A unique platform that celebrates design, FOAID culminates ideas and opportunities put together for the Indian architecture community. Through presentations, debates and panel discussions, the event opens up as an invigorating avenue to discuss the nuances of design, both physical and visceral. The festival also provides a great opportunity for networking between architectural stalwarts, students and professionals from leading product companies.

Attempting to drive a change at a deeper level, this edition of FOAID took the underlying idea of liberating the mind from the web of conditioning, titling it ‘Let’s Uncondition’.

Design Manthan, a national conference in FOAID brought several designers,who funnelled critical issues in an open-ended colloquy.To understand the construct of contemporary architecture and envisioning a future in design, topics such as - The Psychology of Space-Making (Moderated

by Manish Gulati, M:OFA Studios), Modernism as Heritage (Moderated by Madhav Raman, Anagram Architects),

Authoring Environments: Aspects of Narrative in Spatial Design (Moderated by Swanzal Kapoor, SAKA) and Is the Future for Architecture Political (Moderated by Prem Chandravarkar, CnT Architects), had the stage pulsating with revolutionary ideas and thought-provoking criticism.

Another set of presentations dealt with the creative disposition of architects, their journey, inspiration and setbacks. While Dikshu Kukreja of CP Kukreja Architects spoke on 10 people and situations that influenced his design, Dulal Mukherjee from Dulal Mukherjee and Associates shared inspirations that drive his forte to date. Sanjay Prakash of SHIft, on the other hand,lightheartedly sifted the paradox of an architect’s life by talking about facing project rejection. A special address by celebrated architect Christopher Charles Benninger enthralled the audience as he recollected his design experiences while presenting a virtual tour through some of his works.

The agenda also had several award competitions to honour extraordinary works by young designers. One of it was

Berger Architecture Ideas 3.0, which invited architectural and interior projects from a diverse range of sectors including Residential, Commercial and Retail among others for consideration.

Through another initiative named Expressions, design students sculpted their creative prowess into a series of installations that seamlessly merged art and functionality. An esteemed jury consisting of renowned artists and architects evaluated the conceptual narratives and execution of the pieces.

An interesting rhetoric by the international lifestyle coach, Gaur Gopal Das directed a subliminal energy to the discourse as he spoke on the ageless wisdom of thinking deeper and finding simple solutions.

An event like FOAID asserts that good design is obvious but great design is transparent.

It presents itself as a medium to get past the rind to see the fast-evolving world of architecture and design. www.foaidindia.in

LIGHT a tool for spatial articulation and the creation of perceptual dimensions

perceive

articulate

inspire

experience what you don’t see

Call us for end to end lighting solutions and a curated Lighting Tour at our experience centre in Delhi Tour Timings: 6 pm to 9 pm (except Sundays). T Delhi: +91 11 26809378/79 T Mumbai: +91 22 26046916/26001459 E info@visavislights.com W www.visavisindia.com

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art & design / meeting the legend - piero lissoni, new delhi

Piero Lissoni

#IMETLISSONI B&B Italia and FLOS recently hosted internationally renowned designer Piero Lissoni for a two-day event in collaboration with mondo*arc india at the vis a vis Experience Centre in New Delhi. Day one was dedicated to a presentation of the architect’s work and the launch of new furniture and light collections by the two eminent brands respectively.

After a long day of press interactions, a quick soiree around town, splurging on exquisite Indian teas and feasting on especially home cooked Indian fare, Piero Lissoni was not an ounce lighter on excitement, enthusiasm and energy having flown into town only the previous night.

He was, in fact, a little nervous seeing guests pouring in.

As evening dawned, colossal crowds gathered at the vis a vis Experience Centre for what promised to be an enthralling event. Prominent personalities and ardent enthusiasts from the world of architecture, fashion, art and design from across the country were joined by industry

professionals as well as selected students.

The evening commenced with an opening note by Amit Gupta, Director, vis a vis and also Publisher, mondo*arc india.

Reflecting on a journey over the last ten years and a fascinating interaction with Lissoni a decade ago, Gupta shared a warm welcome setting the stage for a spirited oration. Massimo Franchi (Area Manager of India and Asia Pacific, B&B Italia) and Carlo Moro (Commercial Director of Architectural & Outdoor Collections, FLOS) also took the mic to share about their distinguished brands that have paved the way towards leading innovation in product design. Referencing the many innovative

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“I never wake up in the morning with a good idea. I like to be curious, I like to make mistakes. To design something, you need some special craziness. It is not enough to choose just one crazy designer or one crazy architect or one stupid Piero. When you combine different stupidities, you design a process.”

– Piero Lissoni

Pics: mondo*arc india

installations constructed at the venue by the STIR team and an extensive selection of products by B&B Italia, Franchi spoke about the newly launched SAKE collection of furniture. Moro commended the efforts of the curatorial team and applauded Lissoni for his latest collection of FLOS outdoor products launched for the first time in India.

Hinting on conversations with the designer, Mrinalini Ghadiok (Editor, mondo*arc india) delivered a lighthearted but heartfelt introduction to Lissoni as a multiple award-winning master craftsman of spaces, furniture, products, as well as graphics. He then took the floor to share

his tryst with design, showcasing a series of products and the process behind them.

This was elevated only by an extensive walkthrough of some of his iconic projects peppered across the globe, some of which include The Oberoi Beach Resort Al Zorah in Ajman, Consortium Hotel in Amsterdam and even the renovation of The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. Lissoni’s casual demeanour was engaging and entertaining, and his work inspiring.

This part of the evening was brought to a close as Gurjit Bains (Owner, BGB Italia and agent of B&B Italia in India) extended a heartfelt felicitation to Lissoni and invited the crowd to experience the studio and

witness the magic of Lissoni’s design as manifested in the SAKE seating system and Formiche, manufactured by B&B Italia, and the Outdoor Collection of lighting products

by FLOS. However, the night was just getting warmed, as the horde of visitors stepped out into the lawns for a special evening of networking over drinks and dinner, followed of course by a rocking party. www.bebitalia.com www.flos.com www.visavisindia.com

Piero Lissoni, Aman Nath

Anuja Gujral, Sanjay Puri, Supraja Rao, Kanchan Puri, Sonali Bhagwati

Gurjit Bains

Jattinn Kochhar

Arvind Hoon, Anil Singh, Linus Lopez

Carlo Moro

Massimo Franchi

Samta Nadeem, Tithi Tewari, Gautam Tewari, Dinesh Panwar

Pinky Pandit, Hardeep Gupta

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#imetlissoni, did you?

Mrinalini Ghadiok, Piero Lissoni, Subhashish Mandal

Tarun Tahiliani

Purshottam Bhageria

Amit Gupta

Mrinalini Ghadiok

Hardeep Gupta, Vistasp Kharas

Shubhajit Sen

Dominic Dube

Ashiesh Shah, Piero Lissoni

Uphar Chibber, Jyoti Chibber, Prashaant Kochhar, Natasha Kochhar

Sagar Chordia

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art & design / meeting the legend - piero lissoni, new delhi

... TO BE CONTINUED

Hotels today are defined not by a checklist, but an engagement with its patrons. They are judged not on their offerings, but the interaction with their tenants. These engagements and interactions are determined by the often-deliberate choreography of distinct ideologies and their physical manifestation of the design construct.

Great design creates great experiences… great experiences shape great hospitality.

On the second day of the event, mondo*arc india hosted a Round Table Conversation to discuss this very idea. Stalwarts from the fields of design and hospitality came together to share ideas and experiences, and to debate on how ‘great design creates great experiences…great experiences shape great hospitality’.

Moderated by Mrinalini Ghadiok (Editor, mondo*arc india) and Sumant Jayakrishnan (ace Scenographer), the session witnessed an intriguing dialogue between Piero Lissoni (Architect, Lissoni Associati), Sunita Kohli (Interior Designer, K2 India),Sanjay Puri (Architect, Sanjay Puri Architects), Aman Nath (Founder, Neemrana Group of Hotels), Sunil Ghadiok (Hotelier, Nidra Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.), JJ Valaya (Fashion Designer, House of Valaya), Mohit Balachandran (Celebrity Chef, SodaBottleOpenerWala), Amit Gupta (Director, vis a vis and Publisher, mondo*arc india), Gurjit Bains (Owner, BGB Italia and agent of B&B Italia in India), Carlo Moro (Commercial Director of Architectural & Outdoor Collections, FLOS), and Massimo Franchi (Area Manager of India and Asia Pacific, B&B Italia).

Devil Is In The Details I think I am interested in the Devil. God is too good and sometimes gets too aggressive. The other one is full of surprises. When you design in a country like the Emirates(referring to his project, The Oberoi Beach Resort, Al Zorah in Ajman), the devil is there every second to prepare incredible surprises for you, in terms of quality, creativity, and often even as ugly and horrible modifications.

– Piero Lissoni

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Seeking Clarity The problem today is that people are building in India in a way that they are building anywhere else.The real problem is the lack of awareness. By all means, build today, but you have to keep the construct contextual to the climate. We should definitely imbibe ideas from tradition but there isn’t a need to copy.

– Sanjay Puri

Lending an Emotional Quotient Lighting is nothing but the emotional quotient of a space. However, 99% of the times, designers fail to use it as a design tool to create an identity, which a brand or a particular project craves for. The personality which lighting derives from a design language is what is missing in most practices.

– Amit Gupta

Timeless Key To Perfection The true trademark of a really fine design is the effortless simplicity of the product. It is when you do not see the complex ways that one has worked through solutions.

– Sunita Kohli

Great Hospitality Is Synonymous With Great Operations

Present And The Past When we talk about the contemporary, we should not always polarize it as history vs. contemporary. You do not have to copy everything. There are other ways to evoke the past. I think one has to mix and marry elements to evoke new design sensibilities.

– Aman Nath

Brands have now very carefully set out their parameters in terms of design and specifications. Whether it is the definition of the artwork, the room sizes, accessories, or anything else; the fundamentals are established by the brand, which is a big plus for the hospitality industry. These elements, however, do not define the interior design. It sets the pace for the minimum. As long as the minimums are met, the designer has a free hand to create.

– Sunil Ghadiok

Capturing Design In My Lens As a photographer, to me, light is very important, especially the interaction between natural and artificial light. I believe that a building changes its personality from day to night. If it ends up looking the same after dusk, as it has all day, it has lost the mystery of the space.

– JJ Valaya

Going Global I do witness the growth of design discerning audience in India. The design language is becoming more global and less local in the country.

– Gurjit Bains

166

art & design / meeting the legend - piero lissoni, new delhi

Opportunities Abound

Serving Excellence We believe that our mission in the hospitality industry, which is a great part of our business is to deliver iconic pieces from the best designers around the world who have been working with us for many years. Our approach to business is to deliver the ideas of master designers and integrate into their scope of work what they want for the operators and developers of hotels.

– Carlo Moro

It is very difficult to talk about modern design and tradition, but we must not forget that India is one of the largest countries in the world wherein different cultures live together. For many years, India was not on the international market in terms of trading.

Nowadays it is fully open. There are a lot of great opportunities for designers looking to do something different.

– Massimo Franchi

The SHIFT This summer, I spent two months away working on an Italian Opera. I was designing the stage and costume in London. I was not there as an Indian designer, I was there as a designer contextually coming up with what was right for the design. And that is what I find interesting – seeking opportunities and situations where one is looking at what is correct for the space. The rules are changing.

– Sumant Jayakrishnan

And How Can We Miss Food?

Moments That Matter Design is not restricted to architecture or interiors or fashion. Design is everywhere and is inherent in everything we do. The physical manifestation of design needs to be synergized with the experience of it. On the other hand though, it is interesting to note that a carefully considered experience will not always result in an (aesthetically) well-designed space.

– Mrinalini Ghadiok

I run a Bombay- Irani Café. If we open an outlet in Hyderabad or even Bangalore, we don’t become Hyderabadi or Bangalorean. We have to be true to who we are. We have to stick to the sensibilities of our particular culture in design. When a customer comes in, he wants the specific ideology that you are putting out.

– Mohit Balachandran

...When a diverse group of design discerning professionals such as this gets together to talk about design, the conversation is not only enthralling but also intriguing and rather beguiling. The talks would have continued and ideas would have flowed liberally, but as we know good things must come to an end. And they did, only temporarily, almost like a pause – for the most sumptuous fare of Parsi cuisine, delightfully presented and delectably sinful.

The team at SodaBottleOpenerWala, led by chef Anahita Dhondy outdid itself in graciously providing a lavish lunch.

And like we said, this is just a protracted pause, for there are many more conversations, ideas and exciting adventures lined up ahead. Till then, let’s continue celebrating great design!

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tHE Bridge | Sanjay Puri Architects World Architecture Festival 2017, berlin WINNER | FUTURE Projects | Infrastructure

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A definitive moment in a design process that exemplifies the interaction of light and space, captured in time.

Workship “Sema is part of the inspiration of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi as well as of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture.

It is what we do as a form of remembrance of God. The lights lift effectiveness of the divine action so I chose that place to take the photo.”

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Call +91 9810552726 for a demo / visit: grandeurinteriors.com C – 158 Okhla Phase 1, New Delhi 110020 19, Raghuvanshi Mills, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400013 www.grandeurinteriors.com